A mum who thought her headaches and dizziness were symptoms of menopause received the devastating news she had a brain tumour after a routine eye test.
Helen Phillips, 55, claims she visited the GP 15 times over four years with various different symptoms, but was never sent for a scan.
She said: She said: "I had 15 separate face to face or phone consultations and a variety of reasons were given.
"I was never offered a scan, yet the headaches were so bad I wanted to pull my eyeballs out.
"I knew something was wrong but didn't know what else I could do."
Helen's headaches became so severe she'd vomit and pass out - but it wasn't until the mum from Selby, North Yorkshire, went for an eye test that she discovered the cause.
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She recalled: "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."
After booking the eye test for 8.30am, Helen says she was in the hospital by 3.30pm.
"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," she said.
"I was so close to losing my sight and being paralysed.
"I was like a zombie and the doctors at York said that I shouldn't have been able to walk into the hospital."
A week after receiving her terrifying diagnosis, Helen had the tumour removed - and thankfully she didn't need chemo or radiotherapy as it wasn't cancerous.
But doctors decided it was too risky to remove the entire tumour as part of it had become entwined with her optical nerves.
Helen said: "I have 3-5% of the tumour left in and I now have annual scans to check for any regrowth or change."
A year on from the operation, Helen has joined support groups of other people in the same situation and says she's learned a lot.
She thinks it's common for her symptoms to be mistaken for something less serious.
"When I look back it's easy to see the symptoms," she said.
"I suffered with flu-type symptoms, headaches and I couldn't cope with noise, even the radio would drive me mad."
"I had unexplained aches and pains, vomiting, dizziness, tinnitus, bowel issues, anxiety, loss of sense of smell, hand tremors, tiredness and fainting."
Helen gradually lost interest in socialising and lost her motivation - until she finally received her diagnosis.
Looking back on when she was ill, Helen says her husband Duncan was her rock.
"For 18 months he did everything around the house and with the horses and other animals we have," she said.
"I was sleeping so much, I had no capability or interest in doing anything and that was really hard on those closest to me."
She added anger and anxiety caused by the brain tumour impacted her relationships with loved ones.
"None of us had any idea the real reason and I am angry that I suffered for so long because doctors failed to spot what was really going on."
Helen added: "I didn't have depression, I had a brain tumour and it was infuriating to not get answers."
"My symptoms were constantly blamed on peri-menopause and I feel that I wasn't taken seriously."
She urged anyone who has experienced similar symptoms to push for a CT scan when they visit their doctor - and added the Brain Tumour Charity offers excellent support.
"It is so important to read this and be aware of symptoms and effects of a brain tumour.
"Low Grade Meningiomas are more common in women and especially women aged over 50."
Now in recovery, Helen is able to enjoy her life again and is even able to work part time.
She said: "I am grateful to be alive, I have a new lease of life. I was numb and living in a zombie state.
Do you have a real life story to share? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com
"My skin was grey and I felt lifeless but now I'm back to my old self."
Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group have been approached for a response.
