What are the other possibilities other than a brain tumor or aneurysm?

[freefallin]

Disclaimer: I know you're not doctors. I'm just looking to see if anyone knows of any conditions that could explain my symptoms other than those two at this point. I'm in a miserable, dark, hopeless place lately because, judging by my symptoms, I feel like it's almost obvious that I have something along the lines of a tumor in my brain, and since I've been dealing with the symptoms for many years, I would imagine it's too late for doctors to help me now. Plus, I'm terrified of brain surgery. My mom had cancer, and I saw what happened to her in the hospital, so I kind of think I would just turn down treatment if I had a brain tumor.

I'm 22/female.

So to start from the beginning, when I was about 14 years old, I bit into my lunch one day and noticed that the food tasted like nothing. My sense of taste was gone. This lasted for about 3 or 4 years. I still sometimes feel like I temporarily can't taste food, but my sense of taste has largely returned, I think (hard to say. after not having a sense of taste for 4 years, you forget what foods are 'supposed' to taste like). I had also begun having issues pronouncing certain words at this time, mostly words with s-sounds in them.

Then, when I was in my senior year of high school, I started experiencing blurry vision in the mornings and random dizzy spells that would last for a few seconds. At this time, I also noticed that my eyes would hurt REALLY bad when I first stepped outside in the morning. The brightness just strained my eyes, I guess. I saw a doctor for an unrelated knee issue at this time, told him I was getting dizzy throughout the day, and he essentially went, "Oh. Okay." So this convinced my dad I was making everything up.

Then when I started college, I developed this localized, incessant, excruciating pain in this spot on the back of my head. To this day, I still have this pain. Every once in a while, it's barely noticeable or not there, but it's there about 95% of the time. At first, I would lay in bed crying for hours because it hurt so bad, but now it's part of my normal and I've learned to deal with it. It's mostly in about the same area on the right side of the back of my skull, although lately sometimes it also hurts on the top of my head or on the left side near my ear, which has me scared that it's a tumor and it's spreading.

In addition, I've developed memory issues (I often forget what I'm doing in the middle of things and find that I can't remember things I learned a few months ago, whereas I never used to forget anything). I have trouble remembering words, an almost complete lack of concentration, balance issues, coordination issues,  a feeling like there's liquid in my skull, and these episodes where it feels like the blood is rushing from my head and I'm on the verge of passing out/losing consciousness. Sometimes, it feels like my ears are clogged with liquid, and sometimes it feels like my senses are extremely dulled...like I'm here but not really here because my bodily senses are so dulled; hard to explained. I also used to have noticeably shaky hands, although they've mostly subsided now. Oh, and when I was 18 just before I started college, I had this absolutely unbearable lower back pain for a few months. It felt as though there was a tennis ball in my lower back/spine a lot of the time. There were times when I was out with my family and I begged my dad to drive me home in tears because I just wanted to lay in bed and cry until the pain calmed down a bit. I don't know if that's related, though; that's gone, too. If I do some heavy lifting or anything, my back will start hurting, but it's more of an ache and nothing like that.

I'm so fed up with absolutely everything. I went from this girl who rode roller coasters 5 times in a row and was constantly active to this young woman who lays in her bed all day long by herself because she's afraid that, if she goes in public, she may pass out or have a seizure or something and if she does anything physically strenuous, her body may not be able to handle it. (I've never passed out or had a seizure that I'm aware of. I wouldn't be surprised if I've had non-grand mal seizures, but I'm not sure).

I don't know what to do. I've been eating really healthy the past 2, going on 3 weeks, so I can drop some weight before visiting a doctor (I gained a lot of weight living off of the junk food my dad buys since I'm always so scared to go to the grocery store for myself). But I know it won't make much of a difference because they'll most likely send me to get an MRI, and I'm too afraid of becoming a brain tumor patient, so I wouldn't get it done anyway. I know it doesn't make a difference that I'm afraid and stuff; I'm just babbling.

So yeah. Does anyone know of any other possibilities that aren't brain tumors or aneurysms? Thank you.

[freefallin]

Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah, the symptoms come and go several times per day, save for the head pain. It's extremely random. I'll feel mostly fine and be talking to my sister and in the middle of the conversation go, "Whoa. I feel dizzy. I'm gonna go lay down." Other things, such as the ringing in my ears i experienced a few days ago, stick around a few days and then subside. It's to the point where I've lost track of everything that I've felt/experienced.

[selmaS]

  By cycled I meant, that u had times where u felt well, and then times when all the symptoms flooded back...they come and go.

There are a few different conditions that do this, and it can make getting a dx difficult as u may not connect all the times it comes and goes to one issue.

[freefallin]

Thank you for your responses, everyone.

May I ask what you mean by my symptoms have "cycled"? And if anyone knows the implications of such?

[selmaS]

  As non medical professionals, we can only give our opinions and there r many conditions with similar symptoms...from ur description ur symptoms sounded like they may have cycled.....and there are a few conditions where that is also a possibility.....

A Brain MRI may be a good place to start....and go from there.

PTC as mentioned above is many times also associated with another condition Chiari malformation.

  Since they are related conditions, One can cause the other...and u can be in a situation like the chicken and the egg ...which came first.

  DO go to a Dr regardless of what it may be, as u can not get better or know what it is until u do.

[tschock]

Anxiety is another thing to look into. It can cause many different symptoms...many of which you listed.
I believe that this "could" be your problem...mainly because you are afraid that you may go through what your mom went through.

I started to suffer from anxiety when I watched my dad die...because I had many of the same symptoms that he had.

I'm not discounting what msnova74 has said...these are all plausible too.
I would seriously speak to someone about the anxiety though.
From what you've been through, and because you don't do much anymore, I would say that depression/anxiety has kicked in.

[msnova74]

honestly imho what you are going through is more likely to be something other than a tumor.  Optical migraines, Pseudotumor cerebri, inner ear infection, all 100% treatable with meds(not Chemo), also it could be a vitamin deficiency, certain anemias and probably another 100 things that don't readily come to mind.  Please see your doctor and have an MRI.  Pseudotumor cerebri is a log grade inflammation which is treatable with a certain antiinflammatory.  I understand your fear more than you know, but don't lose any more of your life by hiding.