View Full Version : Pancreas
Hi, I have been trying really hard not to post a new thread but it is getying the better of me.
I have been worrying about pancreatic cancer for a couple of weeks but tried looking on here rather than Dr Google! I am not complaining but unfortunately Paranoid Vikings thread has made me feel worse .I first had pain in upper back between waist and shoulder on left side about 6 months ago after what I thought was a tummy bug. I had had 2 bugs in fairly quick succession which was odd because in 40 years of teaching infants I only ever caught one. However, the pain went away and I stopped worrying but now I have it again. I thought it can't be too drastic as it went away for so long but after reading that people have it for years and it comes and goes i am scared again. I have been feeling nauseous and also have what i think is normal lower back pain. I also feel a bit fluey on and off. I know pc is difficult to diagnose so I am rather afraid of being the boy who cried 2olf 5his time and I really have something after years of worrying about breasts and thinking that ovarian cancer is the worst of my fears. Not sure if this is relevant but I have IBS, diverticular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Hi, I have been trying really hard not to post a new thread but it is getying the better of me.
I have been worrying about pancreatic cancer for a couple of weeks but tried looking on here rather than Dr Google! I am not complaining but unfortunately Paranoid Viking's thread has made me feel worse .I first had pain in upper back between waist and shoulder on left side about 6 months ago after what I thought was a tummy bug. I had had 2 bugs in fairly quick succession which was odd because in 40 years of teaching infants I only ever caught one. However, the pain went away and I stopped worrying but now I have it again. I thought it can't be too drastic as it went away for so long but after reading that people have it for years and it comes and goes i am scared again. I have been feeling nauseous and also have what i think is normal lower back pain. I also feel a bit fluey on and off. I know pc is difficult to diagnose so I am rather afraid of being the boy who cried wolf this time and I really have something after years of worrying about breasts and thinking that ovarian cancer is the worst of my fears. Not sure if this is relevant but I have IBS, diverticular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Hi, yes that thread has triggered some of my old fears too. Let's look at it logically though, if we've only just started having the symptoms after reading his posts then chances our it's our health anxiety talking to us. I think it's best to keep away from threads like that when you are in a sensitised state.
Hi. Thank you for your reply. Sorry no accidentally posted my first post twice when trying to correct typos. Another of my obsessions. I am sure you are right but I was feeling discomfort already you see and hoping that some of the replies to him would help.
I agree with Primula. Some of these threads are so catastrophising and really bad for people who are in the midst of HA uncertainty and worry. The OPs never stop to think how triggering these topics are as they just want instant reassurance at all costs. Avoid threads like these like the plague. They are inaccurate, unhelpful and distorted.
Lyndau, I'm sure your symptoms are harmless but a simple amylase blood test could monitor your pancreatic function if you can't shift your worries. You would need to believe the result though.
The OPs never stop to think how triggering these topics are as they just want instant reassurance at all costs.
HA is a very "selfish" illness :weep:
Positive thoughts
HA is a very "selfish" illness :weep:
Positive thoughts
Yet there are those who suffer yet still are able to appreciate how certain topics are triggering and try to spare other people from too much angst. It just takes thought.
---------- Post added at 18:21 ---------- Previous post was at 18:20 ----------
And I believe that it is wrong to indulge HA and use it as an excuse for attention-seeking.
paranoid-viking
22-11-17, 19:53
Hi, I have been trying really hard not to post a new thread but it is getying the better of me.
I have been worrying about pancreatic cancer for a couple of weeks but tried looking on here rather than Dr Google! I am not complaining but unfortunately Paranoid Vikings thread has made me feel worse .I first had pain in upper back between waist and shoulder on left side about 6 months ago after what I thought was a tummy bug. I had had 2 bugs in fairly quick succession which was odd because in 40 years of teaching infants I only ever caught one. However, the pain went away and I stopped worrying but now I have it again. I thought it can't be too drastic as it went away for so long but after reading that people have it for years and it comes and goes i am scared again. I have been feeling nauseous and also have what i think is normal lower back pain. I also feel a bit fluey on and off. I know pc is difficult to diagnose so I am rather afraid of being the boy who cried 2olf 5his time and I really have something after years of worrying about breasts and thinking that ovarian cancer is the worst of my fears. Not sure if this is relevant but I have IBS, diverticular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Oh shit. I am so sorry if my threads were scaring you. That was never my intention but, yeah; there is a dilemma about reassurance seeking on these boards.
But, but, hold on, hold on. Maybe the answer to your symptoms llies in the last things you write. IBS gives nasty symptoms, we all know that. I dont know what diverticular disease is but diabetes 2 matches a lot of those symptoms right?
