View Full Version : Esophageal cancer
Bluebird123
15-02-18, 16:48
Hi everyone, I'm new and having a panic at the moment. I've had anxiety all my life but only in the last few years has it become health anxiety. I've worried over countless illnesses but my latest one is esophageal cancer. I'm 26 and female and have had lpr/acid reflux for a few years. It always gets worse with anxiety and I've been off and on omeprazole for those years.
In the last few weeks I've developed a burning stinging feeling when I swallow food especially food that you can't chew very well. This along with a sore/tight chest and lots of burping and reflux. It also feels like my voice is strained and hurts to talk sometimes. All these symptoms have been coming and going over the last few weeks but there's always at least one present. I've had a VERY stressful and emotional 6 months and keep trying to tell myself that this is the cause of it but I can't get it out my head that I've had reflux for years and it's been damaging my esophagus the whole time and is now cancer.
I've never had a endoscopy because I'm terrified of the doctors, I know a lot of people with HA are going to the doctors all the time but I'm the opposite! I know I should go and have an endoscopy but when I imagine all the anxiety that will bring I just can't do it.
I've had a period a bit like this before when I had similar symptoms and they went away but my head is saying it's cancer this time.
Any reassurance would be so so appreciated.
All of those symptoms are also symptoms of GERD or acid reflux. I had an endoscopy on January 18th and they found something that is requiring further followup, which will take place for me on Feb. 23rd. I'm having serious stress and worry about that, obviously, as EC is a big bad boy. But even at that, and I'm 48 years old, its still not common for someone my age, even though I have a cancer history. So though what I am having tested (I am not going to say what, because I don't want to trigger anyone) is usually not a benign thing, it doesn't mean it can't ever be benign and my doctors still think it doesn't "look" scary (Yes I have a picture of the little darling that is causing all this trouble lol)
Point is, EC is very uncommon at your age (almost non existent) and though an endoscopy might be a great idea if you have bad reflux (you may have a hernia or something else that could be helped with meds) the chances of it being EC is extremely low.
Bluebird123
15-02-18, 18:37
Thank you coldhands I really appreciate your reply. I really hope that your test goes well and please update when it's all over!
I've had some of these symptoms before and they've all gone away but it's the burning stinging feeling when food goes down which is making me worry. It's localised to just one side of my throat/esophagus as well. I always feel like if it's localised it must be cancer! I know I should have an endoscopy even if it's just like you said - to find something treatable. It's going to take a lot of working up to get me to the doctors though.
Thank you coldhands I really appreciate your reply. I really hope that your test goes well and please update when it's all over!
I've had some of these symptoms before and they've all gone away but it's the burning stinging feeling when food goes down which is making me worry. It's localised to just one side of my throat/esophagus as well. I always feel like if it's localised it must be cancer! I know I should have an endoscopy even if it's just like you said - to find something treatable. It's going to take a lot of working up to get me to the doctors though.
I have pain on one side too and its in my back. Its right where this thing they are testing is too. But even the benign things in your esophagus can cause pain. If you have a piece of your esophagus that is irritated or has a small lesion something might be scraping it and causing issues. After my last endoscopy i was sore sore there for a long time. I still have it, but the pain improved greatly to where if I didn't know it was there, I wouldn't know it. I also have a rare autoimmune liver disease too, so that could be causing my pain too. When I get this worked up, my liver doesn't like it! lol.
What makes me feel less worried is that I've had that pain and weird feeling back there for a while (like a year at least or more), so knowing how aggressive EC is, I would think if mine was cancer I would be much worse by now.
I will definitely post when I get results. Hopefully by next Friday I will know something, even if the biopsy results take a bit. They will know a lot just by the ultrasound images.
I know in the states (where I live) endoscopes are usually done under sedation. Maybe if you ask for that, it will be easier to do.
Bluebird123
15-02-18, 20:52
Yes I've heard that esophageal cancer moves fast so I would think that if you had it you would at least be having other symptoms and feeling very ill by now.
