Stomach Issues and Back Pain

[girlrock]

Hi Everyone,

I posted about a week or so ago and didn’t get any responses. I’m so far down this rabbit hole of anxiety it isn’t even funny. I swear I’m going to seek out some medication after I get these stomach issues squared away. My being postpartum has just about pushed me over the edge with the anxiety this time. I’ve been having stomach issues since I was about 7 weeks postpartum. Sore upper abdomen (feels like I got punched) and discomfort in my upper abdomen when I lie on both my left and right sides at night, but especially my right side. My Dad passed from pancreatic cancer 2 years ago this October. That’s when my HA started climbing again. I’m so hyper aware of every little feeling in my body right now. I’m having terrible back pain which isn’t unusual for me...I’m a past back pain sufferer but this time I’ve convinced myself that it must be linked to my stomach. Either it’s cancer or something else is really wrong. Maybe pancreatic cancer. I think you get upper back pain with that? When I travel down the “logical” route, I think it could be a hiatal hernia since I just had the baby when it started. I did have terrible reflux while I was pregnant with him. Can anyone help?

[snowflake293]

Hi Everyone,

I posted about a week or so ago and didn’t get any responses. I’m so far down this rabbit hole of anxiety it isn’t even funny. I swear I’m going to seek out some medication after I get these stomach issues squared away. My being postpartum has just about pushed me over the edge with the anxiety this time. I’ve been having stomach issues since I was about 7 weeks postpartum. Sore upper abdomen (feels like I got punched) and discomfort in my upper abdomen when I lie on both my left and right sides at night, but especially my right side. My Dad passed from pancreatic cancer 2 years ago this October. That’s when my HA started climbing again. I’m so hyper aware of every little feeling in my body right now. I’m having terrible back pain which isn’t unusual for me...I’m a past back pain sufferer but this time I’ve convinced myself that it must be linked to my stomach. Either it’s cancer or something else is really wrong. Maybe pancreatic cancer. I think you get upper back pain with that? When I travel down the “logical” route, I think it could be a hiatal hernia since I just had the baby when it started. I did have terrible reflux while I was pregnant with him. Can anyone help?

Sorry you are having such a horrible time, it must be really difficult. I am sorry to hear about your Dad :( xxx

I am not a doctor but I know heart burn can get worse when you are pregnant. I suffer with GERD and it makes me really anxious and I worry about it being other things. Health anxiety makes us focus on symptoms more and often they feel worse to us than they actually are.

It is good that you are trying to use the "logical" route to manage your fears, I try and do this too and it really helps me rationalise what is going on in my head.

I wish there was something I could say to help you, all I can say is I know how awful health anxiety is and you aren't alone.

[girlrock]

Thank you so much! That means a lot. I’ve had HA for a long time....mostly managed and under control but at times, like now, it gets out of control. I know I need medication this time. I just want to be happy and healthy for my kids. I had an ectopic pregnancy in March of ‘15 and no one would listen to me. I self diagnosed based on my symptoms and everyone blew me off because of my anxiety and I ended up being right and it almost burst. That has stuck with me so much. The whole “I was right that time and no one listened” mentality. It’s so hard!