Afraid of pancreas issues
I have posted a few different issues on here from time to time but this is a new one for me. I have suffered with anxiety for most of my adult life, in more recent years health anxiety. I am an older lady so this is very very worrying for me. About three months ago I started losing a bit of weight, I have nearly always been on the thin side so I never want to lose weight and I always think cancer even with a few pounds which this is. It seems to have settled a bit on the new weight. What is really terrifying me is for that time I have started having the dreaded floating stools. Its not been every day but every few days about three days normal then they are back again. This week it seems to be every day. There were yellow for the odd day but I have had that many times over the years. They are often light brown which is normal for me, today they were mid brown but totally floating, not small pieces either. I know I shouldn't do it but I googled. Of course it can only mean one thing. It does go on about foul smelling and greasy looking with oil on the water and difficult to flush. They hardly smell, do flush alright and I can't see any oil but floating stool that looks like it should have sunk.When I came out of the toilet today I actually shook violently for an hour and couldn't stop. I have rung my dr and she wants me to go in next week for a blood test and examination. She said she can't say what it is we will have to see what the blood tests are like. After that I might have to see a consultant. I am absolutely terrified. I had diarrhea for over a week about 6 months ago and had a stool test done that was normal. That all cleared up but now these floating stools are really panicking me. I don't know how to get through this. Am I right in thinking they always do blood tests almost a routine for these problems. My old doctor retired and this is a new one who doesn't really know me, I don't know if she knows about my anxieties. Anyone had floating stools and its not been anything terrible?
Re: Afraid of pancreas issues
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chinadoll19
I have posted a few different issues on here from time to time but this is a new one for me. I have suffered with anxiety for most of my adult life, in more recent years health anxiety. I am an older lady so this is very very worrying for me. About three months ago I started losing a bit of weight, I have nearly always been on the thin side so I never want to lose weight and I always think cancer even with a few pounds which this is.
First thing I'd be asking is what was happening 3 months ago? You need to get a bit 'Mrs Marple' with these things...
Quote:
It seems to have settled a bit on the new weight.
That's reassuring..
Quote:
[ What is really terrifying me is for that time I have started having the dreaded floating stools.
It's common to have floaty poo. It's generally down to diet and gas. One of my turds took three flushes the other day. The bugger refused to go!! :shrug:
I should add that I've recently had all manner of poo tests, US scans and full bloods so I know my floaters are not due to anything like cancer.
Quote:
I know I shouldn't do it but I googled.
Oh dear..:huh:
Quote:
Of course it can only mean one thing.
Dr Google has given you 3 months to live? :huh:
'Dr' G should be struck off on account of him being a fearmongering ******!
Quote:
It does go on about foul smelling and greasy looking with oil on the water and difficult to flush. They hardly smell, do flush alright and I can't see any oil but floating stool that looks like it should have sunk.
Now I'm confused...
Are you saying that the majority of ya poo heads down the S bend but there are a few stubborn turds?
Quote:
I have rung my dr and she wants me to go in next week for a blood test and examination. She said she can't say what it is we will have to see what the blood tests are like. After that I might have to see a consultant.
I would expect nothing less from your doctor given your age, and the fact that she is new and unfamiliar with your history. She's doing her job.
Quote:
Am I right in thinking they always do blood tests almost a routine for these problems.
Yes. You can bet that if there is anything serious going on - your bloods will show something up, and it is routine.
Quote:
Anyone had floating stools and its not been anything terrible?
I'd imagine most everybody on this forum has had floaters at some point or other...
Top tip - throw some extra bog roll in and that will help to flush those stubborn buggers away. :yesyes:
Re: Afraid of pancreas issues
Thank you so much for your detailed reply. To answer your questions I suippose about 3 months ago I was stressing about Christmas and have found the lockdown difficult as living alone I have too much time to think (and google unfortunately my family are concerned about that) also now one of my cats is very ill and she's not that old, the vet is trying different treatments but it is upsetting. I have lost 3 husbands over the years due to different cancers, the last one last February.
Of course I wouldn't have known to worry about floating poo if I hadn't googled. I know it's stupid and Dr Google is probably and liar and a quack.
