Stomach issues

[mummyanxious]

I've been suffering from a bad stomach ever since I started a course of iron tablets last year. While my reflux isn't on the levels it was when I was on the tablets, I am still getting symptoms every day.
I constantly get a pain in my left side round about level with my breast and coming from deep in my chest. I've worried it's been my heart but dr says no. Now I've been trying to dismiss it but its with me most days now and can get very uncomfortable. I'm worried about stomach/liver/pancreas issues. Especially as just two drinks of alcohol can give me a huge hangover.
This week I've felt very unwell with what I thought was just a tummy bug but a week on and I'm still getting griping. I feel very full though don't look bloated.
I'm absolutely shattered as well.
My dr a few weeks ago felt all my abdomen and said all felt ok and my normal blood tests showed nothing at all other than lower ferritin.
I don't want to keep going back and forth but I can't keep living with this pain.
I don't have a gallbladder so I worry this puts me at a higher risk of getting cancer of digestive system.
This week I've also woke sweating every night. Not dripping but wet but with no temperature.
Anyone got any rational explanations they can throw in?

[tan235]

Gastritis maybe? I'm getting a barium meal in two days as the Dr thinks I have that, i get terrible pain in my back, across my shoulder blades.... really painful.

[mummyanxious]

But would this still be going on months later?
This is my worry that it doesn't seem to be improving and seems to be there all the time.
Before I would get indigestion at a certain part of my menstrual cycle but now it's really most days.
Can you have pain for so long and it still be 'normal'?

[tan235]

I've had it almost 9 months - so yes!

[Andrash]

I've been suffering from a bad stomach ever since I started a course of iron tablets last year. While my reflux isn't on the levels it was when I was on the tablets, I am still getting symptoms every day.
I constantly get a pain in my left side round about level with my breast and coming from deep in my chest. I've worried it's been my heart but dr says no. Now I've been trying to dismiss it but its with me most days now and can get very uncomfortable. I'm worried about stomach/liver/pancreas issues. Especially as just two drinks of alcohol can give me a huge hangover.
This week I've felt very unwell with what I thought was just a tummy bug but a week on and I'm still getting griping. I feel very full though don't look bloated.
I'm absolutely shattered as well.
My dr a few weeks ago felt all my abdomen and said all felt ok and my normal blood tests showed nothing at all other than lower ferritin.
I don't want to keep going back and forth but I can't keep living with this pain.
I don't have a gallbladder so I worry this puts me at a higher risk of getting cancer of digestive system.
This week I've also woke sweating every night. Not dripping but wet but with no temperature.
Anyone got any rational explanations they can throw in?

I made bold what I thought was important.

-Iron tablets are well known culprits for indigestion and stomach issues, it's their main adverse effect.

-Pain "deep from the chest" is a common symptom of acid reflux, which you have. It's a common symptom of anxiety too, which you also have.

-Pain from serious liver/pancreas/stomach issues doesn't represent itself the way you're describing it. I had a close family member who died of liver cancer and believe me, I know the drill-pain radiates to the back, not to the front. In addition, if you had serious issues you'd spot jaundice long before the pain. Therefore, do not worry about that :)

What you are describing can easily stem from combination of iron tablets and acid reflux. I'd recommend you to talk to your GP and ask him whether you can reduce the amount of iron you're taking. You can replace it by eating iron rich food like spinach.

Night sweats are extremely common with stress and anxiety-I get them every time I'm under stress (related or unrelated to HA, doesn't matter). They are side effects of living with high adrenaline. :)

And yes, for hangovers-drink yogurt every morning you have it. It'll make it go away in a matter of an hour. Promised! :)

[mummyanxious]

I haven't taken any iron for well over a month now, probably two, as my tummy just couldn't tolerate it. So I switched to the water stuff which was much better but I've not even had any of that for a while. Made no difference to my blood results at follow up either :( which worries me also why my ferritin is low but the dr said it might just be normal for me.
I have a friend on fb who had ovarian cancer and so she obv posts a lot about that so that is one of my worries as well with the constant indigestion.[COLOR="blue"]

[Andrash]

I haven't taken any iron for well over a month now, probably two, as my tummy just couldn't tolerate it. So I switched to the water stuff which was much better but I've not even had any of that for a while. Made no difference to my blood results at follow up either :( which worries me also why my ferritin is low but the dr said it might just be normal for me.
I have a friend on fb who had ovarian cancer and so she obv posts a lot about that so that is one of my worries as well with the constant indigestion.

