New member

[mike-uk]

Hi

I discovered this board only this morning so I thought I would join up with people who understand health anxiety. Seems like a great, caring place!

My problems all started 5-6 years ago when I started to experience mild abdominal pain most days and I would get the occasional agonising episode followed by diarrhea. Yes, thanks to google I thought I had bowel cancer! Eventually I had a flexible sigmoidoscopy which was all clear and the diagnosis was IBS. However I was not totally satisified with this as a flexi Sigmoidoscopy does not check the entire colon. So I put up with it until I spotted a little blood. Oh no, back to the doctor where I insisted on a colonoscopy. Well that was all clear too, great, must have been piles.

Then oddly enough I remember the very next day after the colonoscopy I started to experience mild pain and discomfort under my rib cage, mainly the left side. Occasionally it would also be felt in the centre and the right side and into my back. I then developed horrible burning sensations in my stomach and throat. At times I would burp up acid too. Yep, google again convinced me that I had stomach cancer! Various medications did nothing to help so my doctor decided on a series of tests consisiting of an ultrasound and ulcer breath test which were both normal. So that rules out gallbladder. Then finally an endoscopy which turned me into a nervous wreck. The procedure was ok overall and that turned out ok other than having some inflamation and a hiatal hernia. Was put on Lansoprazole and the acid problems and abdominal pain for the most part subsided. Occasional pain related problems would show up but nothing to prevent a normal life overall. Free from HA yay!

So, fast forward a year or just over until 4-5 days ago out of the blue a deep pain started in my upper back and the upper abdominal pain came back with it. It was more of an intermittent stabbing pain and not constant, Generally I have aching back most days anyway. Ohhhh great! The pain seemed to move from centre, to the left and right of my upper abdomen at different times. It isn't constant but frequent and at first when it started and for a day or so after the pain only made me cringe a little, not intense pain by any stretch of the imagination. Mainly uncomfortable. Other than the pain, I was generally ok and was eating fine with a normal appetite. My next step was just plain stupid. I googled my symptoms and other than not being jaundiced and loosing weight (not sure as I don't have scales) I have convinced myself I have pancreatic cancer and am now in total mess. I am a total nervous wreck and since I googled it I have no appetite. Why do we do it??????

Well, I am not able to get to see my doctor until next tuesday as they are fully booked so I went to an NHS walk in centre last night and a doctor examined me an listened to my symtoms and he said I need to see my GP and discuss the pancreas because the pain going from the abdomen straight through to the back was a cause for concern. Not experienced this kind of pain for a day or so now so Im hoping it was just acid or my hernia etc. He did try to reassure me that it was unlikely pancreatic cancer due to me not being jaundiced but I took that with a pinch of salt as not all pancreatic cancer sufferers have jaundice. Still, he was convinced that it was my hernia causing this but needed to rule out the pancreas. I am in a flap. I was not aware and have read little to no evidence that hiatal hernias cause this kind of pain, especially into the back as well.

So thats my story in a nutshell, missed out loads of other health problems but don't fancy writing a book here! I am really trying to convince myself that if it was a pancreas problem I would be in a lot more pain and considering I had these pains well over a year ago and if it was cancer or pancreatitis I would be experiencing a lot more by now. Well, im am trying to atl east but failing!!! Ahhhh.

[Cell block H fan]

Hi Mike, welcome to the forum.
The logic you put at the end there makes sense to me. I would keep focusing on that if I was you.
I would also never google health symptoms again. I had to stop myself doing that years ago, & stop buying real life story mags, its been a lot better for me since. I do believe what we dont know cant hurt us. If I had googled a lot of the symptoms ive had over the last few years I am sure I would have convinced myself I had things I haven't even heard of, instead of just wind, I.B.S, hormones etc etc etc.
All the symptoms that have eventually passed or that I have had so long I would be a gonner by now if it was something serious!
So stop googling! lol
xxx
xxxx

[daydreamer]

Hi mike-uk,

There is a post in this HA forum, called IBS help by Mondie, just a few posts below this, please take some time to read all of it, it might help you! welcome :)

[Trish]

Hi Mike

Welcome to the forum:)

Nawty Mike - the law here is never Google it's a HA sufferer nightmare, it will throw up everything that sets our brain in motion and feeds our HA till we are beside ourselves with worry.

You have had tests that show you have a h hernia and that is no doubt what is causing your symptoms. My sister has one and gets the pain you discribe.

Please try not to worry (easier said than done, i know) your own GP will put your mind at rest when you see him next week.

Enjoy your weekend:)

Trish.

[mike-uk]

It is so hard not to hit google but i am trying to resist. However, I almost caved in this morning when I got into a panick over my weight.

I weighed myself the other day at my sister inlaws and was 11.36 stone but did the same over at my mother inlaws this morning and it reported me at just over 10stone. Yea, major panick time. Did it again and again and it was reporting different weights every time but all under 11.36stone. I am hoping its her scales being off.

Going to try and get an appointment with the doctor tomorrow so i can discuss things.

[Typer]

We just cant stop ourselves I know. But do stop weighing yourself for now. Go back to the GP and tell them how anxious you are. This anxiety will make all the symptoms worse. It is such a vicious circle and one I am trying to get off of myself.

Read Claire Weeks book...you will see that being frightened will make all the symptoms worse.

My husband has HH and has a lot of acid and pain in the upper stomach. Sounds like you have this to deal with, but also health anxiety.

read Claire Weeks' book it will help...or at least it is really helping me.

Take care

Did you have stress before the IBS?

[mike-uk]

I will look into that book thank you.

Yes, I believe that stress was a major reason why I developed IBS. However it is rare that I actually suffer proper diarrhoea/constipation nowadays, its more of a pain/discomfort and loose stool problem for me. But generally speaking things are normal in the toilet region!

I guess this makes me a little sceptical about all my pain in my abdomen and back being IBS related. I could be dead wrong of course.

I just have to keep telling myself that it cannot be pancreatic cancer. These pains started maybe 2 years ago and I know that pancreatic cancer symptoms only usually show in their late stages, By now I am sure I would have developed the major PC symptoms such as jaundice, very dark urine, very light stools etc.

[Typer]

My father died of pancreatic cancer and you are right, the symptoms showed in the late stages, along with a host of other symptoms I wont go into them all, but none of them are like your own. The first symptom was jaundice.

I know gall bladder has been ruled out, but your symptoms are very similar to gall stones aren't they? It could be that the hiatus hernia is the only problem. Because of the acid, my friend used to suffer extreme pain, even was taken to hospital once.

He changed his diet a little and never eats after 8.30 PM. He also sleeps upright. This has helped and the horrible pain in his right abdomen is very rare now and only if he eats too late.