Once again, I feel awfully sorry and bad if something I wroote was triggering. I really really feel guilty.
But I can tell you that I feel much better today because I am on a 3 days diet without coffee, spicy food and alcohol. One thing is that fearing pancreatic cancer is probably a million times more likely than actually having it. I will guess that at least 99% of those people writing on various boards that they fear they have PC probably dont have it.
---------- Post added at 20:44 ---------- Previous post was at 20:44 ----------
Hi, yes that thread has triggered some of my old fears too. Let's look at it logically though, if we've only just started having the symptoms after reading his posts then chances our it's our health anxiety talking to us. I think it's best to keep away from threads like that when you are in a sensitised state.
Yes, symptoms often magically appears when we think of them. Muscle strains.
---------- Post added at 20:53 ---------- Previous post was at 20:44 ----------
HA is a very "selfish" illness :weep:
Positive thoughts
Yes, I know, HA can make us very self centred. And I feel a ot of guilt over that. Over the amount of hours I spend browsing the net for nightmare confirmation of your worst fear.
But I can say that me myself, whome the OP quote as making her more scared(and I take responsibility for that, be sure about it)was triggered THIS SUMMER on a post here on NMP. Yes, when my fear of PC was calming down and things got better, in came on guy posting pictures of his eyes fearing it was jaundice. He posted the pictures while he was under bilrubin testing; some gave reassurance, but still; he got confirmed he had jaundice. And just like that; afte telling us that and inform us he would go for CT screening, the poster disappeared and has not been heard from since that day. I was a bit upset that someone could post pictures of eyes like that and then confirm the woorst fears to us. After that, because of that post, I became obsessed with looking at my eyes, and my fear of PC was back in full blown force and only got worse. Not because of something I had seen on a cancer forum or awareness site, but something postet HERE! I tokk bilrubin testing because of that; was negative; but got B12 defiency confirmed which boosted my fear more.
I dont know if that is OK or not in here, it is up to the admins to decide. Maybe I went to far aswell; and in that case I am sorry for it. But where do we draw the lines. Men myself find it unapropritate to post pictures of body parts, but others may think different. I draw a limit there, other may have other limits. Dunno.
The dangers of reading some of the posts on here..Can be worse than Dr Google.
paranoid-viking
22-11-17, 20:09
The dangers of reading some of the posts on here..Can be worse than Dr Google.
I know. And the jaundice post from this summer here on NMP is the most frightening thing I read on this forum since I first came in here.
Fish is right; HA is a selfish condition indeed. We are desperately seeking reassurance and often on others behalf.
I will try to be more sensitive; I learn from my mistake. And I gurantee you that I will NEVER EVER post pictures of body parts.
Agree with you Pulisa, some of the posts are over and above anything Google tells me. Yes Fish, HA can be a selfish illness, but it strikes all sorts of personalities. Personally I would do anything I can not to trigger others with tales of what Dr Google says. I think it’s all down to how insightful people are, and regardless of whether they have health anxiety or not some folk lack that insight to see how their actions impact on others. I agree that reassurance doesn’t help and it’s the anxiety that needs to be worked on.
paranoid-viking
22-11-17, 20:12
We all live and learn.
Let’s hope so Paranoid Viking. :)
I'm sure you will do, PV. I may be old fashioned but I do believe that it's important to be aware of how our HA can affect others around us-both online and in the real world. It's not all about the individual-others suffer and are affected too. Those that try to help others online have problems and feelings too.
Please don't feel guilty. That was not what I intended at a all. I was just using your post to explain what was frightening me. You can't help how you feel; I know that only too well.
Thank you all for your posts. I appreciate the answers and I will be going for a blood test when I can get an appointment. Will let you know.
Hi again. I haven't se3n a doctor yet but have an appointment on 5th so will ask about blood test. I tried twice last week to see my own doctor but no luck so gave up because I was feeling better and knew I had a routine app.for 5th. Yesterday the symptoms came back for a bit but I am trying not to stress. However I have been worrying about my throat and thyroid again as I have been having a pain on the right side of my neck. It usually happens if I cough or sometimes if I move a certain way but I keep thinking there must be some sort of growth in there especially as i have a thyroid nodule. I posted about this in October because it had just been discovered and i have to go back in April to check it has not changed. In my mind it is cancer and has grown, hence the pain. Anyone else had pain in neck of this kind?
