My health situation..

[Atheist]

.. is probably not that good.
It began last friday, I was working out at the gym when all of a sudden I got this really painful headache. I went home, took a painkiller and didnt think more about it, altough it was very odd. I decided to take it easy for a couple of days, and went back to the gym last tuesday...and the pain came back. So the next morning I called and got an appointment at the doctor, which made a very basic examination...reflexes...pupils etc, then referred me to the ER...so I drove there. After spending 5 hours on the ER doing alot of tests, and a "cat scan", the doctors told me that they could not see a bleeding...but they saw something 5 millimeters of size in my brain.
I am going back to the hospital tomorrow morning to do another cat scan using "contrast fluid" (not sure this is the correct term in english) so the doctors can determine what it is.
Needless to say I am very worried
Has anyone else ever gone through something like this?

[abhijit]

.. is probably not that good.
It began last friday, I was working out at the gym when all of a sudden I got this really painful headache. I went home, took a painkiller and didnt think more about it, altough it was very odd. I decided to take it easy for a couple of days, and went back to the gym last tuesday...and the pain came back. So the next morning I called and got an appointment at the doctor, which made a very basic examination...reflexes...pupils etc, then referred me to the ER...so I drove there. After spending 5 hours on the ER doing alot of tests, and a "cat scan", the doctors told me that they could not see a bleeding...but they saw something 5 millimeters of size in my brain.
I am going back to the hospital tomorrow morning to do another cat scan using "contrast fluid" (not sure this is the correct term in english) so the doctors can determine what it is.
Needless to say I am very worried
Has anyone else ever gone through something like this?

Some thing similar, but not as scary as this one. I keep worrying about sugar levels in my blood (my genes makes me a prime candidate for diabeties). Last year, there was an issue with my blood sugar report. Thankfully the doctor was smart enough to ask me to "redo" the test. The sugar levels came out normal. I am relieved now.

I take this test every six months and watch everything I eat, including the ice-cream I have after dinner.

Don't worry, stay positive.

[oceanebelle]

I worry about my lungs as I will always have something cropping up in my x-rays, I worry that one day the dead zone in my lungs will get bigger and I'll have hard time to do a bit of running or heavy walking as the area that can absorb oxygen gets smaller. Once can always think of the bad things that can happen but one should also think about the good things. For instance, if I ever get bedridden, then I'll have more time to play w0w, w00t!

Seriously though, I hope it's not anything bad.

[abhijit]

I worry about my lungs as I will always have something cropping up in my x-rays, I worry that one day the dead zone in my lungs will get bigger and I'll have hard time to do a bit of running or heavy walking as the area that can absorb oxygen gets smaller. Once can always think of the bad things that can happen but one should also think about the good things. For instance, if I ever get bedridden, then I'll have more time to play w0w, w00t!

Seriously though, I hope it's not anything bad.

Do you smoke?

[Shaggy Hiker]

Atheist - Prepare to hurl. If the fluid they are going to give you is anything like what I had, I lasted less than a minute before re-visiting my breakfast. On the other hand, since it is a brain thing, it may not be the same stuff. To be safe, unless they tell you otherwise, don't eat a big meal before going in there.

As for the "something" in your head, and without much of a quip about pea-brain, I would say that you have reason to be a bit down, but not despondent. There are just too many benign alternatives depending on too many factors to list. While it is understandably disturbing, and it would be unreasonable for you not to be nervous, this is not a death sentence and shouldn't be thought of as such. Do the tests, discuss the results, then go from there.

[kregg]

Well, all I can say is at least this is being treated now, as opposed to leaving it and then it turns out it is something quite serious.

