Brain Tumours

Hi,
I am new to this forum, I came across it last night. My fears are illness and death. I am F, 27 years old.

I realise that some people think they have heart trouble (I sometimes do too) but does anyone ever feel like they have or are developing a brain tumour? My BIG fear is having a cancer that is either caught too late or nothing can be done about. I have just been to the docs about this again and he has given me drugs which I am not sure if I am even going to take (I am always worried about side effects). I feel that if I don't go to the docs when I feel this way then that will be the time that something is wrong with me and I will only be able to "blame" myself for being ill. My head hurts with thinking about this.

Does anyone else feel empty, like something is missing? I long to be truly happy.

Thanks for reading.

Well, I used to have a fear of anyeurisms (not sure if that's how it's spelled) so I can kind of relate. Now I just have a sense of my impending death. Do you see a psychologist or councelor or anything?

Hi

I have suffered from anxiety for about 8 years now and I'm severely agoraphobic. I worry almost constantly about my health and it is usually my heart or my breathing but when my anxiety first started I was convinced that I had a brain-tumour and it was thinking about this that brought on my first panic-attack.

I don't worry about that so much these days because I'm still alive eight years later and I haven't developed any symptoms of a tumour.

Hope this helps

Chris x

Hi, I so have the same fear as you in terms of a belief that one day something "underlying" will be found and it will be too late and I'll be gone! I know this stems from my mum being mis-diagnosed with breast cancer years ago but even though I know that's where it comes from, it doesn't stop me feeling it. I have been having generalized anxiety for over 9 months now (I'm 33 and female by the way) and am going to do a session of NLP - about re-programming how your subconscious responds to things - to see if that works. At this moment, I'd try anything!

It's such a shame that we have this pretty irational fear - one day yes we will die of something but that shouldn't stop us from living. I developed the fear of death after my kids were born as I'm so scared about leaving them while they're young. It's horrible and just knaws away in the back of my brain the whole time.

I am sick of the anxiety and symptoms it creates though and am determined this NLP is going to turn the corner for me - I'll get back to you on.

In short - you're not alone with this belief - I'm right there with you!

Kerrie

Thanks for getting back to me everyone. It's good to know that there are people just like me. I have been having panic attacks since I was 11 years old. I'm not sure why I started having them. They got much, much worse when my mum died when I was 17....her cancer was misdiagnosed several times and before we knew where we were we were called into the hospital to make the decision to turn off her life support machine. The misdiagnosis terrifies me and is the reason I keep going back again and again to the docs for reassurance that there is nothing wrong with me. I hate myself for going and wasting their time but I NEED the reassurance.

I have had verious types of counselling over the years. I refuse to take pills for this as I do not believe that they are the answer for me. I am currently seeing a psychologist about this and for the most part it seems to be working but I can't be 100% sure that I will ever really be free of this....it may just be something that rears it's ugly head for the rest of my life.

I am lucky enough that I refuse to continue to let this "bully" me into giving up on life...I wouldn't let a person bully me so I'm not going to let my own mind/body do it! I would just like to feel normal emotions and not the continuous underlying various degrees of fear that I do.

I hope this makes sense to someone.

Thanks again!

Fighting i have been fighting since 8am so far i still here and if you need to talk i am here.

Hello,

I am so pleased to have found this site, I have been so ill over the past few weeks as I have been absoutely convinced that I have a brain tumour. I have been back to the doctors so many times I feel like I am setting up home there! Even though I have been reassured I still can't get that to sink in and I still worry all the time.

It is so nice to know that I am not the only one out there, that is already helping me.

But this fear of death (tumours, cervical cancer, liver cancer etc) is really affecting my life and my realtionships. My husband does not understand and thinks if he shouts at me enough then it will sink in. We end up arguing and then I end up panicking even more. He tells me that we are all going to die anyway. How does that help?

I am so scared of dying and leaving my two lovely kids but I am not making their lives particularly happy at the moment as I am snappy, grumpy or crying. Just looking at them I think, how can i leave them?

I have started taking citralopram and am about to start CBT at a centre near us. I have always said that I wouln't take drugs but I need to get on top of things now. I am 38 years old and have suffered on and off since I was 18 and convinved I was going to die of Aids. Remember those tombstones on the televsion?

Has anyone ever tried hypnotherapy for getting rid of this phobia of death? The other thing that I have been advised may help is acupuncture? Has anyone tried that?

Thankyou for reading and for helping me by letting me know I am not the only one

datty if you need to talk i am here .

I am new to this site to i panic alot and it does'nt seam like any one cares ,but iknow thats not right people do care

well Ive never felt like that... but I only have one thing in mind day to day... you have to enjoy life... and not be worrying about future stuff - like what is happening 2 years from know at work- just do your work right!!! or what if a get sick... just live a healthy live... or what will be going on with my relationship next year - just love who you are with!!!

I'm really glad for you that you have never felt the way we have but I feel that unless you have then you can have no opinion on it.

I totally understand what you are saying and those are the exact things that I and no doubt others tell ourselves when we are feeling good. However, when those feelings of terror take you by surprise AGAIN(!) and you think "this time I'm really dying" there is NOTHING that can make us think those things and truly believe them.

I don't mean to be rude but it's remarks like yours that are the most upsetting, it's basically like saying "just get over it" or "forget about it, it's way in the future". Sorry but it makes no difference.

I hope for your sanity and "normal" day to day living you NEVER have a full blown panic attack. If you do just remember to tell yourself exactly what you wrote and see if that makes you feel any better. I'm willing to bet all the money you have that it doesn't.

xx

I couldn't agree more with you fighting, I didn't want to respond to that reply because I was actually really cross. I know that I should be thinking those thoughts but I can't and it is precisely that sort of unhelpful attitude that makes things worse. If I didn't know my fears were irrational I wouldn't be panicking would I? I would be more accepting, but its because I know they are irrational but can't change my way of thinking that makes it so scary. I often say to my husband that I would give my right arm (I'm left handed!!) for him to have five minutes of feeling like I do when I am at my worst, so that he could understand, even a tiny bit.

That is why this site is so helpful and why I am pleased that most people realise that the pull yourself together type of "therapy" will never work.

hi.. ive suffered from anxiety since having been very poorly 3 years ago.. every time i get an attack i rush straight off to the doctors and tell him think i have a brain tumor, i do get a lot of headaches while an attack is present but he (the doctor) keeps re assuring me its the anxiety!! though this doesnt always settle the mind i hope reading that there are others feeling the same as you, may help to settle yours... take care x