View Full Version : Could this be pacreatic cancer?
Hi. Looking for some reassurance again.
I'm 25 years old female. For the last few months I have constant back and stomach pain, usually on the right side. It's rather mild, and it gets worst with movement (stomach pain), while the back pain is pretty constant. I also have diarrhea pretty often.
My gastrologist prescribed me some meds for ibs in April/May. They didn't help for my pain, they did help wih diarrhea. For the last few weeks I've noticed my stool is pale and floating. Of course I googled and it seems it could be a sign of pancreatic cancer. I became very worried of course, now it's all I can think of. I've started to take probiotic for my diarrhea the day before yesterday and my diarrhea has stopped, and the stool doesn't float anymore (although it's still kind of oily?). Can probiotics stop floating pale stools if it's pacreatic related? Or does it indicate it's something with digestive system?
I have doctor's appointment on Monday, but I have to get through the weekend :/
worriedpatient
27-07-18, 21:32
Hello, I am experiencing exaclty the same. Back pain is still presented, it is almost constant... but it is probably more related to anxiety and stress because when I fall asleep I am not waking up on pain. I have visited two gastroenterologists, a radiologist, GP and another doctor two days ago. I have had various tests incl. an ultrasound and gastric fibroscopy ans colonoscopy - all clear. It is all just your IBS. I have been told that when PC shows sympyoms, it's fast progressing. I have it for two months and you maybe even longer. By this time we would been in much worse state if it is PC. How much do you drink? Floating and oily may be also a sign of dehydratation. Do you experience also heartburn? Positive thoughts, it will be ok. :-)
It's supposed to be fast progressing, but my symptoms are getting worse and I've read many accounts of people with PC that said they were feeling "off" for months, so that would fit.
Another symptom is sudden onset of diabetes - I think I might have one since for the last 2-3 weeks I feel extremely tired after eating, to the point of nearly passing out of exhaustion.
I don't have heartburn, I think, and I don't know if I'm dehydrated. It's hard to say. I've decided to schedule CT scan, since now I'm positive it's PC. I know it may be my anxiety, but it never hurts to check.
Stress and anxiety + poor diet might cause your symptoms. Are you eating well? Also, majority of pancreatic cancers affect people over 45. Is your skin and whites of eyes yellow? If you don't present with jaundice, then the likelihood of pancreatic cancer is even lower.
WiseMonkey
28-07-18, 08:56
Hi, I agree with the others about stress. It can cause your digestive system to speed up and empty prematurely so food doesn't digest properly causing a yellow stool. Also IBS causes lots of gas which makes the stool light so that it floats.
It's reassuring that your stools have returned to normal. PC doesn't return to normal, it just keeps on giving more of the same. Also with PC your urine would be orange or like tea and I'm not talking about the orange that some meds cause. I think you're fine you maybe have IBS :)
Thank you all. I hope you're right :(
I can't get ct without doctor's recommendation, even within private healtcare, that sucks :/ I'll have to wait. I don't have jaundice, and it made me feel better to read about the possibility of IBS causing lots of gas so that the stool floats. It's nice to know there is another possiblity except from PC. I'm still worried though, I can't stop thinking about it, especially that my back is killing me today.
Superspur83
28-07-18, 17:14
Hi, im convinced i have pancreatic cancer aswell, to the point where im almost asking the doctors to prove me wrong, ive had lower right sided pain for 5 weeks, diarrhea for pretty much that whole time, its just like yellow water, i totally stopped eating with the fear, ive lost over a stone in weight in this time, im terrified, has me in tears everyday, ive been given anti depression pills by my dr, but im a complete mess, ive been to my dr atleast 8 times this month & A&E 3 times, had so many blood tests that ive lost count, tumor marker tests aswell, the only thing that came back slightly high was my bilirubin level, which is 35, they think that is down to my fatty liver, its been up & down since 2011, im at my end with this now, its destroyed my life in such a short space of time, lost my job, my marriage is suffering, i dont interact with my kids, its awful. I feel so low & scared.
