Tenderness in stomach area and back?

[cherrypie26]

Hi everyone.
Does anyone experience quite alot of tenderness in their abdominal area which radiates to their back?
Along with the pain I'm having, this is really worrying me :(
Thanks

[toria]

Hi cherrypie26 I suffer a lot with my stomach I get aches pains all the time at the minute the more anxious I am the more pains I get a vicious cycle but I can't convince myself there is nothing wrong, im sure I have ovarian cancer or bowel cancer at the minute I must have with the pains all the time, I have just started cbt are you going to cbt or anything I hope it helps x

[cherrypie26]

Hi toria. Thanks for your reply.

That makes you and me both sure we have cancer then, I'm convinced I have pancreas/stomach cancer. What a lovely way to spend xmas! I know anxiety can really affect your stomach and cause all sorts of aches and pain. But when we think in the way that we do then that is difficult to accept. Ive had ibs for as long as I can remember now which causes alot of pain etc. and is triggered by anxiety. Funnily enough that is something that I have never worried about as it has always been there, but because this pain is in a different place and feels different, I am so panicked.

I am waiting for an ultrasound appointment which I am dreading and am waiting for a cbt appointment but the waiting list is 10 weeks which is even longer when you're living with HA. I did try cbt at the start of the year but didnt stick with it for a couple of reasons so now I have to go through the whole referral process again. Do you go for cbt?

How has this horrid HA affected you and how are you currently coping with it? It is taking over my life. I'm spending time of work (scared ill lose my job), and it's affecting me socially as I feel I cant go out, so I cancel alot of my plans.

Good luck with everything. I hope today is a better day for you

x

[lfc65]

Hi. I'm a combination of you two as I have flitted between ovarian and pancreatic cancer for 11 years with various other diseases (MS, bone cancer, MND, brain tumour, CJD) popping up in between. And guess what, I'm still here and probably healthier than I've ever been. I am going through a much better stage at the moment as I am able to tell myself any pains, twinges, twitches are symptoms of HA not a disease. It is sooo hard sometimes though. Just last night I inadvertently saw an article on pancreatic cancer. I knew I shouldn't have read it but did anyway.....you have to be firm and stay off dr Google, avoid dramatic health stories and try to distract yourself with other tasks. I didn't enjoy last Xmas as on Xmas eve I found a painless boney bump on the side of my foot and it was too late to get a doctors appointment. I started the prodding and poking with which we are all familiar, kept excusing myself from the festivities to google so by Boxing Day I had terminal bone cancer throughout my body which had manifested itself in my foot. When I saw the doc on the 28th to be told I had the beginnings of a BUNION I was in a dreadful state. So determined not to have a repeat this Xmas! CBT has really helped me. I'm not completely cured and HA may always be with me in some form but I feel able to manage it and get on with the good things in life. I do hope you are both having a better day today xx

[toria]

Hi I had a ultrasound about 3 months ago which was ok but can ovarian cancer be picked up in a ultrasound, my health anxiety is taking over my life at the minute its on my mind constantly I have just started cbt I had first appointment yesterday but starts properly in January I hope it works, I hope your 2 appointments come through and we can over come these worries take care xx

[cherrypie26]

Hi lfc65.
It's so good to hear you're feeling good at the moment and that you generally have control over your HA. Is it through your cbt that you have learnt how to now think that your symptoms are just due to anxiety? Ive also self diagnosed myself with ms and a brain tumour at the start of the year. I now know that is wasn't anything major then but when i'm going through it I forget that and always think "what if" this time it isn't just anxiety. I find it all so scary and actually embarrasing when you have to admit to colleagues, friends, family etc. how you are. Do any of you find this condition embarrasing? I feel there's a stigma still attached to it! I am convinced I have pancreatic cancer and am so scared. I also work in a hospital with terminally ill people (crazy I know) so I am exposed to information about symptoms etc on a daily basis and things just stick in my mind. I'm glad you are getting through this and I hope you have a fab xmas. You deserve it. Make up for last year x

Hi again toria.
The ultrasound should show up most of your organs but I know some can be harder to see. Whoever reported your results should have explained this. What did the dr say? Have you had any blood tests or further investigations?
Good on you for starting your cbt and work hard on getting through this, im sure we can both do it. Its just so hard with damn physical symptoms getting in the way. All the best. Stay strong (we must try) and keep me posted. X

[lfc65]

cherrypie, my Dad died of pancreatic cancer hence my hang up about it and without going into too much detail about symptoms, I really don't think you have it from what you have described! Anxiety is 100000 times more likely to cause stomach pain than cancer. It's unfortunate you work in a medical environment as one of the things that worked for me was going "cold turkey" from anything medical, but I appreciate it's not easy in this economic climate to choose jobs. Yes I find the condition embarrassing - my family and close friends are aware though as they know not to talk about people dying, terminal illnesses etc in front of me. If they love you, they will understand and accept you for who you are - everyone else can go whistle! My long-suffering husband, who jokes the only cancers I haven't "had" are testicular, prostate and penile, has been incredibly supportive - I am very lucky. He is concerned though that our elder son (14) displays HA tendencies which I feel very guilty about it. This is obviously learnt behaviour as he has lived with a HA mother since he was 3. The CBT will definitley help- I have had 3 sessions over the past 10 years, the most recent earlier this year I had to go private as they only pay for 2 sessions on the NHS in my area, but it does vary across the country. You will only get out what you are prepared to put in though,there is no magic button but with the right attitude it could be very successsful for you. :)

Toria - yes ovarian caner can be picked up from an ultrasound. My friend's benign ovarian cyst was found from an internal exam followed up by an ultrasound - she showed me the pictures - it was very obvious. you're fine. :)