brain tumor/stroke/TIA

[Pumpkin36]

i would appreciate any words of support or advice someone can give me. im currently obsessed with thinking i either have a brain tumor or am suffering after affects from a stroke or TIA. im 8 months pregnant. a few weeks ago i was sitting watching tv and out of nowhere had sudden loss of peripheral vision in just my right eye and also it felt like i couldnt focus. i leaned my head back and took a deep breath and got a little dizzy. this whole episode lasted under 10 seconds. those were the only symptoms and they went away quickly. im worried that was a stroke or a TIA. about a week after i started noticing some blurriness in my right eye. i wear contacts and have pretty terrible vision so i went to the eye doctor and expressed concern about a brain tumor. he did some eye tests and also checked the vision in my right eye which HAD gotten worse so he gave me a trial contact. he didnt seem concerned about a brain tumor. since wearing this trial contact my vision in that eye has definitely improved but my eye itself still feels off. its hard to explain. its like i can feel the presence of my eye. or almost like i cant see out of the whole thing but when i hold each eye closed i can see fine out of both eyes. i keep testing my peripheral vision to make sure i still have it and it seems i do. id hope if i had lost some peripheral vision i'd know it. i still couldnt get the fear of brain tumor out of my head so i saw my family doctor. she looked in my eyes and asked me questions and told me she also doesnt think i have a brain tumor. her and the eye doctor both just assume my eyes are changing due to the pregnancy. i also told both of them about the little episode where i thought i had a stroke and neither of them said anything about it except the eye doctor said it could be something related to vitrious jelly in our eyes that shift sometimes. the other thing that has me worried is ive developed silent migraines since ive been pregnant. no headache, just the aura that lasts about 20 minutes. no pain but freaks me out and sometimes theyre as often as twice a week. can someone please give me some support or let me know if youve ever experienced anything like this. much appreciated.

[Jewel311]

I have silent migraines, and they are freaky.  They throw me into a full on panic attack. I get weird visual symptoms, floaters, sore eyes, flashy vision, sensitive to light, spotty vision.... oh the list goes on.  I am also a very anxious person, I get sinus infections and headaches...I don't know if it is all somehow connected.

For what my opinion is worth, I think you should try to enjoy the end of your pregnancy, I would be willing to bet your eye symptoms are hormone/pregnancy related.

[sixpack]

sounds to me like you are experiencing some of the normal, if not, aggravating, later symptoms of pregnancy

your fears of stroke/tia/brain tumor are unfounded and, imo, feuled by HA.  This sort of thinking isn't unusual when pg.  PG is stressful.  It matters little if it is good stress or bad stress.

sit back and enjoy the final month of your pregancy.  Yep  I know, the waddling around is getting old.  before you know it, you'll be bringing your baby into the world.

[Pumpkin36]

thanks guys, i hope it really is related to pregnancy. this obsession has gone out of control and now every day i feel worse and worse, reaffirming my suspicion of brain tumor. sixpack, i noticed you are familiar with brain tumor symptoms. can you tell me what some are that youve seen?

[sixpack]

where the tumor is in the brain will determine initial symptoms.   So it will vary.

my dad's initial symptoms were: impotency, simple partial seizures, and he LOST peripheral vision.  as the tumor grew, he began losing motor function.

my sister's initial symptom were: personality changes and gradual loss of bladder control.

another friend's daughter had: loss of balance, tripping everywhere etc.

all three had different type tumors located in different places.


in all cases initial symptoms were different.  as tumors grew and impacted the brain more, then more things happened.   some symptoms my dad and sister shared and others they didn't.


you are experiencing the later "Fun" stages of pregnancy. remember it isnt only your uterus that is pregnant.  It is your WHOLE body.
 

[momo2]

Migraines can cause stroke like symptoms per my neurologist. He also said migraines and hormones go hand in hand. I'm 4 months post partum and still dealing with it. Vision issues being one of the many symptoms. If your Dr's aren't concerned it's a good indicator that you probably didn't  have a stroke. Try not to stress over it. I know, easier said than done!