Idk if this is good or bad news... or what to do.

[Elizabeth04]

My doctor messaged the neurologist yesterday while I was there because she was worried about the smoke smell and headaches. Here is what the neurologist said..

"....Smoke smell is not a typical migraine auora. Alternatively anxiety, ptsd, sinus issues and seizures can cause this..."

My doctor then told me that she thinks once I get my anxiety under control, that this will subside as well, but if it doesn't then I need to be seen by nuerology.

Well what if it is not from anxiety and I have a brain tumor.... then it is too late once I consult nuerology.

I still have a headache today.. and have smelled the smell a fee times today.

Idk What to do or think

[Jeff1943]

Why do you think that smelling smoke is the symptom for a brain tumour? There are just so many people on this forum claiming they have a brain tumour yet nobody has ever confirmed actually having one I'm glad to say.

If I said to myself "I'll try hard to imagine that I can smell coffee when there's no coffee about" and kept reminding myself what coffee smells like when I breathe in through my nose then guess what. I'm certain after a few days I would start smelling coffee everywhere because I'd programmed my brain to expect the aroma of coffee.

For reassurance do mention your brain tumour worry to your doctor. But do remember that you can't cure yourself of an illness you don't have i.e. brain tumour. Far better to spend your time addressing the illness you do have - anxiety disorder.

[Elizabeth04 in reply to Jeff1943]

Thank you. You are so right... I mentioned to my doctor about the brain tumor yesterday and she said that it was not likely. I did have a ct scan of my brain in May and it was clear.

I'm sure that I have just worked thus up into exsistance as you stated. I just get so scared that I'm going to miss a critical symptom of something else and it and up not being anxiety.

I started Zoloft yesterday and I have my first counseling appointment on the 11th. I am trying so hard to accept and get better but it just keeps knocking me down.

[Jeff1943 in reply to Elizabeth04]

Medication will give you a break from anxiety allowing you to reassess how you are responding to it.

There are many schools of thought regarding how to recover but most seem to converge on accepting the symptoms of anxiety for the time being knowing they are false tricks our mind plays on us. Like you believing you have a brain tumour when not long ago you had a scan and it was fine.

Anxiety may be uncomfortable but it becomes harder and harder to fear something you know is a fake and a fraud. Only when you can go about your daily life not caring too much whether you feel anxious or not does the anxiety yield - and you recover your peace of mind and all's well with the world again. That day will come for you.

[Elizabeth04 in reply to Jeff1943]

I sure hope so. I long for that day

Thank you very much