Brain Met Question

[Hebbie]

I have a question -- do brain mets ALWAYS produce symptoms?

Do they generally cause headaches? Bad headaches or sporatic types of pain? Sharp pain or dull throbbing pain?

Basically, for the past few days I have had this one little spot at the back of my head on the lower left side (almost at the base of my neck) that I get a little pain in now and then. Not a stabbing, blinding pain that makes you want to grab your head or anything, and not a dull, throbbing pain, just a little pain that almost makes me want to reach up and rub my head! It seems to come when I have a stressful thought, or am irritated with my son and, oddly enough, also comes when I eat something sour or spicy (much like my esophogitis used to do to my throat during radiation treatments). It's kind of strange.

Anyway, I called the doctor and the nurse thought that perhaps I had pulled a muscle in my neck or twisted it in my sleep and told me to try taking Advil for a few days and see if it goes away. If not, she said to call her back and they will look into it further.

I am understandably a lunatic when it comes to this stuff and am thinking the worse. Any thoughts?

[norme]

Heather,

I will pray that it is just a pain caused by anything but ...yes, brain cancer can cause pain in the brain. That was the first question the drs asked my husband when they found brain mets. He did not have headaches with his though.

To ease your mind, if it is not gone in two days, schedule a scan...better safe then sorry....and better to have piece of mind.....God Bless

[Tiny]

Hebbie-

All the various places this stuff can met to is enough to drive us crazy!!!!

I, too, have little "zinging" pains that shoot up the back of my head intermittently. Doc odered an MRI and I was very pleased to report that I could join the EHC (empty head club). Great peace of mind even though the little buggers still zap me occasionally.

[Debaroo]

Heather, At Christmas-2002- when my dad showed symptoms of brain mets they were: poor hand/eye coordination (ie. when he was eating- he couldn't bring the fork to his mouth-he'd miss it), and his depth perception was off (he'd go to reach for something and couldn't tell where it was, he'd end up having to feel around for it), when driving he mistook the gas for the brake and almost hit a group of ducks in the parking lot of the park where he took daily walks (ok, THAT was kind of funny-the ducks went amok and my dads friend thought Dad had lost his mind and was trying to kill the ducks) also, he kept misjudging where objects or doorways were and bumping into things. It was very scary, and I felt so badly for him-it was very frustrating for him.

When I called his Onc., the onc. heard the symptoms and immediatly perscribed a steroid-which worked very quickly, and the symptoms subsided. My dad didn't believe that he had brain mets at all, because he DIDN'T have headaches at all...the onc. said that brain mets very rarely are a symptom of brain mets...the other symptoms show up because of swelling in the brain caused by the tumors.

I agree with the others, wait a few days, than call back. It's probably a usual pain caused by a strain or stress (our children are beautiful, wonderful little blessings... but man, those little blessings can cause headaches ). If it persists an MRI will help put your mind at ease (lets face it, what is more stressful than children? The stress caused by worring that somthing might be wrong with our own health.)

Take care, Heather, and let us know how it goes. Deb