When to Seek Medical Care

See your health-care provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Unexplained, persistent vomiting
  
  
• Double vision or unexplained blurring of vision, especially on only one side
  
  
• Lethargy or increased sleepiness
  
  
• New seizures
  
  
• New pattern or type of headaches

Although headaches are thought to be a common symptom of brain cancer, they may not occur until late in the progression of the disease. If any significant change in your headache pattern occurs, your health-care provider may suggest that you go the hospital.

If you have a known brain tumor, any new symptoms or relatively sudden or rapid worsening of symptoms warrants a trip to the nearest hospital emergency department. Be on the lookout for the following new symptoms:

• Seizures
  
  
• Changes in mental status, such as excessive sleepiness, memory problems, or inability to concentrate
  
  
• Visual changes or other sensory problems
  
  
• Difficulty with speech or in expressing yourself
  
  
• Changes in behavior or personality
  
  
• Clumsiness or difficulty walking
  
  
• Nausea or vomiting (especially in middle-aged or older people)
  
  
• Sudden onset of fever, especially after chemotherapy