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A woman who took an at-home test to work out what might be wrong with her discovered she had a brain tumour while at a work party. Olivia McNee, who goes by Livia, said the symptoms leading to her brain tumour diagnosis were “weird” and not the obvious ones medics look for.

The 27-year-old had been having irregular periods and – because she has endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – didn’t think too much about it. Instead, she became curious about her fertility and decided to take an at-home blood test to check it – not realising what it would reveal.

“I didn’t have wild headaches, or loss of vision, which a lot of people get, it was simply me tracking my periods and thinking, ‘Something isn’t right’,” said Livia. “This symptom is also a symptom of many other conditions, including two others that I have, endometriosis and PCOS.

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“When I think about it, I found out by accident. Having endo and PCOS, your fertility is pulled into question and so I become curious.”

The civil servant took the blood test via Hertility Health, which specialises in female healthcare. The test examined all the hormones relating to her menstrual cycle. Several of the results came back abnormal: her egg reserve, her testosterone and her prolactin.

Livia, who is based in London, said: “I had no idea what that was, so I ordered a repeat test. The consultant via Hertility told me to notify my GP – and that’s when I started to Google what it meant.”

Livia underwent a number of blood tests via her GP and eventually had an MRI in May 2025. In June, doctors told her she had a pituitary tumour, an abnormal growth in the pituitary gland, located at the base of the brain. She added: “Honestly, I can’t remember [how I felt when I found out].

“I found out while at a work party, which is not the best place to do it, and it was over the phone. I cried a lot, and took some time to process. For me, the main thing wasn’t that I had a brain tumour, which seems odd.

“But, it was that I had another medical issue. On top of endometriosis and PCOS, I also have postural, orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTs), which makes me extremely dizzy when i stand up.

“I remember telling my friends and family, who told me I was strong, that I’d hit my limit and I could face this next challenge.”

Livia said it has been particularly hard to deal with how her condition impacts her fertility. Her tumour affects her levels of prolactin, which is responsible for lactation and breast development, and can cause symptoms like irregular periods and infertility.

She went on: “While my tumour is here, and causing havoc, I can’t get pregnant. I’m nowhere near ready for kids but knowing that is really affecting me and that isn’t spoken about enough.”

Livia’s tumour is being treated with medication called cabergoline, which she says often makes her very sick. She said: “It’s not a nice medication to take. The main side-effects are feeling nauseous and, boy oh boy, did I feel that. I constantly have to have ginger shots next to me at all times. It’s been a ride and a half.”

Livia says her brain tumour has been “tough” on her family and she’s had to change a number of things in her life since she was diagnosed. She said: “They’ve been so supportive but I can tell my parents want to take all the pain away, but they can’t. It’s made me rethink my lifestyle, not that I drank loads and partied, but more about reducing my stress which has helped somewhat but it’s meant I miss out on a lot.

“A major thing I’ve had to change is working out. I have always been a gym-goer and loved HIIT (high-intensity interval training) but my body can’t take it anymore and that’s been a huge thing to accept. My partner has been an absolute rock and I can’t thank him enough for his support.”

Livia recently underwent a repeat MRI and was given the good news that her tumour had shrunk and she can reduce her medication slightly. She noted: “However, I’ve had to take a break from the medication as I also started to get swollen breasts, which is usually a symptom of the tumour before medication. Unfortunately, being off the medication has made my cycle go haywire, so I’m back on it now.”

Livia says she would encourage anyone dealing with similar symptoms to “get checked”. She added: “Hertility offers an affordable way of checking your hormones if your GP won’t so I highly recommend it.

“Unfortunately, as I said, my symptoms are also symptoms of many other conditions, so it’s very hard to tell.”