Routine eye test revealed woman had brain tumour – not menopause like she thought
A woman who believed she was suffering from symptoms of the menopause was left devastated when a routine eye test revealed she actually had a brain tumour.
Helen Phillips, 55, from Selby, North Yorkshire, had been suffering from symptoms including acute sinus headaches, dizziness, fainting and vomiting over a period of four years.
While she visited the doctor on a number of occasions, receiving treatment for the menopause and depression, a routine visit to the optician revealed the true cause of her symptoms.
"The headaches were so bad I wanted to pull my eyeballs out," Phillips says of her symptoms.
“My quality of life and health slowly deteriorated, to the point of being incapable of doing anything due to tiredness.
“By November 2020 I was living like a zombie.
"I knew something was wrong but didn’t know what else I could do."
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Phillips booked a routine eye test in November 2020, which revealed the devastating cause of her symptoms.
“I was at the opticians at 8.30am and by 3.30pm I was in hospital," she explains.
“The optician noticed shadows and doctors later told me I had grade 1 olfactory groove meningioma, a slow growing, non-cancerous type of brain tumour."
Phillips says she was close to losing her sight and being paralysed.
“The doctors said that I shouldn’t have been able to walk into the hospital," she explains.
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Just a week after her diagnosis, Phillips had the tumour removed and because it was not cancerous she didn’t need chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
However, doctors decided it was too dangerous to remove the entire tumour as part of it had become entwined with her optical nerves.
“I have 3-5% of the tumour left in and I now have annual scans to check for any regrowth or change,” she explains.
A year on from her surgery, Phillips said she has learnt a lot from support groups and believes it is common for her symptoms to be mistaken for something less serious.
“I suffered with flu-type symptoms, headaches and I couldn’t cope with noise, even the radio would drive me mad," she says.
“I also had unexplained aches and pains, vomiting, dizziness, tinnitus, bowel issues, anxiety, loss of sense of smell, hand tremors, tiredness and fainting.”
Phillips also suffered from tiredness and a loss of interest in socialising and motivation, which had an impact on her family life.
“For 18 months my husband, Duncan, did everything around the house.
“I was sleeping so much, I had no capability or interest in doing anything and that was really hard on those closest to me.
“It impacted my relationship with my family and friends as my anxiety was sky high.”
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Phillips now wants to encourage others to be aware of the symptoms of a brain tumour and urge anyone suffering to push for further tests, including a CT scan.
“It is so important to be aware of the symptoms and effects of a brain tumour,” she explains.
“Low-grade meningiomas are more common in women and especially women aged over 50.
"The Brain Tumour Charity is amazing and have an excellent support group on Facebook.”
Today, Phillips is once again enjoying her busy life - working part time, riding her horse and playing district squash again.
“I am grateful to be alive and I now have a new lease of life.
“I felt lifeless before but now I’m back to my old self.”
Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group have been approached for a response.
Additional reporting Caters.
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