To explain about my experience in the toilet, what I am saying it is good that my poo doesn't hardly smell, is not greasy and flushes fairly easily, but it floats it was some days float and some days sink this week it has floated every day and this is what made me panic as dr google said its alright to float for an odd day but not all the time that is dire.
My problem is just floating poo and that little but of weight loss. Yesterday I was shaking so much with nerves and not eating a lot and of course my weight is down again today, I am trying to tell myself that is the reason why.
Again thank you for you reply it is much appreciated and has calmed me down a little. I was getting paranoid.
Re: Afraid of pancreas issues
Quote:
Originally Posted by
chinadoll19
Thank you so much for your detailed reply. To answer your questions I suippose about 3 months ago I was stressing about Christmas and have found the lockdown difficult as living alone I have too much time to think (and google unfortunately my family are concerned about that) also now one of my cats is very ill and she's not that old, the vet is trying different treatments but it is upsetting. I have lost 3 husbands over the years due to different cancers, the last one last February.
That's a LOT of stress to cope with. I'm not surprised that your anxiety is so high!
Quote:
Of course I wouldn't have known to worry about floating poo if I hadn't googled. I know it's stupid and Dr Google is probably and liar and a quack.
Dr Google will also tell you that it's generally nothing to worry about, and most people's poo floats from time to time, but your HA mind will ignore this (and also your lack of other symptoms) and go straight to cancer.
Quote:
To explain about my experience in the toilet, what I am saying it is good that my poo doesn't hardly smell, is not greasy and flushes fairly easily, but it floats it was some days float and some days sink this week it has floated every day and this is what made me panic as dr google said its alright to float for an odd day but not all the time that is dire.
Diet (fibre) anxiety (excess gas) will cause poo to float. You are clearly highly anxious, more so while you are imagining you have cancer, so it stands to reason that there will be excess gas in your digestive system - which will make your poo float.
Quote:
Yesterday I was shaking so much with nerves and not eating a lot and of course my weight is down again today, I am trying to tell myself that is the reason why.
It's logical that we lose weight when highly anxious and hyper focused on our bodies. We don't feel like eating when anxiety is high - so we will be taking in fewer calories than normal - add nervous energy (fight or flight where the body burns a lot of fuel) to this and the result is weight loss.
Weight loss with cancer is very different. Doctors are looking for unexplained weight loss, and yours is completely explainable, and in the absence of other 'red flag' symptoms - I really do think this is an anxiety issue, but it's still best to be checked out, if only to set your mind at rest.
Quote:
Again thank you for you reply it is much appreciated and has calmed me down a little. I was getting paranoid.
You're welcome. Just try to think logically and rationally. The answers are all there - you've just been ignoring them and giving mind space to your imagination - which will only ever increase anxiety and therefore - anxiety symptoms.
Re: Afraid of pancreas issues
I am back in panic mode again. I saw the doctor on Wednesday and she gave me a thorough physical examination of my abdomen and back passage and said all felt absolutely normal. That calmed me down. I have to do two stool tests one looking for blood to be sent to the hospital. I had a stool test a few months ago which came back normal and no blood doctor said. So not over worried about that.
The other test is to be handed in at the surgery, but I don't know what they are looking for. She said no rush I have an appointment for a blood test in two weeks and she said it would do to hand it in then. I had four days when my toilet was fairly normal and I felt better and calmer.
However yesterday I had bad pain in upper left abdomen and some round the back, it lasted most of the day and I started to panic though toilet was very normal. Today I still have the pain but it is near the waist on the left. It comes and goes today. Also I was back to the floaters in the toilet so am panicking again.
I am going to have to wait awhile for those results.
Another thing that worried me was that the doctor's waiting room was fairly full, I didn't expect that with the virus situation being so bad, there were about six chairs well spaced but as more people came in they were all standing around nearby. I had to wait twenty minutes to see doctor so was sitting there all that time. Also the receptionist had a cough! Being older I am vunerable to the virus and am worried. Friends and family I have spoken to have said their doctors didn't allow all these people in at once.
Is there any hope in all of this?
Re: Afraid of pancreas issues
I forgot to mention I lost some more weight overnight, but I didn't eat a lot yesterday and was highly anxious so I am telling myself that is the reason, but it is difficult to convince myself,