Hi Superspur, I'm sorry to hear about your problems. It seems we both suffer from similar problems, and hopefully none of us from PC ;) All of your symptoms are to be expected with anxiety, my diarrhea is getting worse with each panic attack I have.
You have your tests done, if anything was wrong they would pick it up. Don't let the imaginery illness destroy your life. I know how hard it is, I'm constantly crying, and even when I'm feeling slightly better the thought that I might be dying and no one can see this except me is still there and it keeps me from enjoying my life.
I need to do my tests, see for myself I'm fine and get it over with. You had yours, you know you're ok, don't ruin your life over this.
Superspur83
28-07-18, 17:33
Thank you boosh, its a horrible situation we find oursleves in. I know i have had blood tests etc, but all you read on google is, that PC is never picked up via blood tests, so i dont get any stress relief from those results, ive had to push & push to get a scan arranged, they all just keep telling me the same thing, can anxiety really cause such stomach/bowel problems, im very new to all this & filled with panic, i spend atleast 2hrs a day on the phone to "no more panic" looking for a advice.
i spend atleast 2hrs a day on the phone to "no more panic" looking for a advice.
Have you read the articles and symptoms (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/articles) pages?
Positive thoughts
Superspur83
28-07-18, 18:04
Thank you
Thank you boosh, its a horrible situation we find oursleves in. I know i have had blood tests etc, but all you read on google is, that PC is never picked up via blood tests, so i dont get any stress relief from those results, ive had to push & push to get a scan arranged, they all just keep telling me the same thing, can anxiety really cause such stomach/bowel problems, im very new to all this & filled with panic, i spend atleast 2hrs a day on the phone to "no more panic" looking for a advice.
I also often wonder, could anxiety really cause all of this, it seems impossible sometimes. But at some point we have to accept that apparently, it can. Are you taking your anxiety meds? I took mine today and I'm feeling slightly better, I'm still worried, but not anymore in the state of uncontrollable panic. There's nothing we can do, just push for tests, and if they come back negative accept it and move on with our lives.
I'm still down at the moment, but I try to tell myself, if this is cancer, I will know eventually. I can go to doctors, do scans and tests, and either I have it or I don't. But in the meantime, I can't let myself ruin my relationships with people and my life in general, because if it isn't cancer (and it probably isn't) I'm just ruining my life for nothing, and even if it is, I really don't want people close to me to remember me as such a mess.
It's easier said than done, I know, I just want it to be over, to have one conclusive answer, but I don't and there's nothing more to do than wait and try to be happy no matter what.
Superspur83
28-07-18, 19:15
Yeah i was taking my meds but my dr told me to come off them coz they thought they were causing me another issue, waiting on some different meds, you're right in what you say, but i just cant shake the thought of it out my mind, to say im convinced is an understatement, its like ive decided it is cancer & thats the final word. I hate being like this, but all the time i feel little stomach niggles & pains i wont believe anything im told, ive read that PC never shows on blood tests, but the dr's keep doing blood tests...... its a horrible cycle to be stuck in, i feel im in it too deep now :-(
I wish I knew how to help you, but then again, if I knew I wouldn't be here. I just hope you can get proper meds and you will feel better eventually. I know it doesn't mean anything in a state we're in, but I truly believe you don't have PC and it's all anxiety. I keep my fingers crossed for us to accept it :)
worriedpatient
28-07-18, 20:05
It's supposed to be fast progressing, but my symptoms are getting worse and I've read many accounts of people with PC that said they were feeling "off" for months, so that would fit.
Another symptom is sudden onset of diabetes - I think I might have one since for the last 2-3 weeks I feel extremely tired after eating, to the point of nearly passing out of exhaustion.
I don't have heartburn, I think, and I don't know if I'm dehydrated. It's hard to say. I've decided to schedule CT scan, since now I'm positive it's PC. I know it may be my anxiety, but it never hurts to check.
