twofish
29-05-16, 17:59
Hi there
This is a great site and forum - so glad to have found No More Panic.
I'm looking for a voice of reason and common sense to reassure me please :)
Brief background: I am a 46 year old woman, otherwise fit and healthy but suffer from hypothyroidism and getting my medication right can make a dramatic difference to how I feel on a day to day basis. I was feeling great until my doctor lowered my dose in Jan and since then I have started to feel under par.
6 weeks ago, my grandmother died. At the same time I decided to quit eating meat as I've never really liked it. At about the same time I started getting IBS symptoms which I've had on and off for the past 16 years.
However, these have intensified to become a constant stomach pain just below my breast bone. I feel like I have permanent indigestion. I am constantly burping (even when I just wake up) and sometimes I can't take a breath. I have also been very very tired, sleeping four hours during the day every day. I am finding it hard to function on a daily basis. I have a constant metallic taste in my mouth and on my lips and I have lost three pounds over the past week - but I think that's mainly because I just don't have any appetite whatsoever.
My head says this could all be because of my lowered medication dose - hypothyroidism can cause low stomach acid which would mean I'm not getting adequate nutrition from my food. I've also read that becoming a vegetarian can exacerbate low stomach acid issues. So it's a vicious circle.
However, Dr Google has me thinking it's everything from pancreatic cancer to stomach cancer.
My GP has been very good. A blood test came back normal with no sign of inflammation (i.e. which might indicate cancer). He gave me omeprazole - in case I have gastritis - ironically that lowers stomach acid!! But the pain has become worse over the week.
So another visit later I've had further tests to look at pancreatic function and liver function and I'm down for an endoscopy and ultrasound. I really just want to get the endoscopy out of the way - ruling out stomach cancer would be a huge weight off my mind.
Anyway - not sure now whether it's the anxiety making my stomach hurt or what. I am constantly anxious and in a state. I try to remain calm but at my worst I am convinced I am dying and that I am going to leave my kids without a mum. That terrifies me - and then i start worrying that I'm going to give myself cancer by believing I have it - and then I terrify myself some more.
Can someone please talk some sense into me and help me ground myself so that I can get through this Bank Holiday weekend without feeling completely detached from myself and others. I can't enjoy life at the moment and is really awful.
Thank you
This is a great site and forum - so glad to have found No More Panic.
I'm looking for a voice of reason and common sense to reassure me please :)
Brief background: I am a 46 year old woman, otherwise fit and healthy but suffer from hypothyroidism and getting my medication right can make a dramatic difference to how I feel on a day to day basis. I was feeling great until my doctor lowered my dose in Jan and since then I have started to feel under par.
6 weeks ago, my grandmother died. At the same time I decided to quit eating meat as I've never really liked it. At about the same time I started getting IBS symptoms which I've had on and off for the past 16 years.
However, these have intensified to become a constant stomach pain just below my breast bone. I feel like I have permanent indigestion. I am constantly burping (even when I just wake up) and sometimes I can't take a breath. I have also been very very tired, sleeping four hours during the day every day. I am finding it hard to function on a daily basis. I have a constant metallic taste in my mouth and on my lips and I have lost three pounds over the past week - but I think that's mainly because I just don't have any appetite whatsoever.
My head says this could all be because of my lowered medication dose - hypothyroidism can cause low stomach acid which would mean I'm not getting adequate nutrition from my food. I've also read that becoming a vegetarian can exacerbate low stomach acid issues. So it's a vicious circle.
However, Dr Google has me thinking it's everything from pancreatic cancer to stomach cancer.
My GP has been very good. A blood test came back normal with no sign of inflammation (i.e. which might indicate cancer). He gave me omeprazole - in case I have gastritis - ironically that lowers stomach acid!! But the pain has become worse over the week.
So another visit later I've had further tests to look at pancreatic function and liver function and I'm down for an endoscopy and ultrasound. I really just want to get the endoscopy out of the way - ruling out stomach cancer would be a huge weight off my mind.
Anyway - not sure now whether it's the anxiety making my stomach hurt or what. I am constantly anxious and in a state. I try to remain calm but at my worst I am convinced I am dying and that I am going to leave my kids without a mum. That terrifies me - and then i start worrying that I'm going to give myself cancer by believing I have it - and then I terrify myself some more.
Can someone please talk some sense into me and help me ground myself so that I can get through this Bank Holiday weekend without feeling completely detached from myself and others. I can't enjoy life at the moment and is really awful.
Thank you