View Full Version : Still scared after the ultrasound
paranoid-viking
03-10-16, 00:29
So the ultrasound doctor said that he saw nothing wrong with my pancreas and my GP says that there is no reason to keep worrying about it. But - as I google I read the nightmare stories about pancreas ilnesses often fails to be detected and that scares me stiff. Is ultrasound goog enough to detect cancer og infection of the pancreas? Shall I be at ease now that it is done. My stomach keeps getting worse and I feel some light inflamation of the stomach after every meal. And gnawing pain in the upper abdomen. In my paranoid mind I think pancreatic cancer metastised to the liver; because after all the ultrasound doc detected a larger fat than what is common on m liver; but said it was not due to something dangerous. Shall I now realax or demand CT scanning and endoscopy. I am still scared and I had some severe panic attack today. Dont know what to do. Help me out please.
Help me out please.
You have to help yourself at this point. There's nothing wrong sans a case of mental health disorder in the form of health anxiety which can be treated by a mental health professional and/or meds.
Good luck and as always...
Positive thoughts
Kathryn313
03-10-16, 08:24
Liver cancer would show in an US. Fat tissue is not Cancer tissue. Cell structure is different. You can see from a review of your posts that the US was never going to give the assurance you seek. Neither will a CT nor an Endo. There are horror stories out there whereby tests missed things. All research can quote false positives and false negatives. We just expect them to be infallible. However, in almost all cases tests + GP opinion + still being alive after a set amount of time passing means you don't have the end stage CA you suspect.
My CBT therapist is moving me through to the 'worse case scenerio' planning in my next session. She raised the question 'what if you got what you fear' - for me thats getting cancer at a stage it's too late to cure it -
'what would you be fearful of', leaving people behind unsupported, having a painful death, feeling like I have missed out on things that other people will have, and then she turned to question to 'what can you do now so that should the worst case happen you have addressed those fears?'
Find a way to ensure they are supported - practical - life insurance, emotional - create happy memories for them to take comfort in
Painful death - make a living will regarding how I want to be treated, understand options.
Missing out on opportunities - start the bucket list now!
It's going to be a hard session but it is helping me see how I much I am potentially putting my life on hold because of HA.
Maybe it's an exercise to try?
paranoid-viking
03-10-16, 10:56
Liver cancer would show in an US. Fat tissue is not Cancer tissue. Cell structure is different.
But pancreatic cancer would also be shown, would it? As that is the cancer I fear the most.
ServerError
03-10-16, 12:10
Just because you fear something doesn't mean you need to be tested for it. Where do you draw the line? Would you spend the rest of your life going around being tested for pancreatic cancer?
You've had some brilliant responses. At this point, I wonder what more we can do on here, other than be supportive.
paranoid-viking
04-10-16, 00:06
Just because you fear something doesn't mean you need to be tested for it. Where do you draw the line? Would you spend the rest of your life going around being tested for pancreatic cancer?
You've had some brilliant responses. At this point, I wonder what more we can do on here, other than be supportive.
No, it is not that. But: I am scared because I read stories that an abdominal ultrasound may fail to detect a pancreatic tumour. And - why does some people need to take the extremely painful endoscopic ultrasound to detect if it is more than enough to see that the pancreas is clear? Why do I read conflicting stories about this? Why? Why? Just hoped someone could shead a light on that.
The docs says my pancreas is fine and that the abdominal ultrasound is enough but I still read that it may miss small tumours.
I feel itching on my body. Burning discomfort in the mid stomach after hot meals. Feeling of icing in my stomach. Tender muscle pains under the ribs. Scary. Very scary. And constipation. And painful stomach cramps. Every day. Why?
Go on forever? No; if I am alive on year from now without being hospitalised I guess I will put the pan cancer fear to rest.
But again; should I push for mor testing; for letting them give me enoscopy?
This is sounding like me, I am never convinced of anything the dr says and I freak out about every little thing, but you don't have it dr said.
No, it is not that. But: I am scared because I read stories that an abdominal ultrasound may fail to detect a pancreatic tumour. And - why does some people need to take the extremely painful endoscopic ultrasound to detect if it is more than enough to see that the pancreas is clear? Why do I read conflicting stories about this? Why? Why? Just hoped someone could shead a light on that.
The docs says my pancreas is fine and that the abdominal ultrasound is enough but I still read that it may miss small tumours.
I feel itching on my body. Burning discomfort in the mid stomach after hot meals. Feeling of icing in my stomach. Tender muscle pains under the ribs. Scary. Very scary. And constipation. And painful stomach cramps. Every day. Why?
Go on forever? No; if I am alive on year from now without being hospitalised I guess I will put the pan cancer fear to rest.
But again; should I push for mor testing; for letting them give me enoscopy?
You're not listening to any of the advice given, nor your doctor, but are continuing to read "stories" on the Internet.
You do not NEED more testing. You have no clinical indication for it.
paranoid-viking
04-10-16, 11:02
You're not listening to any of the advice given, nor your doctor, but are continuing to read "stories" on the Internet.
You do not NEED more testing. You have no clinical indication for it.
But why? Why does someone needs endoscopic ultrasound while they said that abdomnal was enough for me? Why?
Pan cancer is mmore scary than other cancers which is probably why I am scared of it; and due to the fact that it is more misdiagnosed than other cancers scares me stiff.
But in this case seems like they got a good enough look at the pancreas right?
paranoid-viking
04-10-16, 11:40
But in this case seems like they got a good enough look at the pancreas right?
He said: "no sign of anything wrong here". And that I should not worry; I am to young, rarely in people under 70 years of age. Some fat in liver due to overweight he said.
He could see the pancreas; it was not "covered by gas"; that is why some say that a ultrasound of the pancreas fails right and that next stage most be endoscopy? Am I right?
ServerError
04-10-16, 11:40
He said: "no sign of anything wrong here". And that I should not worry; I am to young, rarely in people under 70 years of age. Some fat in liver due to overweight he said.
That really is all you need to know.
paranoid-viking
04-10-16, 11:44
But something is not quite right with the stomach. I should need to find out at least if I have IBS or celiac or some other non-deadly stomach ilness so that I can get treatment. I hope it has npt reached the point where my doc will stop taking me seriously.
Yes it is great that he could see the pancreas--gas is, I believe, what can obscure the pancreas. So if he said they was no gas, that's great.
paranoid-viking
04-10-16, 12:08
So it is in the cases of gas and such that abdomnal ultrasound is not good enough right?
I was told to fast before the test; to not eat and not to drink anything but water, and not to pass water less then one hour before the test. Which I followed of course.
But something is not quite right with the stomach. I should need to find out at least if I have IBS or celiac or some other non-deadly stomach ilness so that I can get treatment. I hope it has npt reached the point where my doc will stop taking me seriously.
If you are determined to get more invasive (and pointless) testing, then that is up to you. People have given you lots of advice but you are trapped in the cycle of reassurance seeking as you have convinced yourself - against expert medical advice - that you are seriously ill. You are waiting for one of us to tell you that you need further testing. That won't happen. So, it really is up to you if you continue on this path, or seek help for your anxiety.
What did the doctor say about the pain and issues you are having?
paranoid-viking
04-10-16, 15:37
What did the doctor say about the pain and issues you are having?
Not much except that I should exercise more to loose weight. I am seing my GP tomorrow. I know that my stomach has discomfort and whatever it is I want to know it.
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