View Full Version : very scared I may have pancreatic cancer
Hi everyone...I'm new here...I'm male, 49yrs old and live in Canada. I've had health anxiety for 25yrs now...seems I've had, in my mind anyway, every type of cancer imaginable. My current worry is pancreatic cancer. I have had pain in my upper back and right shoulder blade for a couple of months now...pain in my right flank and upper abdomen for about 2 weeks...since Thursday I've had mild itching which switches from place to place. My appetite also seems to be less than usual. This morning when I was getting ready for work I ended up vomiting a lot of bile, my stomach was empty.
I had my gallbladder removed three years ago so that rules out gallstones. I have no weight loss or jaundice, although it could be argued that the itching is related to jaundice. I see my doctor on Thursday...but right now I am terrified as I know how bad pancreatic cancer is....i realize it could be simple gastritis...but I doubt it...all I know is I'm very scared. My dad passed away last month it's way too soon for my family to lose me too. I'm hoping someone can talk me down. Thx.
Anxiety Jim
19-08-12, 23:18
I'm scared of the same thing, I'm 24 and very obese. I've been having yellow stools for 4 - 5 months, and I'm itchy all over nearly all the time.
Hi Jim...has your doctor checked your gallbladder for stones?
Anxiety Jim
19-08-12, 23:25
Hi,
No he hasn't, I'm going to see a GP tomorrow hopefully. I'm so terrified I've either got stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver disease or bowel cancer :-(
I've had 2 panic attacks so far tonight... :-(
I know the feeling...i'm glad you are going to the doctor...it will give you peace of mind i hope
Hello, I'm very sorry to hear about your dad. That in it's self can cause health anxiety to go through the roof. I am sure you will be okay. It is amazing how symtoms can be so real but then as soon as you are reassured by a doctor they all vanish. I was convinced i had a heart defect because i was getting 20 or more palpitations a day, I was terrified but i had an ecg and was assured i was fine and i didn't have them again thank the Lord. Wish you all the best.
The loss of your father is at the root of these dark thoughts. The symptoms you describe could be caused by a multitude of things of which pancreatic cancer is the least likely. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is much higher on the list of possible/probable causes. It can cause pain in the abdomen and /or back from your groin right up to your armpits and nipples.
It would be a good idea to see a doctor though for treatment and / or peace of mind.
tyvm for the reply whybother...i hope you're right :)
tyvm for the reply whybother...i hope you're right :)[COLOR="blue"]
You're welcome. I'm sure you will be fine. Take care :)
ty Jules...I have had IBS for 25 yrs and although this feels different you may be right...hopefully the doctor can sort it out on Thursday
Very sorry to hear about the passing of your father angrry. I hope your GP can help find something that makes you feel better. Do you have IBS?
hi Uk..ty...I have had IBS on and off for 25 years...this does feel differently than what it normally feels like....especially the itching...but we'll see what the doc says
so...not much change in symptoms today...I had a good dinner last night...ate quite a bit...no issues...was sick again this morning,..but I am still seeing my doc this week on Thursday. In the event he finds I am ok (fingers crossed) I have also scheduled an appointment with a psychologist for next week. This will hopefully be the beginning of the end of the health anxiety train I've been on for 25 years.
of course in my mind this will be a waste of time because the doc will find that I am actually ill :weep:
Anxiety Jim
20-08-12, 20:38
I went to A+E today, and when I eventually saw a doctor he felt my tummy a bit, and listened to me breath, and said I was fine. I'm really scared he just dismissed me because I was looking really panicy.
The nurse told me my bloods were OK from last week, so they don't need to be done again. I asked about my yellow stools, and the doctor said don't worry too much about it.
I think I'm going to do the same as you and try to see someone for counselling in a few weeks, once I'm as certain as I can be I don't have stomach/liver/pancreatic/bowel cancer or a serious disease of each organ.
How do you tell your doctor about symptoms? Do you tell him you're worried about cancer? I'm just curious to know, as I never mention the things I'm worried about, perhaps I should.
Hiya angrry
I to had my gallbladder removed 3 yrs ago and sometime I get pain on the right hand side and sometimes I think did they take it out at all:shrug: If I'm honest I've not felt right since having the op.