They can do endoscopies under sedation here too but to be honest it's more worrying about what they'll find that terrifies me and stops me from doing it. It's ridiculous, the more convinced I am that I have something serious the more I stay away from the doctor and getting it checked out!! It's crazy how anxiety can distort thinking so much. It's almost like I'd rather not know. So stupid.
Do you have pain all the time? Sometimes I have days where I can eat and not feel the stinging pain when food goes down and then other days it's there all the time. Do you think if it was something serious it would just be there all the time and be getting worse?
No i don't have it all the time. Sometimes I can feel my food go down all the way down my back and it hits that spot and I have that feeling. I feel it worse when I am having reflux. Its just irritating it. I was always the same way. I was never someone that ran to the doctor when I was worried. I always stayed away. Even though I need to go now to get stuff checked out, I'm still thinking I can get out of this test next week somehow LOL.
As far as whether its something serious, I can't say. Now if you are meaning EC, I would think it would continue to get worse until you can't swallow or get food down anymore. I don't have trouble like that, though I do belch and have hiccups, but I also have a hiatal hernia, so that can cause those symptoms. But you can have serious things are that aren't cancer. You can have ulcers or perforations, but I would think the pain would be much worse. How bad is the pain? Mine is more discomfort, not pain and if its bothersome, usually 1 or 2 tylenol will take my pain away.
This is my fear right now. I've got almost like a feeling in my throat that something is stuck but I can eat food fine.
Other than some jaw pain/tightness.
Ugh, I hate thinking about this stuff.
Hernia's will cause those issues too. If you are eating fine, it isn't really getting stuck. I have a feeling like I have trapped gas, that may be what you are feeling. Hiatal hernia will do that.
My GP said he doesn't believe I have anything to worry about but I requested an appointment with an ENT anyway.
Hopefully they'll get me in fast.
Yes. Knowing quickly is always better. My test can't get here soon enough. Luckily I get to speak to my gastro on Tuesday before I go next Friday. I am hoping he can calm me down.
Bluebird123
16-02-18, 19:14
The pain isn't bad it's more a pressure on the chest which comes and goes and then the stinging when food goes down which only lasts a couple of seconds. Has anyone had a barium swallow test and can that be done instead of a endoscopy?
My mother had one of those. Yes, they can be done instead of endoscopy and will show you quite a bit, but an endoscope i usually more conclusive
Bluebird123
16-02-18, 19:21
Thanks coldhands. If I can actually get myself to the doctor I might ask for a barium swallow to start off and then see if they think I need an endoscopy. I'm going to give it a week and if it's still no better am going to force myself to the doctor.
Hi guys havent been on here for a while ive been doing pretty well but anxiety has reared its head again. So sincw xmas ive been having some tummy pains in my upper tummy pain like someone is pressing on my tummy ive had heartburn and terrible bottom wind after being previously told i have ibs i was unsure if this was a new symptom. I saw the dr who referred me for blood tests and gave me some meds as she felt it was reflux related. I rang for the results 16.2.18 and was told not all of them were back but that a couple of them mean i beed to speak to the dr i explained about my anxiety and the receptionist said shed get the on call dr to call me. So she called me and said that my iron levels are low and im anemic and my b12 is borderline. She said i need to speak to the dr who referred me for blood tests to see what she recommends next medication or further tests. She said my other results that were back looked ok ive had ferritin test another test and full bloods back. Im awaiting the liver and utcs and esr results and have arranged a telephone appointment for tues 19th feb. Anyway the tummy pain is miraculously come back since the dr spoke to me last night. So dr google is saying anemia is from blood loss ive had no blood in stools or vomiting blood but im now petrified of it beibg colon cancer or stomach cancer as these also say they can cause anemia. The dr also said my sertraline cab cause bleeing too but im so scared anmeia alone woukdnt cause the tummy pain wud it? My friend has said if tgey were concerned about cancer then they wud of called me not me chase them and that my bloods wud show more than low iron but im so unsure and worried
ServerError
17-02-18, 18:13
One major benefit of having the endoscopy over the barium swallow is that, in the extremely unlikely even they see something, they can take a sample for biopsy (which is painless). They can't do that with a swallow.
