YEARS of coping with a mystery illness that caused crippling headaches and terrifying falls have ended for Karen Marshall.

Her symptoms were so bad she had to crawl to the front door to answer callers.

But, in September, she had keyhole surgery to remove a large cyst on her brain that, for 10 years, had been the hidden cause of pain and misery.

Now, after spending two months in hospital, she is happy to be back home and feels like she has been given a new lease of life.

The 51-year-old said: "A few weeks after my operation, I went to the hospital hairdressers and cried because I was starting to look like me again. Before, I looked like 90, not 50. I can't wait to get on with the rest of my life. I am looking forward to everything.

"For nearly 10 years I have been falling over for no reason. People would see you in the street and think you were drunk as that's the first thing people assume it must be. It was humiliating."

The cyst grew between the two sections of Miss Marshall's brain, causing fluid to collect and pressure to build up inside her head.

The resulting symptoms were a mystery to doctors and, at first, appeared to indicate conditions such as glaucoma or back problems.

Because of the illness, Miss Marshall, who previously worked as a PA at IBM in Basingstoke, was forced to quit her job at the local Tesco Express supermarket.

Going out alone also became near-impossible.

"One of the worst things was when I fell off a bus at Basingstoke bus station and broke my clavicle," she said.

"It was dreadful. I am still afraid to go back on a bus."

Miss Marshall, who lives in Heath End Road, Baughurst, said that living with the pain and symptoms caused by the undiscovered cyst became increasingly difficult.

She said: "Last year, I couldn't stand up, sit down or even walk. I had to crawl across the floor to go anywhere.

"I couldn't even collect the post from my doormat."

Finally, Miss Marshall saw her doctor, who arranged for an MRI scan, which revealed the cyst on her brain.

After an agonising wait, she underwent a two-hour operation at the Wessex Neurological Centre, at Southampton Hospital, on September 13, to have the non-cancerous cyst drained.

She said: "I wasn't scared at the thought of the surgery - I just wanted it fixed."

Miss Marshall said that support from her sister Julie, who lives in Pamber Heath, and daughters Jemma, 26, and Laura, 23, had helped her cope.

She also praised the dedication of Dr David Newman and staff at Holmwood Health Centre in Tadley.

It is estimated her recovery period will be between six and 12 months.

Miss Marshall, who has lived in the Basingstoke area since she was 11, urged people who were experiencing unexplained symptoms to seek medical attention.

She said: "So many people must have gone through a similar thing when no one knows what is wrong. I would urge them to get checked out so something can be done about it."