In June i went into hospital with Diverticulitis which is really painful, seems as though my stomach has had issues since that op, but that could be just my head thinking that:blush:
Sorry to hear about your Father, the loss of a loved one affects us in so many ways.
Hope you feel better very soon.
Trish x
Hi Jim...glad the doc's were able to tell you you were ok. I think you should look into therapy now it would help you a great deal. My doc knows what my fears are I always tell him if I'm scared of this type of cancer or that type of cancer. I don't think it affects how he treats me.
Hi Trish, thanks for the reply. I really hope that's all it is....maybe I have a stone caught in the bile duct..who knows..all I know is I'm convinced it's pancreatic cancer. But we shall see. I really hope the counselling helps. The first step though is to make sure I'm not really ill. Thx again.
Anxiety Jim
20-08-12, 22:26
Hi Angry,
At this point I think that therapy would be a very bad idea, my (probably wrong) thinking is that if I stop being anxious about my health I'll miss something and die! :-(
I'm still 100% sure I've got pancreatic/liver cancer (because I've got bright yellow stools, like mustard), but I've had no tests just doctors saying I'm fine, after a quick examination.
I believe that enzyme levels would be elevated in the case of either liver or pancreatic cancer and that would have shown up in your blood tests. It is very possible that the stool colour change COULD be related to gallstones..I would ask your GP to request an ultrasound to have a look. I certainly know how you are feeling though Jim as I am convinced I have pancreatic cancer too. Here's hoping we are both very wrong. :scared15:
Anxiety Jim
20-08-12, 22:41
I hope we're wrong too.
I'll see what my GP says tomorrow, I'm so terrified that I've only got a few weeks/months left... :-(
good luck tomorrow Jim...remember ask your gp about the possibility of gallstones...its worth it to at least have a look. With any luck we can toast each other with a nice drink at Christmas and both look forward to many more happy years
Anxiety Jim
20-08-12, 22:54
I hope so.
Good luck!
this is horrible...I'm having a really hard time waiting until Thursday to see the doctor...I know my issues aren't serious emough to warrant a visit to emergency...stomach upset, back pain, mild itching. I'm just so scared...I can't concentrate, I have no interest in anything..I just sit and constantly worry about this...
Anxiety Jim
21-08-12, 18:20
I know how you feel. Even after seeing my GP i still think ive got it.
And to make things worse the news just had a big peice about bowe cancer, it showed a woman who only new she had it because she gave blood. And it said how many people are dying from it in the midlands.
:-(
At this point I think that therapy would be a very bad idea, my (probably wrong) thinking is that if I stop being anxious about my health I'll miss something and die! :-(
That's why you need therapy. You need to learn to stop being hyper-vigilant regarding your health. These cancer-awareness ads on the TV are not aimed at the likes of us, they are aimed at people who don't care enough about their heath. As Dr David Veale said in his book Overcoming Health Anxiety, you are like a bicycle that veers to the left. In order to make it go straight you need to steer it to the right. Some people don't care enough about their health - they veer to the right. These cancer awareness ads put them on the straight by making them steer to the left. You need to do the opposite in order to travel in a straight line.
When you are old do you want to look back on your life only to realise how much of it you've wasted by constantly and needlessly worrying?
---------- Post added at 20:19 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------
The average age for bowel cancer diagnosis is 70. It is rare under 40. The statistics for pancreatic and liver cancers are similar.
ty Jules...trying to keep it together. I've seen the stats too...however it's still no guarantee...but it's something to think about
thank you for the replies everyone...you are all so kind....I am still extremely scared....pain in my mid-back, upper abdomen, right flank and the itching....i'm so certain of what it is...i know google is a bad thing...but i learned all these symptoms of PC a few years ago when I had gallstones....unfortunately I can't blame these symptoms on those this time as I no longer have a gallbladder....and although I do know that gallstones can still come back...I don't believe they cause mid-back pain....I really am a mess...I still truly believe I won't see Christmas....I have so much to live for and so much left to do....I don't want it all to end this way..... I'm really afraid of my visit to the doctor tomorrow...I don't want to hear that I have PC :scared15: :weep:
Anxiety Jim
22-08-12, 16:25
Hi angrry,
I went to see my doctor on monday about my pancreatic/stomach/liver cancer symptoms, and he ordered some blood tests, I had them taken today so now I've got to wait a week to get the results.
