I think I may have a brain tumor but what can I do to convince my mom???

Question

I'm 17 and I have some of the symtoms of a brain tumor except vomiting but my mom is hard to convince. Not only does she say that I'm always making up syptoms but I don't have health insurance so I have the chances of her taking me to get it checked out are 100 to 1. What should I do??? I pressure on the top my head
other symtoms are:
eye spasms
tremers in hands
headaches
loss of thought
forgetfulness
I you think it might be something else, then diagnose me. I also have digestive problems

excuse grammatical errors

Answer 1

You're very young. It's unlikely, you have a brain tumor. From all the symptoms you describe, it sounds more like stress, anxiety and the natural process of teenagehood. Try to isolate each symptom and correlate with recent actions.

Headaches could be attributed to head colds, sinus problems; flu, lack of sleep; hunger, dieting and stress. Eye spasms might be due to intense repeated work such as computer causing eyestrain. The same goes for tremors of the hands; esp post washing the hands after doing manual labor.


Everybody suffers from forgetfulness and loss of thought with poor concentration skills; and stress. Your digestive problems such as anorexia, or bulimia, might be a contributory factor to your other problems.


For proper diagnosis of brain tumors, you need intensive tests such as Cat Scans, MRI. etc. A medical history is impt. Remember, the onset of symptoms of a brain tumor is..... gradual. It's not a sudden one. In other words, it doesn't happen overnight.


Maybe your mom suspects of your motives: attention getting or sympathy. Sometimes, it might be a question of the "cry wolf." If you have complained before in the past, your credibility might be questionable now.


Signs and symptoms can include the following:

New onset or change in pattern of headaches
Headaches that gradually become more frequent and more severe
Unexplained nausea or vomiting
Vision problems, such as blurred vision, double vision or loss of peripheral vision
Gradual loss of sensation or movement in an arm or a leg
Difficulty with balance
Speech difficulties
Confusion in everyday matters
Personality or behavior changes
Seizures, especially in someone who doesn't have a history of seizures — as with epilepsy, for example
Hearing problems
Hormonal (endocrine) disorders



Again, I reiterate your problems more likely is due to Stress. Observe for any severity. If they gradually increase; you could approach your school nurse, counsellor or teachers to intervene on your behalf to your mom. Can you not confide to a friend or sibling? You have to be properly evaluated by a Dr for proper diagnosis. Your fears might not be unfounded; or without just cause.

Answer 2

Is there any sort of free or reduced cost health care clinic in your area? Do you have a country hospital - they have to see everyone that comes in, regardless of whether or not they are insured. My guess would be that at the very least a doctor would want to run bloodwork and get either an MRI or a CAT scan, and probably a neurologist's consult.

That said, there are numerous other things that can cause your syptoms. I have had pretty much all those symptoms, and had all the aforementioned tests and doctor visits, but I do not have a brain tumor. What I have is severe chronic migraines. What constitutes a migraine is becoming much more of a broad spectrum of symptoms than it used to be, and there are a variety of causes.

While the chances of your symptoms being a brain tumor are not really all that high, there is still the chance and you should find some way to get yourself seen by a medical practioner.

Answer 3

No doctor would conclude that you have a brain tumor with only the symptoms you have listed. Most doctors would probably not even suspect a brain tumor with these symptoms. There are all sorts of things that can cause the symptoms you have listed, including depression, anxiety disorders, and insufficient amount of sleep.

If you are unable to go to the doctor, you might pay attention to the situations where these things occur, or if there is some sort of pattern in the timing. You could also investigate some web pages on general anxiety disorder, OCD, and depression to see if these things might be causing the problems. If you are in school, the counselors there should be able to help with all of these things.

Here's some links for more info:

Answer 4

Have you considered migraines? They are much more likely than a brain tumor, common in young women, and can cause all of your symptoms. If you notice your symptoms tend to come in clusters... maybe triggered by some environmental cause (stress, temperature, certain smells or chemicals) or at particular times of your cycle. That could well be it.

But there is no way in h*ll I'm going to try and diagnose you over the internet. Since you are legally still a child, your state may provide low-cost health coverage to you. Look into that... or alternatively, Medicaid provides insurance to the poor. Your school nurse or counselor should be able to provide you with information about these programs.

Answer 5

you may or maynot have a tumor but you have to go to the doctor to check that out. usually at the age of 17 you can go the doctor on ur own to do that.

Answer 6

I work in the medical field and the best thing to do is get tested. Go to your Primary Care doctor, ask for a xray, get the results and show your mom.

Answer 7

Are you still in school??? See the school nurse. If not, call your local hospital and ask to speak to a social worker.

You're going to have to make a stand, so, get as much backup as you can get.

Answer 8

Is there a free clinic in your area? Sounds like anxiety but just to be certain go to a charity clinic. Its hard to be 17.

Answer 9

The obvious, not only to show your mom, but for you. Get it checked out by a professional.

Answer 10

show her... she should get health isurance if she doesn't have some on you and get you taken care of.