List of brain tumour symptoms after Grey’s Anatomy’s Kate Walsh reveals ‘very subtle’ warning sign ahead of diagnosis
The star is stressing the importance of 'advocating' for yourself following her brain tumour diagnosis
Grey's Anatomy star Kate Walsh has urged people to learn about brain tumour symptoms following her diagnosis, despite signs being 'very subtle'.
Walsh, 57, first noticed that 'something was off' long before she found out about her tumour in 2015.
In a recent appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the actress recalled feeling all sorts of things that seemed pretty normal at the time, such as being tired and unable to focus, but felt something was wrong after they started to get progressively worse.
Explaining her initial symptoms, Walsh said: "It was like, 'Hey, I'm really tired'.
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"And then it's like, ‘Oh, the right side of my body is dipping'."
The star also remembered the people around her saying she must 'depressed', or that she had been 'scrolling too much'.
But nothing could have prepared her for the results of an MRI scan that she 'advocated' hard for.
Walsh was told she had a 'very sizeable brain tumour' in her 'left frontal lobe', leaving her lost for words.
She recalled the feeling of 'leaving' her own body.
Thankfully, the tumour was benign, meaning that it was non-cancerous.
Benign brain tumours can have slightly different symptoms to cancerous ones, according to the NHS.
New and persistent headaches
The NHS notes that these headaches can feel worse in the morning, or when you tilt your head forward to bend down.
They may also feel worse when you're coughing.
Sickness
One benign brain tumour symptom is sickness all of the time.
You may find yourself vomiting several times a day or feeling nauseous constantly, which could be an indication that something is wrong.
Drowsiness
Feeling lethargic and drowsy combined with other symptoms could be prompt to book a GP appointment.
Walsh noted that while symptoms can feel 'subtle', it doesn't mean they should be put down to everyday stresses.
Problems with vision
The NHS advises that problems with blurred vision, double vision, and temporary vision loss, could all be signs of a benign brain tumour in the brain.
This includes loss of just part of the visual field, which is known as hemianopia.
Epileptic fits
Also known as seizures, which could impact the whole body, or just a twitch in one area.
The NHS says that despite it being 'unlikely' that people with some or one of these symptoms has a benign brain tumour, it's always best to book a GP appointment if you're worried.
Topics: Advice, Celebrity, Health, Mental Health, NHS
Mia Williams