A Connecticut woman, 30, discovered she had a sizable brain tumor only after months of downplaying what she thought were regular symptoms like persistent fatigue and dull headaches—mistaking them for stress and normal life demands uncovered by UNILAD. Mother of two Amanda Hyne initially believed the discomfort was due to “mom stress,” not realizing how serious the issue would become.
Over the course of several weeks, her symptoms escalated: the headaches intensified, and she began experiencing crushing fatigue, nausea, and dizzy spells. Even while traveling abroad, the pain felt like “an ice pick stabbing her head,” she shared in an interview—yet doctors initially chalked the symptoms up to migraines and a lingering cold as she previously described.
“I felt like I had an ice pick in my head … it was awful. I thought it was just fatigue and a lingering cold.”
Back home, fatigue grew crippling: she was poisoning herself with Excedrin just to function and could barely lift her gym yogurt. But it was still dismissed until neurologists ordered an MRI, which revealed a 5 cm hemangioblastoma pressing against her brain’s center as UNILAD reported. Although benign, the tumor had shifted her brain, and surgery became urgent.
Surgeons removed the tumor two weeks after the scan, and Amanda spoke of being stunned at how quick the process moved—from diagnosis to surgery in just a fortnight. She praised her care team’s responsiveness, saying the speed gave her confidence that doctors were finally listening according to her account.
Amanda’s story joins a mounting roster of cases where subtle symptoms masked serious conditions—like a paramedic whose double vision and nausea were initially dismissed as stress, only to be diagnosed months later with a rare central neurocytoma as PEOPLE detailed. Her persistence saved her life.
Experts emphasize that common signs—fatigue, headaches, vision changes—shouldn’t be overlooked, especially when persistent. According to neurologists, even benign tumors such as hemangioblastomas can cause cognitive decline and neurological impairments if unchecked as medical commentary suggests.
“Even benign does not necessarily mean harmless. These tumors can significantly affect quality of life.”
The Brain Tumour Charity and National Brain Tumor Society both warn that benign tumors are often dismissed, yet they can cause vision loss, mobility issues, or seizures depending on location—something Amanda now speaks about regularly, advocating for awareness and early MRIs when symptoms persist as patient advocates explain.
Amanda encourages women not to write off symptoms like persistent headaches or unexplained tiredness—especially mothers juggling work and childcare. She credits her MRI to trusting her gut and refusing to accept “just mom stress” as an answer. Today, she’s recovering and urging others to push for imaging when something feels off.
Her case underscores a sobering reality: subtle symptoms can hide serious medical conditions. Whether benign or malignant, tumors require prompt attention before irreversible damage occurs. Amanda’s journey stands as both a warning and a testament to trusting your body—and insisting on medical investigation when standard explanations don’t add up.
