Pancreatic cancer fear

[Supremeteam]

Hi everyone, I’m brand new here and have only come because I just need to vent in some way. So I was diagnosed with pure-o ocd around 5 years ago. I’ve been doing a good job in controlling it in my opinion up until recently. I’ve had an odd pain/sensation just below my left ribs for a while and just before Xmas this year I caught the dreaded sickness bug or got food poisoning. After that left me I felt fine but the pain was still there, I broke the golden rule and googled it. Straight away I decided pancreatic cancer is what I have. Since then I’ve lost my appetite (I am eating as normal but just don’t feel like eating when I think about it) I now have pains that just seem to bounce around my abdomen none of which are constant or in one place and today I’ve been to the loo and I’ve had stools that are normal in colour but they float and then sink a minute or so later.

As you can imagine I am bricking it, is it possible my anxiety has killed my appetite and is causing these pains. I’m going to go to the doc in the morning but don’t want to be palmed if and be told “it’s because of your anxiety”. I’d like to see if they ca maybe run some tests.

I you’ve taken t he time to read this i can’t thank you enough

All the best

[Chris 614]

It sounds like a bunch of anxiety mixed with focusing on your body and googling. Anxiety can definitely kill your appetite. And the pains can be muscular or bowel related. Pancreatic cancer is the least likely thing it could be. How old are you?

[Supremeteam]

Hi Chris thanks for your reply. I’m 29 (30 in a few weeks). It just all feels so overwhelming, I’ve pretty much convinced myself that this is all it can be and nothing else.

[Chris 614]

Once we diagnose ourselves with something it most certainly seems overwhelming. I don't think there is much I can say to convince you that you don't have pancreatic cancer. I'm sure your OCD makes it difficult to turn off your brain to this. But your symptoms seem so much more related to anxiety. My dad got pancreatic cancer when he was 77. It's usually not a young persons disease. And, nothing you describe sounds like what he experienced. Do you have a history of health anxiety, or is this new? Hopefully the doctor will be able to calm your fears.

[Supremeteam]

Oh yes I definitely have history with it. A few years back I was convinced I had testicular cancer and a few years ago I even thought I was developing schizophrenia. Just trying to get an appointment at my docs. It’s a bit of a mission to get a doctors appointment in the uk.

Thanks again for replying chris