Is it a brain tumor? For neurosurgeon please!?!
Question: Not very often, but every once in a while I have the following symptoms in this order: Blurred or fading peripheral vision, inability to read simple sentences or speak clearly on simple subjects, slight headache around the ears, numbing of my right hand, followed by numbing of the face. Within 20 - 30 minutes all these symptoms come and then go away completely. First time I noticed this problem, I was about 19 or 20 years old. Now I am 25, and I seem to notice these symptoms occuring about once every 4 or 5 months. What should I do? I take birth control - does that influence possibility of tumor growth? I've also had a tubular adenoma removed from the breast - it was benign. Does anyone know if I should be concerned about brain tumors?
Answers: Not very often, but every once in a while I have the following symptoms in this order: Blurred or fading peripheral vision, inability to read simple sentences or speak clearly on simple subjects, slight headache around the ears, numbing of my right hand, followed by numbing of the face. Within 20 - 30 minutes all these symptoms come and then go away completely. First time I noticed this problem, I was about 19 or 20 years old. Now I am 25, and I seem to notice these symptoms occuring about once every 4 or 5 months. What should I do? I take birth control - does that influence possibility of tumor growth? I've also had a tubular adenoma removed from the breast - it was benign. Does anyone know if I should be concerned about brain tumors?
First of all you should be asking for a Neurologist - they would perform the initial diagnosis. The neurosurgeon would only get involved afterwards
Have you noticed any other common triggers that occur around the time of these symptoms? Are you very stressed, or could it be related to a stage of ovulation?
I strongly suggest that you go to see a doctor and explain all of your symptoms. It might not be a brain tumor, but could still be something else. Hopefully it is not anything serious, but a medical doctor should check you.
I think The Merck Manual of Medical Information provides the the most reliable, concise and easily understandable explanation of the symptoms of a brain tumor:
"A headache is often the first symptom, although most headaches are not caused by brain tumors. A headache due to a brain tumor usually recurs more and more often as time passes. It eventually becomes constant without relief. It is often worse when the person lies down, and may awaken the person from sleep. A gradually growing tumor causes a headache that is worse when the person first awakens. If headaches with these characteristics start in a person who has not had headaches before, a brain tumor may be the cause."
Page 521
"The new development of such headaches requires medical attention.<clipped> " Page 458
" Brain tumors may produce a change in personality. For example, a person may become withdrawn, moody, and often, inefficient at work. A person may feel drowsy, confused, and unable to think. Such symptoms are often more apparent to family members and coworkers than to the person. Depression and anxiety, especially if either develops suddenly, may be than early symptom of a brain tumor. Bizarre behavior is unusual. In older people, certain brain tumors cause symptoms that may be mistaken for those of dementia.
Other common symptoms of a brain tumor include dizziness, loss of balance, and incoordination. Later, as the pressure within the brain increases, nausea, vomitting, lethargy, drowsiness, intermittant fever, and even coma may occur. Some brain tumors cause seizures.
Depending on which area of the brain is affected, a tumor can cause an arm. leg, or one side of the body to become weak or paralyzed or can impair the ability to feel heat, cold, pressure, a light touch, or sharp objects. The ability to express or understand language may be lost. Tumors can also affect hearing, smell, and sight ( causing such symptoms as double vision and loss of vision).<clipped>"
P 521 -522
The diagnostic procedure is an MRI or a CT scan.
I am not aware of any correlation between taking birth control pills and the formation of tumors.
Hope this helps.
With kind regards,
David A Edge
Founder Yahoo Parental support group
Pediatric Brain Tumors
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ped...
The Merck Manual of Medical Information Second Home Edition ISBN 0-911910-35-2
THose symptoms sound more like TIA (transient ischemic attack)- kind of a self-resolving mini-stroke. It's a short-term blockage of a vessel in the brain and is rare in someone so young, but could be the result of a vessel malformation. You really should get checked because while TIA's themselves are not so dangerous, people who have had them are far more likely to suffer stroke in the future,