Mass on my brain

I may have put this in the wrong section, so please feel free to move it. I have been suffering from alcoholism for 13+ years. I'm 34 and I was trying to kick the habit AGAIN, so I went to the hospital and they did I want to say CT scan, but it may of been a cat scan I'm not to much into the medical #. But anyway they said they found a "Mass" on my brain.

Anyway, what does that actually mean the Doc said he wasn't to worried about it, but the Radiologist said he was and set me up for another scan in 2 days. Can someone please try to fill me in does that mean I have brain cancer it does not run in the family, but cancer does. I'm not scared at all, I have been ready for 8 years, and was actually trying to drink myself to death for a long time. last time they checked my bac was .35, the time b4 was .43...I do have hypertension that I suffer it get's real high around 240/140 at times. Before I even went to the docs I told my mother (she took me) that something is wrong with my brian

I don't mean to ramble just hope someone can tell me what to expect.

I'm 34, 180 I don't work out, but I'm not in the worse shape (at least I thought)

Thank you in advance, Glan

reply to post by glan


Until you have a definitive diagnosis, there is no way of knowing what it is. A mass could be any number of things from neurocysticercosis to a benign mass.

emedicine.medscape.com...

Is the new scan an MRI?

Did they show you the CT images? Or tell you how large the mass is? Where is it located?

Your problems may even be related to the mass, depending on where it is. The good thing, it was discovered, and can now be treated. Brain surgery is very advanced nowadays, and people can recover very quickly.

Even *if* the worse were to happen, and it is a type of cancer, it is probably something that can be treated and taken care of.

Best thing to do is just try to have confidence in the doctor. They will send you to a neurologist, and they are some of the best doctors in the world.

Have some faith, take a deep breath, and just wait and see. Bad things are not very common.

I will be thinking about you.

If the doctor said mass on your brain instead of in your brain my guess is you are not in any direct danger. Maybe it's just a build up of fluids or a cyst.

They didn't keep you in the hospital so its probably not that big a deal.

Be well

reply to post by Libertygal


it's the size of a nickle or quarter, can't remember I didn't go there for that I went there for a dif reason. I have so much faith you have no idea...I just want to know is it going to grow? should i be worried? it's in the frontal lobe

reply to post by Sinter Klaas


ok cool thank you...I goto the county the doc said it wasn't bad but someone said it can be...someone who workss in that feilds

Sorry to hear you're an alcoholic.....me too...except I am 43 years old. I went for help in Feb. of 2008....only 2 weeks in rehab....(my insurance didn't cover more). I think I stopped for an entire month.....

Anyhow....I TOO have a brain mass....but MINE is an Acoustic Neuroma.......probably from having a cell phone since 1996...

My first thing to say to you is to TRY and slow down on the slow suicide......I KNOW how hard it is because I am drinking a beer as I type this....but we BOTH know that THIS stopping of alcohol is the only way. I agree that if the staff didn't force you to stay in the hospital after your diagnosis...then you must have SOME hope.....and I would attempt to take this time to TRY and stop destroying yourself...I know, I know....fine thing ME...an alcoholic...to tell you to stop.....but...unless you WANT to die....then maybe you should at least TRY.

All I can do is wish you the best...and pray MY disease either kills me fast....or that I can find the strength to stop as I now have grand mal seizures once a month and alcoholic neuropathy at age 43...and imagine being a drunk old LADY.....(sigh)

I HAVE to say that THIS is the time for you to get "scared" and stop....otherwise...why whine? You're getting what you want...DEATH (from alcoholism)...like I should talk, eh? (but I didn't write the thread....)

Man...you gotta consider your choices......the 30's are an awfully young time to die....

reply to post by glan


No one can say for sure if it is going to grow, thats why you need to follow up with this and be sure to have your scan done.

You spelled frontal lobe correctly. Thing is thats where your personality and emotions and things like that are, so like I said, you may be surprised that once it is out you feel *so* much better! You may even be able to stop the drinking and get better from that, too.

I agree to about not being in the hospital. Are you going to a bigger medical center for the next scan?

Keep us updated, will you? Send me a U2U with your progress, too.



[edit on 10-5-2010 by Libertygal]

Originally posted by glan
reply to post by Libertygal

 

it's the size of a nickle or quarter......

Can it be just nothing?

By the sounds of it you caught it in the early stages and it can probably be easily taken care of with few problems. Its the larger masses that are dangerous because they've dug themselves deep into the brain. And the fact you haven't had any (edit: severe) symptoms from it yet is another good sign. People usually only discover tumors when they are in their advanced stages when the pressure on their brain causes symptoms. You are lucky! Also, if your mom is still alive then there's no reason for you to drink yourself to death because cancer runs in your family. Your only 30.

