Flickering lights mean brain tumor?

Hi -

I've been having some light flashes in both eyes now for about 3 or 4 weeks. Went to my eye doctor who told me it was probably retinal tearing. I'm getting a little more nervous about it than that and called my onc who is out of town until monday. They will call me monday to see if i should get any scans done. Does this necessarily mean brain metastases???

Lori

Hi Lori,
I don't think that an eye doctor could determine if it is anything serious. You are right to have it checked out. It is possible to have eye damage from chemo. The eye specialist that saw my sister told her that he is seeing more and more patiemts with eye problems as a result of chemo. Please let us know how thing go.

I have always gone by the rule that if anything persists for longer than two weeks you should get it checked out. I have had brain mets. Personally I never had any problems with my eyes but we are all different. Please get checked!

[Isabelle]

Hi,

Definitely get an MRI scan of your brain.

You may not be in my situation and don't panic yet. Your symptoms sound similar to optical migrains. My sister also got them. (She does not have cancer.) They last about 20 minutes and there is no pain. Very scary experience. Especially when you have cancer.

I had one and never had another for a year. Then, I experienced three more over the last month. This time, I went to my oncologist, not eye doctor. The onc. said those symptoms are atypical for cancer and I should see a neurologist and not to worry. But first he had me get an MRI of my brain.

And, darn, we found 2 brain mets, very small. That's the bad news. But the good news we found them while they were small and before they did much damage. I will probably have gamma knife and whole brain radiation. I just found out today.

So, get a brain scan to rule out mets!

Isabelle

I would definately get an MRI because it will alleviate that concern. I would also see a retina specialist. My husband's retina tore last fall and he saw flashing lights. Are you nearsighted? That carries more risk.
Best of luck.
Barbara H.

Isabelle,

I'm sorry about your brain mets news. But you're right. You found them early and you'll be treating them.

Once again, I'm reminded of Mary. One of her legacies to us was that she asked for and got a brain MRI when she had no symptoms. So many of us have now done the same and discovered surprising mets.

Love and light here and above.



Lisa

Everyone is right.

It could be a retina issue. It could be brain mets. Don't panic. Just get a brain MRI, then see the approriate eye specialist. In that order. You'll breathe much easier

Love and light,

Lisa

Isabelle,
I am sorry to hear about your brain mets. I too have had tiny lesions (5mm and 7mm) and did gamma knife once and so far so good. I also did RT. Both are tolerable. Just a tip with the WBR- you may want to get blocks put on the center (near your middle part of your hair). The RT overlaps causing some people a permanent mohawk. Someone told me and I have a full head of hair you would never know I had treatment. My hair is not as thick. I always get nervous when I post anything about hair because it seems very unimportant in the grand scheme of things but for me it was a very real issue. Everyone is different I guess. you have a wonderful attitude. I go for brain MRI's every three months for life. So like you said if we find something we can manage it much like diabetes. Good luck.

Thank you all and to Isabelle I am so sorry to hear your news, but know that you will be getting treatment and beating this, too. You are in my prayers. Stay strong.

Lori

[Isabelle]

Thanks to all who responded to my post about my newly discovered brain mets. I feel like I have crossed a line into foreign territory and it is good not to be alone.

Any posts about side effects to expect with WBR or gamma knife would be appreciated. One of my first question to my onc. was about hair. Of course I asked about that right away but then felt stupid because hair is the least of my problems. I guess it was easier to ask that then "Am I going to die soon?"!

The odd thing is about all this is that I feel great! The herceptin is doing a good job in the rest of my body.

FTY-- Dana Farber in Boston is doing a study with the new drug called GW#### I can't remember numbers. A kind of herceptin that can get into your brain. I think your brain mets have to asymptomatic and smaller than mine. I may get to do it after my radiation if it is still open.

I am not even close to giving up.
Isabelle