I also went back to my GP yesterday to explain that it was pancreatic cancer I was scared of, and he said it wouldn't even have been on his list of things it could be because I'm a lot younger than when most people get it. He said the same about stomach cancer.
I've also got a fear of a blood clot right now, and he said he really doesn't think it's that, but yet I'm sure it is, even though the blood test came back negative.
I think the best thing to do is when you see your doctor tell him about all of your symptoms first, then hear what he has to say, and then afterwards maybe mention you're anxiety about it. That's what I did after he said he didn't think I had a clot or pancreatic cancer, and he actually said "I really don't think you've got anything serious wrong with you" so that's helped me a little I'm still terrified of the clot though, and the cancer is my secondary fear at the moment.
So when he told me all of that I told him I used to be on Citalopram for anxiety and he's given me a book on prescription about how to cope with health anxiety, and he's given me a leaflet on SSRI's, which citalopram is one, he's also booked me in to see him next Thursday to talk about my blood test results, and to talk about my health anxiety.
I'm really resisting the urge to go back to the GP before then, or run of to A+E.
Statistically I think we're both OK, but it's very hard to accept that :-(
thank you Jim...I really hope you're right. I'm glad your doc was able to help you somewhat..I hope mine can do the same for me tomorrow?....did you mention before that you had itchiness too?
Anxiety Jim
22-08-12, 16:39
Yeah I've been feeling quite itchy recently, especially arms, legs and belly. My main symptom was (TMI be warned) having yellow stools, which whilst they're still yellowish they have gone towards a very light brown colour, which has calmed me down a little.
ty Jim...i think its the itching that has me convinced more than anything else...
Anxiety Jim
22-08-12, 18:18
When I was last in A+E they also checked my eyes (I guess for jaundice) and didn't seem concerned. I think that the itching is something to do with jaundice (I've been reading a lot about all my symptoms this week), so unless the whites of your eyes are going yellow I wouldn't worry.
I kept checking myself in the mirror, thinking "am I yellow? I think my eyes are going yellow" but it was very hard to tell, and it would probably have been obvious if they had really gone yellow.
---------- Post added at 18:18 ---------- Previous post was at 16:56 ----------
I'm also having a very itchy patch right above my belly button at the moment, it's really scaring me :-(
Itching is an anxiety symptom.
Anxiety Jim
22-08-12, 19:33
Thats what im trying to tell myself, but its really not working. Ive been itchy for months, i should have told my gp weeks ago :-(
I get really itchy but I've always put it down to anxiety and then once I think about it it gets worse. I hope everything goes well at the dr's tomorrow x
thk Jules and Jim...I just gotta try to keep it together until tomorrow...really struggling with this though
---------- Post added at 13:42 ---------- Previous post was at 13:41 ----------
ty Abby....I hope so too
Anxiety Jim
22-08-12, 21:07
I'm having a really bad time tonight, I'm too scared to even go and get my prescription sedatives, let alone take one.
I'm so scared my blood tests will come back not normal next week, or even if they do I'll worry they will think nothing more of my symptoms. for as long as I can remember, even as a little kid I have always been terrified of dying! :-(
ok..time to go to the doctor...hopefully it goes a lot better than i'm expecting it to :scared15:
So angry,what did the doc say???
hello Louise...doctor doesn't believe it is PC...he is however sending me for an ultrasound to make sure....so we shall see
Do you feel slightly less anxious now? How long will it be before you have u/s?
Xxx
---------- Post added at 22:44 ---------- Previous post was at 22:39 ----------
Btw, a close friend of mine had pc and he didnot have symptoms like you have said and his was advanced... He did not even know he had it till it had spread and the symptoms he was getting came from it spreading to the liver. He also lOoked v ill even when first diagnosed. I'm sure it's not pc.
ty Louise....i'm still kind of anxious...ultrasound will be in about 9 weeks
9 weeks is quite a long time to wait - does Canada have a similar medical system to USA or Uk??? Could you go private to get it sorted quicker for your piece of mind???
