Exploring New Symptoms: Brain Tumor?

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polygonplex

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Hello.

My name is Steve (22) and you've heard from me before. Twitcher of 3 months. Common myoclonic jerks and daytime jerking. I've pretty much gotten over my ALS fears, but with a few new symptoms I'm now onto a new obsession: Brain Tumor.

Anyway, before my neuro appt 2 wks ago the vision in my left eye became foggy- when I looked at lights all I could see was a halo. My appt went well (normal exam-no tests recommended) and afterwards the foggyness left and hasn't come back since. I saw an opthamologist a few days later and he found nothing wrong so he chalked it up to a retinal migraine. (I've never had migraines or headaches). Since then, I have noticed that my left pupil is often larger than my right. I have taken pictures to show the neuro at my next appt (2 wks). Over the past two weeks I've had a chronic tension headache. It is now worse in the neck and my back has been sore. Most days its not bad, just dull and always there-just sore. Also I've had some ringing in my ears and one night I had a rapid "tapping" sensation in my left eardrum. Never had it before it was there for an hour until I fell asleep. My twitching has actually gotten better.

Seizures very often the sign of a brain tumor. Though I've never had one, many consider myoclonic jerking, jerking and twitching to be forms of mild seizures......from text on focal seizures in tumors.........

"Symptoms of a focal seizure depend upon the tumor's location and can include muscle twitching or jerking, abnormal smells or tastes, problems with speech or numbness and tingling."

also, my blood pressure began rising in the spring for the first time ever for no apparant reason. this is often a symptom as well.

so my questions........

Anyone else have any of my other symptoms?
Has anyone talked to their doctor about the possibility of a brain tumor?
How expensive is an MRI and how long will I have to wait for one?
Anyone ever heard of twitching/jerking being associated with seizures? I've actually read quite a bit on this recently and I never did before.

Thanks,
Steve
 
steve,
my gp sent me for a ct scan of the brain with contrast early on is the process to rule out brain tumors. To me, that would be the logical first step if your dr. thinks it necessary. As for the seizure, my neuro says that the twitching i have in calves is exactly what happens in peoples brains when they have seizures. He says I'm fortunate that it effects muscle of my body instead of the brain. However, he prescribed anti-seizure meds. to see if that cleared up the twitches and it hasn't. So I don't really know what to make of his theory.

As for you vision and other problems, they very well could be from stress/anxiety. I know i had pretty all of them when I was stressing the most about all this. One good side effect of the anti-seizure meds is that they reduce anxiety so I haven't been suffering from to much vision problems lately.

Finally, I would say quit reading about your condition on the internet. I've found that is the worse thing I can do. I always start out with good intention (trying to prove to myself that I don't have anything horrible) and I always end up, stressed and anxious. So do try to give it a break.

Good luck,
Gary
 
The tapping in your eardrum is something a lot of people have written about...like a twitch that stems from somewhere around the ear but no one is sure why or where...Someone once wrote that there ENT told them it was Palatal myclonus...or I think that's what they called it.

It is very unlikely that you have a brain tumor...those are pretty rare, more common than ALS, but still very rare. And from what I have read the most common symptoms of a brain tumor are frequent headaches with increasing intensity, and a tendancy to throw up upon awakening.

Try to relax and not stress yourself out too much. You are very young, and like most of us here, your BFS is exacerbated by stress.

Take care and hope you start feeling better soon.

Jen
 
One pupil being larger than the other is completly normal and nothing to worry about . It sounds like most of your problems are stress related ,so try and relax. It's hard to do know,but staying off the internet will help. It's an overload of basic information that can lead in 20 different directions . Leave the diagnosis to the Doctors and trust in there expertise,they know what there doing .

John
 
i use to have the myoclonic jerks....they are benign and usually come from subconscious stress...i also had an MRI of the brain....which was really expensive..came out normal....most neurologists will send you for an EEG to check for myoclunus or seizures...i had an EEG....they hooked a bunch of wires to my head ,, made me lay back in the dark with my eyes closed as relaxed as possible...they want you to fall asleep or almost fall asleep...then they flash a stobe light at different speeds and record your brain activity...
 
Steve, I too have the ear tapping... to me it is more like morris code or the tapping of wine glasses at a wedding reception. I only have it in my left ear. This has been going on for 9 months now.... my reg twitching started 1 yr & 4 months ago.

I had 2 CT scans, bloodwork, 2 ENT appts. Nobody can see a problem. Right now I am in a big time flare up with the sounds keeping me awake at night. I also get head pain on this side.

I am tending to believe the palatal myoclonus theory, though it doesn't make sense that all the rest of my twitching/myoclonus has stopped since taking megadoses of methyl B12. Why would the ear remain?

I also wonder about TMJ.

I too worried about a tumour.... still do to an extent. I would ask my doctor to give you further tests to rule everything out. Like everyone stated though, brain tumours are pretty rare.

I heard somewhere that CT scans can't detect all tumours,particularily if they are small. Does anyone know if this if valid?

Take care Steve, try to relax. I do find my ear sounds and head pain bother me a lot more when I am stressed and focusing my energy on them.

Sandy
 
Steve here again.

Saturday night I went to the ER b/c i just couldn't sleep well anymore and wanted a CT scan. In addition to head and neck pain I was having some wierd facial sensations. (Like water dripping down my cheeks). They did a CT scan and an hour and a half later the nurse told me "no tumor, no bleeding", gave me some info on tension headaches and I went home. I feel better but would still like an MRI or at least to see the results of the scan. I still feel unfulfilled, but thats just probably my own anxiety again.

Thanks for the responses everyone!
 
Hi Steve,
You need to stop worring! A CT scan is the test of choice to look for tumors, bleeds or edema not an MRI. An MRI is better for looking for MS but your complaints of head and neck pain are not typical of MS. It sounds like your major problem is anxiety; try to calm down. Good Luck.
 
Yeah, I get the ear tapping [the ENT chalked it up to either 'palatal myoclonus' or 'myclonic phernomina'] It still really bothers me since i've now had it for over a year - and i can get thousands of them a day - they can only give you anti-convulsants/ OR they can test for it [but only if it's actually happening while you're at your appointment]

I had an MRI - I can't tell you how mjuch they cost, since I'm in the UK and we have the NHS - but I had to wait 6months [and the only reason it didnt take longer is because a doc pushed it forward for me] - but can be anywhere from 6months - year and a half

My doc [regular GP] did suggest that all these jerks could be something to do with epilepsy - but he isnt really an expert on this kind of thing.

I have problems with my sight - concentric circles down my vision -that and the headaches didnt seem to concern my neuro at all.

Unfortunatly for me; my symptons seem to be getting worse [more twitching/jolts/dizzy spells /dropping objects]

All i can advise is to keep going back to your doc until YOU re satisfied - ask questions; and dont let them just give you drugs.

Try not to worry [I know it's a hard thing, and people telling you not to isn't always a great help] - get an MRI to rule out your fears. And remember: symptoms aren't exact guidlines - even if you have all the symptoms for for a condition, it doesnt mean you have it. Everyone is different, and respond to their body in different ways.
 

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