---------- Post added at 08:42 ---------- Previous post was at 08:40 ----------

Btw I've also had jaundice when I had pancreatitis when I had gallstones.
So I'm pretty clued up on that one.
But I'm just concerned all these pains are indicative of something that is getting missed because of my 'age'

As far as I know, low iron is not a symptom of any cancer. You may be anaemic, but since your bloods are ok, odds are it's just what your doctor said-normal for you. :)

I don't want to sound cruel, but I wouldn't go to that fb page if I were you. I know you feel for your friend, but you have your own problems with anxiety and probably every visit to that page torments you. You can always contact your friend via phone or skype or go to a pub and have a drink with her. :) If I was too nosy I apologize in advance! :)

Since you're a mummy and you mention age, I assume you're middle aged. It's exactly the opposite of what you think-doctors pay extra attention to patients of your age, especially female patients (hope you're not a feminist :D ). Don't worry, you're in good hands, they won't miss anything and if they say nothing serious, then it is nothing serious! :)

[mummyanxious]

I'm mid thirties. And no offense taken with anything.
My friend is someone I met when pregnant on a birth board. We don't live near each other and have never met face to face. But we have children of the same age and 'know' each other well. This stuff just comes up in her feed I don't need to go anywhere to see it. I usually hide it when it comes up so I don't click in it. But she's been free for a good few years but she was very young when diagnosed which I understand is rare. I believe if I'm right it's older age brackets higher at risk.
I'm just so fed up of being in pain all the time. It is ruining my quality of life as it integers with my normal day.
The last dr I saw said it was muscular, as the other two said as she just didn't know what it could be. All of them have said you can't get indigestion pains on the side of your chest :( but its not a muscular pain. You kind of know when something isn't quite right don't you.

[Andrash]

I'm mid thirties. And no offense taken with anything.
My friend is someone I met when pregnant on a birth board. We don't live near each other and have never met face to face. But we have children of the same age and 'know' each other well. This stuff just comes up in her feed I don't need to go anywhere to see it. I usually hide it when it comes up so I don't click in it. But she's been free for a good few years but she was very young when diagnosed which I understand is rare. I believe if I'm right it's older age brackets higher at risk.
I'm just so fed up of being in pain all the time. It is ruining my quality of life as it integers with my normal day.
The last dr I saw said it was muscular, as the other two said as she just didn't know what it could be. All of them have said you can't get indigestion pains on the side of your chest :( but its not a muscular pain. You kind of know when something isn't quite right don't you.

Yes, all internal organ cancers are very rare before age 45-50. Your friend was very unlucky... :(

You can't get indigestion pains, but you can get reflux pains, which I bloody well know as I am getting them every week or so :) And I know you probably heard this million times but still-anxiety and stress are probably the main cause of chest pain. It's a very common symptom-just search the forum and you'll see how many people complain of chest pains.

You put it very well-something "isn't quite right" with you. Accent on the word quite. It's exactly what health anxiety does to us-persuade us to rely on our hunches and "gut feelings" instead of thinking rationally. Rational thinking is: you got checked by several doctors, you had reliable tests, and all agree it's nothing serious=therefore it isn't. Unfortunately anxiety doesn't want us to think rationally :) That's why you feel there's something not quite right and guess what-you're absolutely correct. You are a healthy young lady :) with occasional but totally expected and harmless minor health issues, but, with heightened anxiety. Anxiety is exactly the thing that is "not quite right". :)

I know time, financial issues or sheer reluctance can constrain you-but maybe you should really try to get some counseling. That doesn't mean meds immediately-I had been going to a counselor for a month and only needed meds for two days, for an issue that was totally unrelated to my HA (car accident of a very close friend). My counselor told me to take 'em only when my stress levels are really really up. But when you start doing something about your anxiety, you'll feel better immediately-you'll know you'll be tackling the root of a problem. And don't forget-even if you contract an illness later in life, you'll cope with it much more easily without anxiety. :)

[mummyanxious]

You know what I know what you're saying and I really appreciate your response. I have been under massive stress these past two years. I'm worn out totally with it. I need to get my body back to fitness and rid myself of this nasty pain.
I've had some counselling which helped massively. I've suffered health anxiety in the past and so I know when I'm obsessing on something. Its hard to describe on here without it sounding like I'm defending myself and in denial or something but I do handle my general health anxiety very well these days and that 'not quite right' feeling isn't the same as the one I'd usually get with health anxiety obsession.
I just want to get to the bottom of this specific pain instead of keep masking its symptoms.
Thanks for your help :)

[Andrash]

You know what I know what you're saying and I really appreciate your response. I have been under massive stress these past two years. I'm worn out totally with it. I need to get my body back to fitness and rid myself of this nasty pain.
I've had some counselling which helped massively. I've suffered health anxiety in the past and so I know when I'm obsessing on something. Its hard to describe on here without it sounding like I'm defending myself and in denial or something but I do handle my general health anxiety very well these days and that 'not quite right' feeling isn't the same as the one I'd usually get with health anxiety obsession.
I just want to get to the bottom of this specific pain instead of keep masking its symptoms.
Thanks for your help :)

Oh I understand totally. Don't worry, it doesn't sound like defending-it sounds fairly normal, to be honest. After all, we all wanna know what's happening with our bodies and minds :) It's just that eliminating stress and anxiety from the equation will certainly help solve other health issues, harmless (your case, as doctors checked everything) or severe.

I wish you good luck and to get to the bottom of the pain as soon as possible, and pain to go away! As for help, it was a pleasure :)

[mummyanxious]

I suppose the thing we think is how can someone feel so desperately ill and not have something wrong with them? How poorly must seriously ill people feel on a daily basis as they say with some things people feel right as rain. So if I feel this bad I must be in the last stages of something? Does that make sense?

I feel really poorly today, very weak and tired. Shaking inside. Feel nauseous. Bloated. Just poorly ill. I feel like I'm going to collapse tbh. Just want to wrap in a blanket.