Stomach/Throat/Esophageal Cancer

[Eggy]

As you know i have been having problems for the past 3-4 weeks and things are getting worse in my opinion.

Last night i was eating and i felt really full very quickly and it wasn't a large meal and then i had problems swallowing like it was taking 3 or 4 attempts to swallow and i felt it had affected my breathing a bit as well.

I have had stomach problems for the past few weeks where i feel sick a lot of the time and i am having stomach aches/discomfort, chest discomfort and also i feel like my breathing is funny sometimes, I do have Asthma but i have had it for over 20 years and i have never got out of breath after eating.

I feel very weak and lethargic too like i can't be bothered to do anything at all.

All this is worrying me like mad, Especially after reading things like people only go to their doctor after having problems with swallowing and by that time the cancer in the Esophagus has already spread.

I always feel like there is a lump in my throat when swallowing as well, I feel this almost all the time.

I stopped smoking 7 years ago and very rarely drink alcohol even though that doesn't stop someone from developing cancer.

I can honestly say i am absolutely terrified and scared like mad that i could have Stomach/Throat or Esophageal Cancer.

I have had blood tests done recently but they don't show up cancers of the stomach and esohagus but if i had cancer in the mid-late stages would something show up in the blood test results?

[kibbutz83]

Hi Eggy, your symptoms sound an awful lot like mine! My GP always puts it down to anxiety, which really leaves me with very few options. I had to literally beg my last GP to refer me to an ENT clinic, and the practice have now warned me that I am one step away from being "removed" from their surgery :( I also gave up smoking, 5 years ago, and seem to have had more health problems than when I smoked! Swallowing has become a big problem, digestion is almost non-existent, and I suffer terrible acid-reflux :(
I wondered if you have trouble sleeping at all?
I also wonder how old you are, and if you are male or female? I've read a lot of books on the subject, and sometimes age and gender can play a big part :)

[Eggy]

Hi Eggy, your symptoms sound an awful lot like mine! My GP always puts it down to anxiety, which really leaves me with very few options. I had to literally beg my last GP to refer me to an ENT clinic, and the practice have now warned me that I am one step away from being "removed" from their surgery :( I also gave up smoking, 5 years ago, and seem to have had more health problems than when I smoked! Swallowing has become a big problem, digestion is almost non-existent, and I suffer terrible acid-reflux :(
I wondered if you have trouble sleeping at all?
I also wonder how old you are, and if you are male or female? I've read a lot of books on the subject, and sometimes age and gender can play a big part :)

I have never been diagnosed with Anxiety but your GP doesn't sound very good, You shouldn't have to beg your doctor to do anything but i think some doctors are dreadful and a joke.

I have no idea what is wrong with me but i'm thinking it is something quite serious.

I have never really thought about cancer before up until now, I keep worrying that i have it in the stomach or throat or esophagus and keep thinking it might have already spread.

It's because i keep getting bad discomfort/pains in my stomach and i have been having diarrhoea on and off and i'm getting discomfort in my chest and near my heart area and in both sides of my chest and my back.

I am having trouble swallowing sometimes and my throat gets sore as well and i always feel like there is a lump in my throat.

I also worry about developing lung cancer because i have severe asthma or i did when i was a kid it has improved slightly but i smoked from the age of 16 until i was 22 and i stopped smoking 7 years ago.

I am a 29 year old male and sometimes i do have trouble sleeping.

[kibbutz83]

Hi Eggy, health phobias can come on at any age, mine started at 41, and literally one minute I was fine, and the next I thought I was dying :( I'm not saying that this is your problem. If you are really concerned then you must ask your GP to refer you for a Barium swallow. This may be the only way to quell your fears :)

[Eggy]

Hi Eggy, health phobias can come on at any age, mine started at 41, and literally one minute I was fine, and the next I thought I was dying :( I'm not saying that this is your problem. If you are really concerned then you must ask your GP to refer you for a Barium swallow. This may be the only way to quell your fears :)

I will ask for a barium swallow and yes it would quell my fears if i had it done.

However there's no guarantee that the doctor will refer me to have one.

[kibbutz83]

Hi Eggy, you have the right to be heard by your GP ( Gormless p***k ) So insist that you are referred! If not, ask for a second opinion. Don't let your GP fob you off :)

[Eggy]

Hi Eggy, you have the right to be heard by your GP ( Gormless p***k ) So insist that you are referred! If not, ask for a second opinion. Don't let your GP fob you off :)

Don't you have to wait weeks or months to see someone or to have tests done though.

