Have Headaches? Get Checked.

I am a lifelong migraine sufferer and had them well controlled with prescription medication. This summer, I had a migraine that I could not control with my normal rescue medication and sought the care of my local emergency room. In the course of care, a CT scan and subsequent MRI revealed a ping pong ball sized cyst with an associated tumor. It was removed on Sept. 19th – I continue recover, following a cerebral spinal fluid leak a few weeks ago.

I cannot stress enough the importance of seeing a neurologist if you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines. I had not seen a neurologist in several years and got extraordinarily lucky. While my tumor and cyst were unrelated, they certainly weren’t helping my headaches. I found this by chance, but if I hadn’t I would have ended up in the ER with some very serious medical complications.

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Opinions expressed within this story belong solely to the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of the National Brain Tumor Society.