ballofnerves
10-11-19, 23:57
Hi! First time poster here. Needing some happy thoughts...
Let me just start by saying, I know that everyone is different and that reassurance can’t really be given because not all of us are in the medical field. However I was hoping to put all my symptoms down in the hopes that maybe someone had a similar experience or some additional insight/opinions. Sorry in advance, this is long winded.
A little background. I’m a 33yr old female, mom of two (3 and 1). Since becoming a mom, my anxiety has gone through the roof and usually presents as health anxieties. After my first child, I was certain I had colon cancer due to symptoms ended up having a sigmoidoscopy. All was fine and biopsies were clear. Doctors said it was anxiety/IBS.
Fast forward two years...
In August, I noticed a faint ache in my lower left abdominal. It was never extremely painful but more just annoying. It never hindered my day to day. I chalked it up to the IBS knowing that anxiety had been worse lately.
In September, the ache was still there and I started to notice this dull gnawing sensation in my upper left abdominal (near my ribs). I noticed when I pushed on it, it would ache and then I’d burp so I assumed trapped gas and then it was gone. I also started to notice some lower back ache, left side under ribs near flank.
In October, all the symptoms had gone on long enough (never becoming severe but just slightly uncomfortable) that I decided to finally make a Dr. appt. I didn’t want to unnecessarily make one prior in the hope that what I thought was the IBS would clear up on its own.
The doctor suspected IBS or maybe a small ulcer but ordered blood work to check organ functions. She also encouraged to start using Prozac for the anxiety which I had been putting off for as long as I could.
Bloodwork came back mostly normal except for my lipase coming in just above the upper limit. My doctor asked to retest and yet again both can in slightly elevated. (Lipase upper limit was 51, test 1- was 54, test 2 - was 82).
This is when my anxiety really started to kick in. All the sudden I’m so anxious that I have pancreatic cancer. She’s ordered a CT scan which happens this Wednesday and then an upper endoscopy. She has reiterated that she’s not worried.
However since the initial appt, I began Prozac and feel like it’s exacerbated my symptoms. I now have the abdominal and back ache, some indigestion, sometimes yellow stools, etc. I can’t decipher what are side effects from
the meds vs what are actual pain symptoms. Im still waiting for the positive side effects from the Prozac and hopefully will feel some soon.
Has anyone ever experienced a similar situation?
Thanks in advance!
Let me just start by saying, I know that everyone is different and that reassurance can’t really be given because not all of us are in the medical field. However I was hoping to put all my symptoms down in the hopes that maybe someone had a similar experience or some additional insight/opinions. Sorry in advance, this is long winded.
A little background. I’m a 33yr old female, mom of two (3 and 1). Since becoming a mom, my anxiety has gone through the roof and usually presents as health anxieties. After my first child, I was certain I had colon cancer due to symptoms ended up having a sigmoidoscopy. All was fine and biopsies were clear. Doctors said it was anxiety/IBS.
Fast forward two years...
In August, I noticed a faint ache in my lower left abdominal. It was never extremely painful but more just annoying. It never hindered my day to day. I chalked it up to the IBS knowing that anxiety had been worse lately.
In September, the ache was still there and I started to notice this dull gnawing sensation in my upper left abdominal (near my ribs). I noticed when I pushed on it, it would ache and then I’d burp so I assumed trapped gas and then it was gone. I also started to notice some lower back ache, left side under ribs near flank.
In October, all the symptoms had gone on long enough (never becoming severe but just slightly uncomfortable) that I decided to finally make a Dr. appt. I didn’t want to unnecessarily make one prior in the hope that what I thought was the IBS would clear up on its own.
The doctor suspected IBS or maybe a small ulcer but ordered blood work to check organ functions. She also encouraged to start using Prozac for the anxiety which I had been putting off for as long as I could.
Bloodwork came back mostly normal except for my lipase coming in just above the upper limit. My doctor asked to retest and yet again both can in slightly elevated. (Lipase upper limit was 51, test 1- was 54, test 2 - was 82).
This is when my anxiety really started to kick in. All the sudden I’m so anxious that I have pancreatic cancer. She’s ordered a CT scan which happens this Wednesday and then an upper endoscopy. She has reiterated that she’s not worried.
However since the initial appt, I began Prozac and feel like it’s exacerbated my symptoms. I now have the abdominal and back ache, some indigestion, sometimes yellow stools, etc. I can’t decipher what are side effects from
the meds vs what are actual pain symptoms. Im still waiting for the positive side effects from the Prozac and hopefully will feel some soon.
Has anyone ever experienced a similar situation?
Thanks in advance!