Too many cool things out there in the world to give up



[edit on 5/10/10 by TheMadHatter]

reply to post by glan


Your symptoms of headaches and confusion are how my brother (33) was lead to be diagnosed with a brain tumor. Prolonged periods of not knowing what the hell he's doing and almost sounding like a broken robot repeating the same portion of a sentence over and over again for minutes at a time.

Long story short his behavior became increasingly bizarre until finally he was locked up for dwi's twice in two weeks, an hour late to a close family friends funeral, stopped showering, wouldn't work. The second dwi was the final straw that forced us to make him go to the hospital for an mri.

Not trying to steal your thread just thought I'd give you a heads up as I'm dealing with his recovery now, he's been home six weeks and aside from a nasty scar from ear to ear, he bounced back quick and is already driving again.

Anyway, you should take this seriously but remain calm, nothing good comes from overloading yourself with stress. Do what your doctors say and you'll come out of this just fine.

If you have any questions about his hospital stay, recovery, surgeon, whatever, feel free to ask.

I forgot to say, The advanced tumors usually cause hallucinations, facial paralysis, abnormal gait etc...

I have a brain tumour, so dont really want to say too much on the topic as i wouldn't want to scare you. All I recommend is you get this sorted out for your own piece of mind more than anything else. as other people have said it could be a number of benign issues.

Glan, I have experience in helping do this kind of surgery, and a frontal lobe tumor is serious. It might well have had something to do with your becoming an alcoholic in the first place. The frontal lobe is the controller of your actions. The emotions are in another part of the brain, scattered in the limbic sytstem. In addiction, a weakened frontal lobe loses control of your urges, and your sense of danger. They will need to establish what cell type the tumor is, and decide if removing it makes sense. It could be a simple cyst, which is a water-filled tumor that becomes a problem when it displaces brain matter. In some cases it doesn't matter if the tumor is malignant or not. That depends on the location and depth of the tumor. It would be better if it is on the brain because removing it disturbes little brain matter. It's gonna take patience on your part, so let the Doc do their work. It may mean a brain biopsy, or they could go in and remove it right off the bat. Let us know when you get more details, and I can tell you more. Some people do real well after the removal of the tumor. I used to have a bad drinking problem, but now I will have a half-pint of Black Jack a month and leave it at that. You will be in my prayers, and we all look forward to hearing more reports. Rich

reply to post by glan


Honestly, it is pointless to speculate what it is or what it could be without knowing more.
If they only have done a CT scan so far, then they will more than likely want to do an MRI first without, then with a contrast. Especially with if the without shows a potential mass.

Please keep in mind, this may not be a tumor or growth at all. It is possible it is only a lesion, or scar tissue that may have been there since birth.

Whatever it is, being in the frontal lobe, it has the potential to cause:

headaches, personality changes (such as suddenly becoming depressed, anxious, or uninhibited), loss of balance, trouble concentrating, seizures, and incoordination.

I am sure it is way too early to tell if it is cancerous or not, so it is pointless to speculate. One thing to point out though, the brain is different than most other parts of the body. The brain lies within a completely enclosed and rigid space. You might hear a tumor is malignant but non cancerous.
Most other places malignancy pretty much equals cancer. Not necessarily so in the brain. Because the brain is in a very rigid space, a growing tumor that is non cancerous can be malignant because there is no room within the skull for expansion.

Get the MRI's done, and listen to what they have to say. As was stated earlier in this thread if caught early enough brain tumors are treatable.

When you know more information, feel free to post again or U2U me and I can give you more info on what they decided it is.

I have MS and have TONS of lesion masses in my brain. And im Ok. Dont freak out until you know more from your doctor!

reply to post by glan


Glan.....

Rather than have us all guessing.....

If you don't want to reveal more details in this thread, U2U me the name or term the Dr assigned to the "mass" & I will send you some information.

If you insert your info in the thread, I will reply in the thread.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

Got back from the Docs today and found out my brain is bleeding, and had a stroke, I have a MRI tomorrow I think. Thank you guys for all your feed back I'll post more when I find out.

reply to post by glan


I am so sorry! I hope you have family and friends there to support you! I know how scary this can be and all so sudden. When I was first diagnosed with MS i nearly died overseas while on Vacation. And was shocked for months afterwards thinking- how could this be happening to me? Especially me (because of all the # I went through as a child). Definately use this time to rely on those that you love and love you. They will help carry you through this!

Originally posted by TheMadHatter
I forgot to say, The advanced tumors usually cause hallucinations, facial paralysis, abnormal gait etc...

Seizures also

reply to post by glan

Do they know what part it is in? I would be interested to know if it is in the meninges that surround the brain, or actually intracerebral bleeding which is bleeding into the brain tissue itself.

The good news is this is Usually much easier to fix than a tumor can be. Especially if they catch it in time.Which it sounds like they did. Where exactly it is plays an important part into how it could have possibly happened too.

[edit on 13-5-2010 by webpirate]