[JuggaloBrotha]

.. is probably not that good.
It began last friday, I was working out at the gym when all of a sudden I got this really painful headache. I went home, took a painkiller and didnt think more about it, altough it was very odd. I decided to take it easy for a couple of days, and went back to the gym last tuesday...and the pain came back. So the next morning I called and got an appointment at the doctor, which made a very basic examination...reflexes...pupils etc, then referred me to the ER...so I drove there. After spending 5 hours on the ER doing alot of tests, and a "cat scan", the doctors told me that they could not see a bleeding...but they saw something 5 millimeters of size in my brain.
I am going back to the hospital tomorrow morning to do another cat scan using "contrast fluid" (not sure this is the correct term in english) so the doctors can determine what it is.
Needless to say I am very worried
Has anyone else ever gone through something like this?

Sorry to hear all of that, good luck with things

[oceanebelle]

Do you smoke?

I don't smoke, and I try to avoid the smoke as much as I can. But then of course, we all know tragedy strikes the most promising/healthy people. Keeps them firmly on solid ground.

[capsulecorpjx]

That sucks dude. I hope you caught it early.

[dclamp]

Atheist - Prepare to hurl. If the fluid they are going to give you is anything like what I had, I lasted less than a minute before re-visiting my breakfast. On the other hand, since it is a brain thing, it may not be the same stuff. To be safe, unless they tell you otherwise, don't eat a big meal before going in there.

As for the "something" in your head, and without much of a quip about pea-brain, I would say that you have reason to be a bit down, but not despondent. There are just too many benign alternatives depending on too many factors to list. While it is understandably disturbing, and it would be unreasonable for you not to be nervous, this is not a death sentence and shouldn't be thought of as such. Do the tests, discuss the results, then go from there.

I have heard similar things. That the contrast tastes horrid. Even though it goes through your blood, you can still taste it. I have never had a CAT Scan myself, however...

[EntityX]

Though you may not believe in the power of prayer you are in my prayers and have all my best wishes for your future.

[Atheist]

Thanks for the kind words all.
EntityX - It doesn't matter if I don't believe in God, I am still very thankful for your thoughts and kindness.
I actually didnt get to "eat" the contrast fluid... I got it intravenously, it stinged a bit and I got this sickening warm feeling...but it only lasted a couple of minutes.
Seems like I have to wait a week to get the results. I'm at work now... I'm on the night shift but I cant sleep. Too much to think about I guess.

[dclamp]

you didnt taste it? Even though it goes through your blood stream you shoulld have had a bad taste afterwards

[penagate]

Good luck Emil. I am sure you will be fine.

[arunb]

abhijit ..skip the ice-cream after dinner, thats very bad for health...

[baja_yu]

I hope everything turns out ok. Try to relax while you wait for the result, although I know that will be hard to do.

Best wishes!

[visualAd]

.. is probably not that good.
It began last friday, I was working out at the gym when all of a sudden I got this really painful headache. I went home, took a painkiller and didnt think more about it, altough it was very odd. I decided to take it easy for a couple of days, and went back to the gym last tuesday...and the pain came back. So the next morning I called and got an appointment at the doctor, which made a very basic examination...reflexes...pupils etc, then referred me to the ER...so I drove there. After spending 5 hours on the ER doing alot of tests, and a "cat scan", the doctors told me that they could not see a bleeding...but they saw something 5 millimeters of size in my brain.
I am going back to the hospital tomorrow morning to do another cat scan using "contrast fluid" (not sure this is the correct term in english) so the doctors can determine what it is.
Needless to say I am very worried
Has anyone else ever gone through something like this?

I have had that contrast fluid before; they made me drink it mixed with orange, two litres of the stuff. Needless to say, my visit to the bathroom after the scan was one of the most satisfying experiences I have ever had

Good luck, all the best.

[DeanMc]

Hope everything will be ok! Good look with the tests man,
Jag är säker att allt kommer bli bra!

[si_the_geek]

I hope it all goes well, it isn't a nice situation to be in.

[Davadvice]

hope your ok. good luck

[abhijit]

abhijit ..skip the ice-cream after dinner, thats very bad for health...

You're right. I am trying to get rid of that habit.

[mendhak]

This must be the longest week of your life.