Hi again, I feel rather bad keep posting on here because I read that the site was originally set up for panic attacks. However I said I would update you after visit to doctor. I have seen my GP and have mixed feelings about it. She mentioned a relationship between pancreas and gall bladder so, as pain has now gone to right side as well I am concerned. Yesterday I was really panicky because of stabbing pain in right upper back during a meal. Doc seemed to think it us muscular and my liver function is good which shows on my diabetes blood tests. However she is sending me for a scan to settle my mind about pancreas. I know she doesn't think there us anything serious but it is hard not to worry when I don't think it us muscular at all. I am grateful she is sending me but still afraid that this time I will be 'the girl who cried wolf.'
If your liver function is good, and other bloods are fine, then you've nothing to worry about!
Did they do bilirubin as part of your LFT's?
I had this fear too, and my doctor was great. You wouldnt just have back pain, there'd be a whole load of other symptoms more predominant i.e jaundice, abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea etc. If you've had pains for 6 months, then it won't be pancreas related.
And the back pain would be excruciating too according to my doc. Symptoms wouldn't come and go, they'd be constant!
Thank you so much for yor reply. It is very re assuring. I haven't had any tests yet apart from liver which was done as part of diabetes test. Hopefully scan won't be too long. Will keep you posted.
Still no scan appointment but have been feeling much better, partly due to you guys. Have had a twinge today but, interestingly, have been lifting the twins a lot as they are staying with us. Hope that means it is muscular after all. If I am still okay I rather hope the app doesn't come before Christmas now as I have so much to do.
jordanbdailey
17-12-17, 18:37
I had the exact same fear several years ago! I was having yellow stools, a pain behind my back and in my upper stomach. I had a battery of tests, including ultrasound, endoscopy, HIDA scan and a CT... and I was fine! I truly now believe that my symptoms were caused purely by anxiety. As soon as I stopped focusing on symptoms, they went away.
girlgryphon
19-12-17, 01:15
If your liver function is good, and other bloods are fine, then you've nothing to worry about!
Did they do bilirubin as part of your LFT's?
I had this fear too, and my doctor was great. You wouldnt just have back pain, there'd be a whole load of other symptoms more predominant i.e jaundice, abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea etc. If you've had pains for 6 months, then it won't be pancreas related.
And the back pain would be excruciating too according to my doc. Symptoms wouldn't come and go, they'd be constant!
This is helpful to hear.
---------- Post added at 19:15 ---------- Previous post was at 18:57 ----------
If your liver function is good, and other bloods are fine, then you've nothing to worry about!
Did they do bilirubin as part of your LFT's?
I had this fear too, and my doctor was great. You wouldnt just have back pain, there'd be a whole load of other symptoms more predominant i.e jaundice, abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea etc. If you've had pains for 6 months, then it won't be pancreas related.
And the back pain would be excruciating too according to my doc. Symptoms wouldn't come and go, they'd be constant!
This is helpful to hear.
Hello . Just to update you all. I have had my scan this morning and they just found a fatty liver which I knew I had. I really must address my weight this year. Thank you all for your replies and support. I wish I could say that I won't need help again but I think it likely that I will. I would smile at you but can't find the emoji icon.
Good news, Lyndau. Hopefully you will get a bit of respite from HA now
I'm glad your scan was fine. I too have had similar problems. I had a liver / abdo scan and it came back with a slightly fatty liver that the gp was not concerened about. I am panicking now about something else and Fishmanpa is so right when he says that HA is a selfish disease. I also think it was good of paranoid Viking to respond. I know it wasn't his intentional to cause worry but we all do it because we cannot see beyond our fear.x
Thank you all. I agree it is difficult to see beyond the panic and I did tell Paranoid Viking not to feel guilty. :)
Hello. I feel ridiculous posting on here so soon after my scan but the pain my back, and going up to shoulder blade on left side, seems to be getting more persistent and I am struggling to believe that it us muscular and not something serious.
Forgot to mention I also have hot flushes and feel nauseous and generally unwell.
Annaboodle
05-01-18, 10:49
Hello. I feel ridiculous posting on here so soon after my scan but the pain my back, and going up to shoulder blade on left side, seems to be getting more persistent and I am struggling to believe that it us muscular and not something serious.
Well to be honest, and I hope not unkind in doing so, it is no surprise and you were bound to be right back here as you've not dealt with your health anxiety. The temporary reassurance you got from the scan has gone already and so a few days later you are back. This will just keep happening unless you work on your HA.
Yes I dare say you are right.
Doctor still thinks it is my back now we have scan results but sometimes I have a twinge that really feels as though it is something to do with abdomen rather than muscular. Don't know how to stop feeling anxious.
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