Yes, I read some of those stories as well. It is the worst thing one can do, to look on pancreatic cancer forums, trust me. All ways are heading to the terminal diagnosis for those people (which is understandable). I can only repeat what my GP, 2 gastroenterologists, 1 radiologists and another doctor related to digestive issues said. It is very progressive disease. If it would be PC, with the symptoms I described (similar to yours)...after two months I am already diagnosed for sure. If the pain is located on the right side, it would mean that your PC tumor has lenses on liver, which would def. cause jaundice (which you do not have). What I think you should do. Go to your doctor on Monday. I do not think he will send you initially on CT scan. He should do complex blood tests incl. pancreatic and liver enzymes and an abdominal ultrasound. What is your usual diet? Have you changed your diet since IBS diagnosis? Positivity your way. :)
Yes, I read some of those stories as well. It is the worst thing one can do, to look on pancreatic cancer forums, trust me. All ways are heading to the terminal diagnosis for those people (which is understandable). I can only repeat what my GP, 2 gastroenterologists, 1 radiologists and another doctor related to digestive issues said. It is very progressive disease. If it would be PC, with the symptoms I described (similar to yours)...after two months I am already diagnosed for sure. If the pain is located on the right side, it would mean that your PC tumor has lenses on liver, which would def. cause jaundice (which you do not have). What I think you should do. Go to your doctor on Monday. I do not think he will send you initially on CT scan. He should do complex blood tests incl. pancreatic and liver enzymes and an abdominal ultrasound. What is your usual diet? Have you changed your diet since IBS diagnosis? Positivity your way. :)
I know, reading these stories was a horrible mistake, now it's all I can think about. An hour ago I tried to reassure myself by googling 25 years old with PC, you know, just to make sure there's no such thing... And I've found some reports and my anxiety is back again.
I've had liver enzymes and abdominal ultrasound done, they're ok. But I think PC wouldn't necessarily show on ultrasound. I'll try asking my doctor for CT scan, i don't mind paying for it, so maybe he'll agree.
My symptoms started roughly when I came back from China after 8 months visit, so my diet did change a little of course (no more rice and vegetables, more potatoes, dairy, meat).But I did experience occasional right side pain in China, and even before, just right now it's lot worse and the diarrhea and floating stool began.
Today my left side hurts, stomach and back. I wonder if PC could hurt on both sides. Maybe it has progressed to do this point, or maybe it's anxiety related.
Superspur83
28-07-18, 20:28
The reason i worry about PC so much is because i have a higher than normal bilirubin, i was diagnosed with fatty liver about 10 years ago, but my bilirubin level had never been in 30's before, always low 20's, so maybe something has spread to my liver.
worriedpatient
28-07-18, 20:35
I know, reading these stories was a horrible mistake, now it's all I can think about. An hour ago I tried to reassure myself by googling 25 years old with PC, you know, just to make sure there's no such thing... And I've found some reports and my anxiety is back again.
I've had liver enzymes and abdominal ultrasound done, they're ok. But I think PC wouldn't necessarily show on ultrasound. I'll try asking my doctor for CT scan, i don't mind paying for it, so maybe he'll agree.
My symptoms started roughly when I came back from China after 8 months visit, so my diet did change a little of course (no more rice and vegetables, more potatoes, dairy, meat).But I did experience occasional right side pain in China, and even before, just right now it's lot worse and the diarrhea and floating stool began.
Today my left side hurts, stomach and back. I wonder if PC could hurt on both sides. Maybe it has progressed to do this point, or maybe it's anxiety related.