It's the same as the UK Louise..national health...the only way i could speed it up would be to go to the emergency room at the hospital and say the symptoms are really bad
I've thought about going to emergency room on many occasions and have done so on one occasion so it's an option but not really one that you necessarily want to take. In one way it will help your anxiety to get it checked out quicker, but in another way it will only fuel your anxiety bcos next time you worry about something you may rush to ER again...
If you can wait out the 9 weeks then do it, but if you really feel the need to gO to ER then don't bead yourself up about it, just go... Do you have people supporting you at home??? Take care. Louise.
Anxious_gal
25-08-12, 18:18
If you went to the ER how would you get a scan?
Unless you're in obvious pain I can't see them doing it :(
They might do blood work though, have you any other tests done?
8 weeks :( I'm on a waiting list a year to see an ENT but I'm going to try to private again.
I went private already but he was so strange, didn't answer my questions n just sorta sat there looking at me! Very odd :/
All he did was a quick look, nothing my own doctor hadn't already done!
Anxious gal - that's odd that a private doc was like that... Seriously waiting a year???
It's the same as the UK Louise..national health...the only way i could speed it up would be to go to the emergency room at the hospital and say the symptoms are really bad
I read this only now, and some days have already passed...so maybe you already feel calmer.
Just wanted to tell you taht my father had pancreatic cancer and he did not really have the symptoms you describe.
He had very bad pain in his low stomach, but I mean really bad, and mostly during nights, and he lost a lot of weight.
It is good that you get an ultrasound so that you can stop worrying though!
Lesley anne
29-08-12, 02:05
Hi there, I know from personal experience recently what bereavement can do to you and if you have health anxiety it becomes ten times worse!! My mother passed away last June and I am now in the middle of a health anxiety crisis. I know that my mothers passing has affected me more than I could ever imagine, and it makes you looks at things, ie, your health and you start to panic about things. Been there, still wearing the tee shirt!!!! Your ibs, ( I have that too ) will be kicking off in response to ur emotional pain. It's not easy, if your anything like me, u find it hard to settle down and relax, racing thoughts , all the fears you have will be rolling about in your head. I found things like head massages, bereavement counselling helpfully, but there is no easy fix for missing someone you loved. Take each hour as it comes and try and set yourself small obtainable goals every day to distract yourself when you get anxious. I take the dog for a walk, watch a movie, listen to some music or look through photos etc. if I cry then so be it, I'm not going to scold myself foe it. Good luck mate with the doc and take care.
ty for the replies Justina and Lesley Anne and I'm very sorry to hear about your dad Justina....an update...so...the saga continues...saw my doctor again 2 days ago..he how has me on an acid blocker as he feels i may have an ulcer or may be heading towards one...i still have the abdominal pain, back pain and itching...the itching is everywhere...but it does come and go...i am not losing weight...i don't have night sweats and my appetite is good...i still have a bad feeling about all this even though I started a walking program and have walked 52 miles in the last week...at a pace of a 15 minute mile...i really wish this would all go away...i know that the itching can be a sign of many bad illnesses....
ty for the replies Justina and Lesley Anne and I'm very sorry to hear about your dad Justina....an update...so...the saga continues...saw my doctor again 2 days ago..he how has me on an acid blocker as he feels i may have an ulcer or may be heading towards one...i still have the abdominal pain, back pain and itching...the itching is everywhere...but it does come and go...i am not losing weight...i don't have night sweats and my appetite is good...i still have a bad feeling about all this even though I started a walking program and have walked 52 miles in the last week...at a pace of a 15 minute mile...i really wish this would all go away...i know that the itching can be a sign of many bad illnesses....
I understand you so well: I am itching too. It comes and goes, but is all over my body. I guess I have to see my doctor about it if it continues, but I really don't want to (afraid of what it might be!).
The rational part of me can see that this itching could even be stress related...but the HA part of me has a louder voice!:wacko:
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.