[kibbutz83]

Hi, I had to wait a couple of weeks to see the ENT doctor. I'm afraid unless you can afford to go private, you don't have much choice :( I have all kinds of stuff going on in my body, swollen glands for a month now, can't sleep without a sleeping pill, anxiety through the roof, breathing problems..... I am too afraid to see my GP, as she won't do anything except maybe give me antibiotics... I would see your GP tomorrow, and tell him/her that you are requesting a referral. But don't take no for an answer! :)

[Eggy]

See my GP tomorrow, That's a laugh :) I have to wait 2-3 weeks to see a GP in my surgery, They do see some people the same day but whenever i try to get in they say we'll get a doctor to ring you back!

[j2]

I too have been freaking out lately about my upper GI track. I too just had blood work that was fine. I have GERD but I can't shake the feeling that this is something worse. My symptoms are much worse than ever. I could really use some reassurance too. I just went to my doc and he didn't seem concerned and wouldn't refer me to a specialist. Someone please help.

[paula lynne]

Hi j2, can you tell me a bit about GERD please? :doh:

[j2]

I would be happy to. Basically your stomach acid backs up into your esophagus. This can lead to many physical symptoms, such as heartburn, chest pain, pain in your upper stomach, hoarse voice, trouble swallowing, bad taste in mouth. There are several others. I have even had some bleeding. If you have more questions, please PM me. I would love to help you out.

J2

[Eggy]

I went to the walk-in centre earlier as i have been having chest pains today along with my stomach problems that i have had for the past 3 weeks.

This practice nurse said i could have a problem with my Esophagus, I am worried like mad that i have Esophageal Cancer even though i am only 29 and i stopped smoking 7 years ago and rarely drink alcohol.

She checked my chest and also looked at my throat etc etc.

I keep thinking i might have Esophageal Cancer and that it might have already spread to my lungs hence me feeling short of breath and having a bit of a cough.

I know Esophagael Cancer usually develops in people who are around 60 years old or older but even so i could still develop it.

[kibbutz83]

Hi j2, I think the more anxious we are, the more stomach acid we produce :( The ENT doctor put me on Lansoprazole ( gastro-resistant capsules ) and now I have all kinds of other problems :( I believe we need our stomach acid to destroy bacteria etc. I don't trust conventional doctor's, because I don't think they "care" enough about their patients. It's all so hit and miss. J2 I think you're probably just over-anxious, and have got yourself into a vicious circle, as so many of us here have :( x

[HelenLouise]

Hi Eggy!
I'm going through a similar thing at the moment!
I have been experience bloating/fullness after eating and a generally bleh stomach.
I've also been having a lot of chest discomfort too!
I saw my doctor and he put it down to anxiety but i too am worried stick about stomach cancer!

I guess we have to try to think rationally (ha! easier said than done) and just think that stomach cancer is rare and its much more likely that the symptoms are caused by something more simple.

I hope you are okay :) xxx

[kibbutz83]

Hi Eggy, when the nurse said you may have a problem with your esophagus, I don't think for one second that she meant cancer. There are so many things it could be...... and most of them aren't life=threatening :) We do tend to jump to the worst conclusion when we suffer with heightened anxiety :( x

[Eggy]

Hi Eggy, when the nurse said you may have a problem with your esophagus, I don't think for one second that she meant cancer. There are so many things it could be...... and most of them aren't life=threatening :) We do tend to jump to the worst conclusion when we suffer with heightened anxiety :( x

The practice nurse mentioned Barratt's Esophagus though which is a bad condition that can go on to cause Esophageal Cancer, I might even have Esophageal Cancer.

[kibbutz83]

Hi again Eggy, you're just gonna have to wait and see..... What choice do you have? I smoked for 28 years, and I have hideous anxiety, can't sleep at all without a zopiclone, glands are swollen all over my body, can't breathe properly due to terrible congestion on my chest ( 4 years now), my GP does NOTHING except try to give me antidepressants...... Hourly I think "that's it I'm gonna die NOW!"..... But I fight on and on because I know I need to be strong for myself and my family :) Oh and I also found out recently that my teenage son is gay, and that he was mixing with paedophiles ( he's still a virgin ) I've learnt the hard way that life is about struggle, and building up our inner resources so we can cope with the shit that is thrown at us.... You'll be just fine Eggy x