Brain mets scare... scared

Hey,

I haven't been to these wonderful boards for a long time to chat with you wonderful people.  But I need you again.

I am 9 years out from a stage 3a ER+ PR+ Her- diagnosis. I had a 7.5 cm tumor and 2 positive nodes, encapsulated. I had a mastectomy, chemo, rads, hysterrectomy, oophorectomy, (I was premenopausal then) and 5 years hormone therapy - two years tamoxifen, then 3 years aromasin. So far, so good. No recurrance, life is back to normal, for quite a while. I did not have reconstruction ... it bothers me from time to time, but mostly I live with it without giving it a second thought. 

Well, now I am having weird symptoms in my head. It started last May. A tired feeling brain in the morning upon waking like I needed a good stretch in the brain or something. It always goes away during the day. And not every morning. But over the summer it has got worse. And now, I get headaches in the morning when I wake up and then during the day too quite frequently. Not every day, but most days.  I feel light-headed alot. I also am irritable and fly off the handle at stupid things from time to time. One day I screamed at some poor guy in a line up who was complaining that things were taking too long. I did not know this guy and I have never done this before. Its like I always have road rage... I am feeling more and more keyed up.

So, I go to the doctor. Mention the tired feeling in my brain and headaches in the morning when I wake up. I am thinking sleep apnea. Because, my sleep pattern has changed too... I can't seem to stay asleep, yet I fall asleep after I wake up. I just cant stay asleep for very long. So a broken sleep all night long every night. In fact, I tried melatonin (it didn't help much) and now Imovane which keeps me asleep for longer periods, but I still wake up and still have tired feeling in my head.

Doctor says its symptoms of brain mets. I think, oh my god, come on. I am just stressed out from work or its my diet or something like that. He says we need to check it out.

So I had CT scan today. And I am scared. What if's are happening.  

I haven't been scared like this for quite a few years now. A year or so ago, they found nodules on my lungs with an X-ray of my chest because of chest pain. I have CT scans every 3 months to see if these change. They have not. I have never been worried about them really. Even if they are mets, I think they are treatable. They also found a large thyroid nodule with the same x-ray. It was  biopsied and its benign. They say it needs to come out because it could still be cancer, given my history of rads from breast cancer. I am not scared or worried. It is treatable. Just a pain in the ass, I say. 

But, brain mets really scares me alot. Alot. I am trying so hard not to worry or terrify myself because this does not help matters, I know. 

So, I thought I would reach out to these boards. Ask for some prayers and maybe some experience from anyone. Has anyone else experienced these symptoms of a tired brain and headaches and irritability and had it diagnosed as nothing serious? Or at least treatable? 

Thanks again ladies.

Wendy

Thanks Barsco for you prayers and support.

I had my CT scan and everything in the brain is NORMAL... yippee!!

Of course, my symptoms are not really explained, but at least it is not brain mets.

Maybe my thyroid is off with the nodule on it and all. I have surgery posted for Oct 9th.

We will see...

I have another CT scan for the lung nodules on Sept 27th. I am not worried much though.. they have not changed yet and its been a year. I have had two scans already.

So we shall see again...

Thanks

Wendy

so everyone:

  Thanks so much for your support and kindness...

My lung CT... I have a persistent lung nodule... it has not gone away for over a year now. They will do another CT scan in 6 months.

They are watching to see if it gets bigger. It has not grown yet. 

I will let you know how surgery goes....

Keep on keepin on...

Wendy