Bluebird123
17-02-18, 18:24
One major benefit of having the endoscopy over the barium swallow is that, in the extremely unlikely even they see something, they can take a sample for biopsy (which is painless). They can't do that with a swallow.
Thank you for your reply. I'm still worrying so much. Do my symptoms sound like esophageal cancer to you? And how likely is it at 26?
Do my symptoms sound like esophageal cancer to you?
All of those symptoms are also symptoms of GERD or acid reflux.
^^THAT^^
Positive thoughts
ServerError
17-02-18, 18:31
First and foremost, the fact that you have symptoms that come and go tells me it's not cancer. With cancer, your symptoms would get progressively worse. It doesn't stop once it starts. It doesn't flare up and calm down.
Secondly, you're a 26 year old female. The doctors would be flabbergasted if they found esophageal cancer in you. It's phenomenally rare in the young. Esophageal cancer generally needs decades of untreated, chronic reflux. Even then, most people with reflux don't go on to develop it. When they do, it's a very aggressive form of cancer. Swallowing become pretty much impossible very quickly. Even water won't go down.
I'm obviously not a doctor, and if you're having symptoms you should see your doctor, but it sounds like classic reflux disease, worsened by stress.
Bluebird123
17-02-18, 19:03
Thanks guys. I will try and get my anxiety in check and then see how I feel.
Crispyswinger1
20-02-18, 11:56
I had similar symptoms to you but I also couldn't keep food down, it would always come back up again shortly after eating when I burped. I spent MONTHS convincing myself it was serious, I saw dietitians, umpteen specialists and eventually had an endoscope (Up and Down). It turned out that I had a small Hiatus Hernia (my stomach sits a tad above my diaphragm) which was causing acid reflux, burping, lump in throat feeling etc etc.
The camera also showed mild inflammation in my oesophagus caused by the acid. They put me on various tablets (none of which helped), in the end my Physio (who was helping me for back problems I have) suggested I should try and drink more water...Turns out I was only drinking a bottle a day (if that) which was adding to the acid reflux and causing all of the above problems! I started to drink more water and within a few weeks, all of the symptoms practically went away!
WOw ! Sometimes the simple things.......... :D
Bluebird123
20-02-18, 13:32
I had similar symptoms to you but I also couldn't keep food down, it would always come back up again shortly after eating when I burped. I spent MONTHS convincing myself it was serious, I saw dietitians, umpteen specialists and eventually had an endoscope (Up and Down). It turned out that I had a small Hiatus Hernia (my stomach sits a tad above my diaphragm) which was causing acid reflux, burping, lump in throat feeling etc etc.
The camera also showed mild inflammation in my oesophagus caused by the acid. They put me on various tablets (none of which helped), in the end my Physio (who was helping me for back problems I have) suggested I should try and drink more water...Turns out I was only drinking a bottle a day (if that) which was adding to the acid reflux and causing all of the above problems! I started to drink more water and within a few weeks, all of the symptoms practically went away!
That's interesting! I don't think I drink enough either. I have the burping up food too, well it's like non acidic reflux which comes up into my throat when I burp but I've had it for years. I was told it's LPR? Did they do anything about your hernia?
Crispyswinger1
20-02-18, 18:50
That's interesting! I don't think I drink enough either. I have the burping up food too, well it's like non acidic reflux which comes up into my throat when I burp but I've had it for years. I was told it's LPR? Did they do anything about your hernia?Could well be the lack of water then! Not claiming its a miracle cure and it may not be what's causing your issue but thought it worth mentioning as none of the Gastrointestinal specialists I saw suggested this and it may not be something you'd think of but does actually make sense.
No they didn't do anything about the hernia, they said its only ever so slight so suggested I just live with it
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