Doctors Thought New Mom’s Intense Migraines Were Reaction to Epidural. It Was a Brain Tumor: How She Pushed for the Tests She Knew She Needed

About a week later, Abi, from Congleton, Cheshire, began suffering from “painful” migrainessomething she recounts having in the past but dismissed as nothingand was rushed to receive medical help.

“I started feeling really dehydrated and was getting painful migraines. After a few days, I could barely see or walk so Ross took me to A&E at Macclesfield Hospital,” said Abi, according to Nottinghamshire Live.

“At first, doctors thought it was some reaction to the epidural I had during labor, but we pushed for more tests,” she explained. A CT scan revealed a 7-centimeter tumor, prompting her to have emergency brain surgery two days later at Salford Royal Hospital.

Her husband Ross, recounted doctors being in disbelief that Abi “had such an aggressive, fast-growing tumor for her age.”

“They didn’t know if it was cancerous, or what they would find when they operated. It was a very scary time, especially just after the arrival of Roman,” Ross added.

Luckily, the tumor was found just in time and was able to be completely removed during a four-hour surgery, without any further treatment.

“We have no idea how long the tumor was there and growing for. Doctors think the hormones and stress of labor ended up excelling the growth of the tumor,” Abi, who insists her son saved her life, said. “If it weren't for being pregnant, it may have grown for longer and caused more damage.”

The mom of one, who previously suffered a miscarriage about a year before Roman’s birth, added, “My little boy literally saved my life.”

The successful brain tumor removal and healthy birth of their son Roman followed an “anxious” time for the couple as Abi was monitored “closely” throughout her pregnancy because her prior pregnancy ended with her delivering a 14-week-old stillborn.

Everything seemed to be going well, throughout the couple’s wedding and gender reveal until Abi collapsed when she was 37 weeks pregnant with Roman.

At the time, doctors weren’t able to scan her and find out what was wrong with her as she was soon to be giving birth.

“Looking back, I have had headaches on and off over the years but thought nothing of it,” the thankful mom added. “I always put them down to things like not drinking enough water, or my period. “If anything doesn’t feel right, definitely go to a doctor and get it checked out.”

What Are Brain Tumors?

According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), brain tumors account for 85 to 90 percent of all primary central nervous system (CNS) tumors. The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord and acts as the main "processing center" for the nervous system. Normal function of the brain and spinal cord can become difficult if there's a tumor present that puts pressure on or spreads into nearby normal tissue.

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There are many different types of brain and spinal cord tumors. Some are more likely to spread into nearby parts of the brain or spinal cord than others. Slow-growing tumors may be considered benign (non-cancerous), but even these tumors can cause serious problems.

General Symptoms of Brain Tumors

Symptoms of brain tumors, as a whole, are often caused by increased pressure in the skull. This pressure can be caused by tumor growth, swelling in the brain or blockage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), according to the American Cancer Society.

General symptoms may include the following:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Blurred vision
• Balance problems
• Personality or behavior changes
• Seizures
• Drowsiness or even coma

Additionally, MD Anderson Cancer Center notes that changes in the ability to smell can be a sign of brain tumors, and, more specifically, "strange smells" can be a symptom of seizures which can result from brain tumors.

Still, it is important to note that these symptoms are not exclusive to brain tumors. You should always consult with your doctor if any health problems arise.

Not Every Brain Tumor is Cancerous

Naturally, a lot of people think "cancer" when they hear the word tumor. However, most brain tumors aren't actually cancerous. Less than one-third (about 32%) of brain tumors are considered malignant (cancerous), according to the American Brain Tumor Association.

If a tumor is made up of normal-looking cells, then the tumor is benign. But these tumors may still require treatment, such as surgery. Because of this, they are often referred to as "non-malignant," since the word benign can be misleading.

The most common type of non-malignant brain tumors are meningiomas. However, there are 120 different types of brain and central nervous system tumors, according to ABTA.

Oftentimes after an MRI, a biopsy will be performed on a brain tumor to determine its type. Sometimes, the results of imaging tests show that a tumor is likely to be non-malignant, and a biopsy is not necessary.

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Advocating for Your Health

Here at SurvivorNet, we always encourage people to advocate for themselves when it comes to cancer and, more generally, health care. Cancer, as well as benign tumors, are incredibly serious, and you have every right to insist that your doctors investigate any possible signs of cancer.

"Every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn't work, what the next plan is," Dr. Zuri Murrell, director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "And I think that that's totally fair. And me as a health professional that's what I do for all of my patients."

Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle

Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

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