When I was at my worst, I read many studies and works, and an abdominal ultrasound proved to be about 5% worse than CT scan in detecting PC. Detecting of Stage1 or Stage2 is completely on the same level as CT scan. The next thing is. With Stage3 or Stage4 you would need to have lenses in your liver or lungs. Your liver is good, and an abdo ultrasound is the best in detecting liver cancer. I did study all this because I was also strongly pushing for CT/MRI, which is in my "great" country impossible to get even in private if you do not have referral. I am little bit younger than you, and trust me, in our age group it is almost impossible to get it. However, I know what you are going through and I know what you feel, I was same, and on some days I still am. If you would like to have someone to talk to more frequently until you sort out your issues, drop me PM, we can figure out something. Positivity your way.
Floating stools mean nothing. The main cause of them is excess gas. You can research that and see for yourself that it is fact. It is extremely common for people with anxiety to produce excess gas. No doubt your didestive system is completely out of whack and it will stay that way until you get on top of your anxiety. Most people with health anxiety come to fear that they have pancreatic cancer because it is one of the most aggressive cancers with a very poor prognosis. You wouldn’t wonder if you had it. You would know.
No doubt your didestive system is completely out of whack and it will stay that way until you get on top of your anxiety...... Most people with health anxiety come to fear that they have pancreatic cancer because it is one of the most aggressive cancers with a very poor prognosis. You wouldn’t wonder if you had it. You would know.
That X10!
Cancer (especially pancreatic cancer) is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.
I got sick in August of 2012. Sinus infection, swollen nodes on my neck, low grade fever etc. And when I say swollen nodes, you didn't have to poke and prod, you could visibly see them. Toward the middle of September they were still swollen so I went to the doctor and he prescribed antibiotics. Took them and the swelling went down except for one node on the left side of my neck. Three weeks later the node is still there and was larger, and I mean visibly, sticking out of my neck larger. Called the doc and he prescribed a stronger round of meds. Visited the doc again in November after my 2nd heart attack (fun eh?) and all was well with my heart. Then I showed him the node. He said. "We need to get this checked out now". He knew and I knew what he suspected. I didn't have to ask. He immediately ordered a CT with contrast. Had it done a couple of hours after my appointment. An appointment was made with an ENT a week later. Between the CT and the ENT, it was a no brainer. The biopsy confirmed it the day before Thanksgiving. By the way... I googled too. Dr. Google told me it was lymphoma. He never mentioned Squamous Cell Carcinoma ;)
I share my personal experience to illustrate and reinforce what I put above about what cancer really is. It doesn't mess around. Symptoms don't come and go and frankly, from personal experience, they get steadily worse because it Just. Keeps. Growing. The node in my neck went from a small grape to it looking like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck in six months.
I understand you mind is not allowing you to see it sometimes but this is fact. Please no "yeah buts" or "what ifs" :lac: Yes, Google will tell you there are very rare exceptions but those are secondary to even having the illness in the first place!
As Swajj said, treat the real issue and you help treat the real physical symptoms it's causing.
Positive thoughts
I've had several bloods done including indirect direct and total bilirubin which have all been normal despite me convinced I have jaundice as my eyes at the corners look yellow and urine is dark.
I've had a u,ultrasound of abdomen where they couldn't get clear picture of pancreas because of gas so then I got a CT scan with contrast which was normal and a endoscope.
Nothing has been found and it's been 4 months of constant stomach ache and floating stools.
I 1000% convinced it's pancreatic cancer but have no more money to pay for tests or specialists so now just in a dark place praying I'm wrong. Trouble is the pain is always there so it's not anxiety as I have a history with that and know how it feels.
Superspur83
29-07-18, 12:27
Scott could you pm me please
You are wrong. You don't have pancreatic cancer. No ifs or buts.
Superspur83
29-07-18, 12:32
Wish i could believe that, im convinced i have it 100%
You are wrong. You don't have pancreatic cancer. No ifs or buts.
This would be the rational answer but with chronic pain, discomfort and fear it's incredibly difficult to think it's not serious.
This would be the rational answer but with chronic pain, discomfort and fear it's incredibly difficult to think it's not serious.That's because your brain is doing something called "catastrophizing". Very common among us with anxiety. Feel free to Google that one although I'm not sure if I spelled it right!
Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
Just reiterating this....
No doubt your didestive system is completely out of whack and it will stay that way until you get on top of your anxiety...... Most people with health anxiety come to fear that they have pancreatic cancer because it is one of the most aggressive cancers with a very poor prognosis. You wouldn’t wonder if you had it. You would know.
That X10!
Cancer (especially pancreatic cancer) is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.
I got sick in August of 2012. Sinus infection, swollen nodes on my neck, low grade fever etc. And when I say swollen nodes, you didn't have to poke and prod, you could visibly see them. Toward the middle of September they were still swollen so I went to the doctor and he prescribed antibiotics. Took them and the swelling went down except for one node on the left side of my neck. Three weeks later the node is still there and was larger, and I mean visibly, sticking out of my neck larger. Called the doc and he prescribed a stronger round of meds. Visited the doc again in November after my 2nd heart attack (fun eh?) and all was well with my heart. Then I showed him the node. He said. "We need to get this checked out now". He knew and I knew what he suspected. I didn't have to ask. He immediately ordered a CT with contrast. Had it done a couple of hours after my appointment. An appointment was made with an ENT a week later. Between the CT and the ENT, it was a no brainer. The biopsy confirmed it the day before Thanksgiving. By the way... I googled too. Dr. Google told me it was lymphoma. He never mentioned Squamous Cell Carcinoma ;)
I share my personal experience to illustrate and reinforce what I put above about
what cancer really is. It doesn't mess around. Symptoms don't come and go and frankly, from personal experience, they get steadily worse because it Just. Keeps. Growing. The node in my neck went from a small grape to it looking like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck in six months.
I understand you mind is not allowing you to see it sometimes but this is fact. Please no "yeah buts" or "what ifs" :lac: Yes, Google will tell you there are very rare exceptions but those are secondary to even having the illness in the first place!
As Swajj said, treat the real issue and you help treat the real physical symptoms it's causing.
Positive thoughts
worriedpatient
31-07-18, 15:24
Hello @Boosh,
Any news regarding your case?
Hi @worriedpatient
I've seen the doctor, I told him about my worries, he said we should firstly focus on more probable diagonsis. So he's redoing my blood tests, and told me to bring stool samples. As far as I can tell he's looking for ibs/liver problems/thyroid problems/celiac disease.
Mentally I'm a wreck, I'm barely sleeping, just crying all the time, thinking about dying, I have several panic attacks a day despite being on xanax all the time. Doctor told me he'll do colonoscopy and endoscopy if I won't feel better in a month. But if this is PC, this month could mean the difference between metasized cancer and not.
I am thinking either about adding pancreatic enzymes tests to my blood tests on Friday or about doing MRI on my own, but it's so terribly expensive, I'd have to go in debt. But maybe this would put my mind at ease.
Above all, I made a mistake of googling my symptoms again and I found really triggering article
TRIGGER ALLERT
about PC showing symptoms that come and go months before diagnosis, and of course I have most of them. I just can't function after reading that, I'm so scared :(
worriedpatient
01-08-18, 18:27
Hi @Boosh
I was finally able to schedule my MRI (in private) on the next Monday, so my anxiety is also doing its magic right now, and my backs are killing me so hard... On Tuesday I will feel good or start chemo.
Yes, def. push for pancreatic enzymes at least. I had colonoscopy and this procedure will not check your pancreas, but if you will have the option, do it (even if it is painful). For endoscopy, make sure you will have ERCP, which is checking on your pancreas bc classic endoscopy is looking for stomach, esophagus related issues.
Do not google, do not watch youtube videos about it... I have done both, and found myself writing goodbye letters for my parents. If you want to talk about your fears, PM me, we can setup some chat, Google will make it only worse.