[Psyrus]

I hope things go well. A co-worker had something similar happen. It turns out it was a tumor in his neck that caused the pain. It wasn't cancerous and things are fine for him. If anything it turned out to be a good thing. He quit smoking during the wait for the results.

[Shaggy Hiker]

I actually didnt get to "eat" the contrast fluid... I got it intravenously, it stinged a bit and I got this sickening warm feeling...but it only lasted a couple of minutes.

That was my experience exactly, except that I took the "sickening" part literally. The nurse was a real cutie, and she brought me this little tiny bowl. Had I the time, I would have wryly commented that she had sorely underestimated how much I ate. As it was, she got to find out.

Thinking back on it, that might have been the "bad taste" that DClamp was refering to.

You live in a day and age where the outcome can be anything. Even thought the death rate is still one per person, this particular setback may be no more significant than tearing up a knee, and you should try to see it as such. A positive attitude does help, even for bad news.

[nemaroller]

I'm surprised they are so concerned about a 5mm object in your brain. If it is an aneurysm, most likely they won't do anything since its so small, and the risk of
rupture is low. But I guess in these days of litigation, they can't take any chances.

[Davadvice]

atheist, any update? hope all is well

David

[Atheist]

After waiting for almost 2 weeks to get the test result, I decided to call the hospital. They said they still didn't know what it was, but that the doctors wanted me to do a "MRI" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging), and that they will contact me about this within a month.

I'm beginning to feel that the headaches are more common, its like it requires less physical activity from my part to trigger the headpain. And because of that I'll give them a call today aswell, and tell them that I dont want to wait any longer for the "MRI".

Thanks for asking, David.

[visualAd]

After waiting for almost 2 weeks to get the test result, I decided to call the hospital. They said they still didn't know what it was, but that the doctors wanted me to do a "MRI" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging), and that they will contact me about this within a month.

I'm beginning to feel that the headaches are more common, its like it requires less physical activity from my part to trigger the headpain. And because of that I'll give them a call today aswell, and tell them that I dont want to wait any longer for the "MRI".

Thanks for asking, David.

Get them to do it pronto, there is nothing worse than having a cloud like that hanging over your head. MRIs aren't bad, you just have to stay still. And you will be amazed at all the itches you have to scratch as soon as you go inside.

[nemaroller]

Sounds like its not life threatening, otherwise they would have scheduled you immediately.

[Atheist]

It appears to be nothing dangerous.

My mother works at another hospital in another city, and she had talked with one of the doctors there about my situation, not getting any results from the tests ive done at the hospital. This doctor said that if he only got my approval, he'd contact the doctors that "had my case" and speed things up. And so he did. So now I got news that it is likely to be vascular malformation, which is supposedly not harmful. They also said that these things shouldn't be causing any headaches, so even though this is good news for my head, my headaches remain a mystery.

[Psyrus]

That's great news. Do you wear glasses? I used to get headaches everyday while at work. It turns out that I needed glasses. Ever since I started wearing them while doing computer work my headaches pretty much went away.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Not all headaches can be readily attributed to anything. And therefore, I shall proceed to make a wry reply to Nemaroller:

A 5mm object in the brain may not be a concern, but a 9mm object in the brain could be fatal (other sizes are available, as well), depending on how it got there.

[capsulecorpjx]

Not all headaches can be readily attributed to anything. And therefore, I shall proceed to make a wry reply to Nemaroller:

A 5mm object in the brain may not be a concern, but a 9mm object in the brain could be fatal (other sizes are available, as well), depending on how it got there.

Ba da bump psssh!!!

[si_the_geek]

It appears to be nothing dangerous. ...

Good stuff, now the problem is 'just' working out the cause of the headaches, which may be something like Psyrus described.

[visualAd]

The brain is the least understood organ of the entire body.

[Davadvice]

tell my wife that!!!

good to hear it aint all bad. hopfully it's just a time of life and the headaches pass.

David