Someone please talk some sense into me.

[Mostu]

24 male here. Been struggling with HA for 6 years now. A year ago, I was worried about pancreatic cancer - had weird stools, different pains in upper left abdomen and stomach etc. I went for a private MRI scan which was clear. Suddenly, all the symptoms went away. Pancreatic cancer was checked off of my list, and I lived life happily.

About half a year ago, I developed a gastric/esophagus cancer scare, so I just bit the bullet and went for a private upper GI scan. It showed that I have chronic gastritis and GERD. Fair enough, calmed me down.

About two weeks ago, I started to itch. I'm an allergic, and a year ago I had the same problem in April/May, I was really itchy and I attributed it to pollen in the air. Anyways, I was itching for the last two weeks and of course, everyone who had PC anxiety knows that generalized itching could be a sign of obstructive jaundice due to a tumor, so I kept checking my eyes, urine and stool for any color changes, but there were none. The itch is gone now, however I developed intermittent, dull pains in my upper left abdomen and they sometimes radiate to my back and left shoulderblade.

Here's my question - is there a chance that a symptomatic cancer developed a year after a clear MRI in a 24 year old person? I mean, there probably is a chance, but I need some reassurance. I'm falling down the rabbit hole again.

[pav1984]

I know that I tend to develop symptoms of whatever illness I am fearing at the time. Your mind is very powerful and can create these symptoms. I think health anxiety is like an addiction. Only we are not addicted to a substance but to reassurance. If you took alcohol off an alcoholic they would suffer physically as well as mentally. Why would taking reassurance away from us be any different?

If you want proof that your mind can cause itching etc, think about when one of your friends or family reported they had head lice when you were a kid. Did you itch even though you didnt have lice?

We cant diagnose you but I am willing to bet that there is a simple explanation to this rather than something rare in your age group.

If you are worried get checked but please try and resolve your anxiety as well.

[ankietyjoe]

everyone who had PC anxiety knows that generalized itching could be a sign of obstructive jaundice due to a tumor, so I kept checking my eyes, urine and stool for any color changes, but there were none.


And how do you know this?