Please focus on what you had. The tests you got would show up something on your liver already, or some mass on your pancreas with sufficient accuracy if it is the case. I know you read some cases where it did not and later it turned to be PC (bc we both read probably the same stories).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9001347
"In conclusion, the diagnostic accuracy of sonography for the detection of pancreatic cancer is sufficiently high."
So good to hear about your MRI, I'm so jealous! (in a postive way :) ) Just hang in there and you'll be able to relax soon.
5 years ago or so I had brain MRI, because my doctor suspected some kind of tumor, the second I scheduled my MRI I started worrying 10 times harder, my head was killing me (I "had" brain cancer, duh), I was experiencing double vision, crying all the time, etc. The MRI was clean and my symptoms went away, but I know how paradoxically hard those days preceding it can be, even though that's what we were waiting for.
Thanks for all the advice, I'll do the enzymes, I should have the results on Monday/Tuesday, so maybe that will make me feel slightly better, although of course MRI /CT scan would be preferable. Unfortunately I'm going on vacation next week and even if I would be willing to pay for MRI I don't think I'd have time before my departure, so those blood tests are my only option before September.
I know you're right about sonography, but my results said I have a lot of gas in my abdomen, and I'm convinced that whatever might have showed up, it would be very hard for the doctor to notice it.
I'm sorry to hear you're in pain. Mine weirdly went away. I still have annoying cramps, just right now on the left side (I figured the right side of my pancreas is already dead and now the left side hurts, lol), and my back is perfectly fine for the last few days. Normal person would assume that if my symptoms mostly went away after taking ibs meds, that would mean it WAS ibs... But I've done my googling and now I know that the disappearing pain is the sign that the cancer is in a very advanced stage. So in some weird way, back pain is better than no pain sometimes ;)
I'll PM you in a moment :)
So my stool tests are back and despite other things it says they have detected "small amount of fat". I asked my GP about it and she said it isn't normal, but it also doesn't sound very concerning as I'm young and it's a small amount. However I'm pretty certain at this point it is indeed my pancreas, with the results and my pain becoming constant and unbearable.
So my stool tests are back and despite other things it says they have detected "small amount of fat". I asked my GP about it and she said it isn't normal, but it also doesn't sound very concerning as I'm young and it's a small amount. However I'm pretty certain at this point it is indeed my pancreas, with the results and my pain becoming constant and unbearable.
Worth repeating as it hasn't been acknowledged.
Cancer (especially pancreatic cancer) is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.
I got sick in August of 2012. Sinus infection, swollen nodes on my neck, low grade fever etc. And when I say swollen nodes, you didn't have to poke and prod, you could visibly see them. Toward the middle of September they were still swollen so I went to the doctor and he prescribed antibiotics. Took them and the swelling went down except for one node on the left side of my neck. Three weeks later the node is still there and was larger, and I mean visibly, sticking out of my neck larger. Called the doc and he prescribed a stronger round of meds. Visited the doc again in November after my 2nd heart attack (fun eh?) and all was well with my heart. Then I showed him the node. He said. "We need to get this checked out now". He knew and I knew what he suspected. I didn't have to ask. He immediately ordered a CT with contrast. Had it done a couple of hours after my appointment. An appointment was made with an ENT a week later. Between the CT and the ENT, it was a no brainer. The biopsy confirmed it the day before Thanksgiving. By the way... I googled too. Dr. Google told me it was lymphoma. He never mentioned Squamous Cell Carcinoma ;)
I share my personal experience to illustrate and reinforce what I put above about what cancer really is. It doesn't mess around. Symptoms don't come and go and frankly, from personal experience, they get steadily worse because it Just. Keeps. Growing. The node in my neck went from a small grape to it looking like I had the mumps on the left side of my neck in six months.
I understand you mind is not allowing you to see it sometimes but this is fact. Please no "yeah buts" or "what ifs" :lac: Yes, Google will tell you there are very rare exceptions but those are secondary to even having the illness in the first place!
As Swajj said, treat the real issue and you help treat the real physical symptoms it's causing.
Positive thoughts
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