A 54-year-old UK mother who believed she was experiencing menopause-related hot flushes later discovered they were actually seizures caused by multiple brain tumors, according to reports by People and SWNS.
Kerry Brown, a production manager from Yorkshire, first noticed symptoms in 2017, when she began experiencing episodes of intense warmth and tingling. As she told People, she initially dismissed these as routine menopause symptoms, not suspecting a serious underlying condition.
Over the next two years, Brown developed additional symptoms, including fatigue, slurred speech, weakness, and visual disturbances.
Describing the early signs, Brown said, “The first signs were hot flushes and a warm, tingling sensation.” She added that she assumed it was menopause and did not seek urgent medical attention at the time.
These episodes were later identified as seizures, an early neurological warning sign that went unrecognized for nearly two years.
The turning point came in 2019, when Brown experienced a sudden change in her vision.
She said, “It felt like a thumbprint over the vision in my right eye.”
An optician detected swelling behind her eye and referred her for urgent evaluation. Subsequent MRI scans revealed multiple brain tumors.
Doctors initially identified four tumors, and informed Brown that her “hot flushes” were in fact seizures.
Brown underwent surgery in July 2019, but the extent of her condition proved far more serious.
As she told , “They hadn’t found four tumors, they’d found 10.”
Doctors diagnosed her with multiple meningiomas, a type of tumor that develops in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
According to People, surgeons removed five tumors, while the remaining five were left in place for monitoring.
Despite treatment, Brown continues to face long-term complications.
She lost vision in her right eye after a tumor compressed her optic nerve. “The nerve continued to die, and I’m now blind in my right eye,” she said.
Reports by SWNS further noted that she continues to experience seizures and neurological symptoms following surgery.
More recently, doctors identified that two of the remaining tumors have started growing again, requiring radiotherapy.
Meningiomas are typically slow-growing but can cause significant neurological symptoms depending on their size and location.
Symptoms may include headaches, seizures, vision problems, memory issues, and weakness in the limbs.
Crucially, many of these symptoms overlap with menopause, including hot flushes, fatigue, and cognitive changes making early diagnosis more challenging.
They most commonly develop along the outer surface or top of the brain.
Some may form at the base of the skull, including near the eyes or nose.
Rarely, meningiomas can also occur in the spinal region.
Meningiomas are classified based on location, such as convexity, intraventricular, or sphenoid wing tumors.
They are also graded by severity:
Grade I (benign): Slow-growing and most common
Grade II (atypical): Faster-growing, higher recurrence risk
Grade III (malignant): Rare, aggressive, and fast-spreading
Symptoms of a meningioma typically develop when the tumor grows large enough to exert pressure on surrounding brain structures. As a result, patients may experience persistent headaches, seizures, and changes in vision such as blurred or double vision. Other commonly reported symptoms include hearing loss, memory difficulties, and muscle weakness.
Most cases are linked to genetic mutations (chromosomal changes) that occur randomly.
Some inherited conditions, such as neurofibromatosis type 2, may increase risk.
Higher risk is associated with:
Age above 65
Female sex
Prior radiation exposure to the head
Hormonal factors (e.g., hormone therapy)
If untreated or large, meningiomas can lead to:
Vision loss
Paralysis
Memory impairment
Personality changes
Speech difficulties
Brown is now using her experience to raise awareness about brain tumors and the importance of recognizing unusual symptoms.
She told that the lack of funding for brain tumor research motivated her to speak out. “Knowing how underfunded research into brain tumors is… really motivated me,” she said.
She added, “If sharing my story helps, it’s worth it.”
Reference:
Cleveland Clinic. “Meningioma.” Accessed March 25, 2026. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17858-meningioma
(Rh/ARC)
