Petrified of Stomach/Colon Cancer

[Aleman200]

Hello everyone!

I find this website absolutely amazing in terms of support and opinions and calming effect, so i was hoping this time someone may be able to shed some light on my situation, don't worry, i'm not asking for a diagnosis or anything just wondering if anyone recognizes some of the symptoms i've been going through. To give a bit of background i'm a 24 year old male (25 next week). And have barely visited the doctors for most of my life except when very young.

So the past 2 weeks i've had this constant uncomfortable ache in my stomach between my bellybutton and my breastbone. It seems to ease off a little bit in the evenings but it's worse in the mornings the minute i wake up. I got myself down to see my GP (I've seen 3 so far, not out of Health Anxiety, just availability of doctors). She had a feel around, pressed on my stomach, it was quite tender. I also notice when i'm stood up that if i push on it, it feels much harder then normal, and i can also feel bumps (Possibly my stomach itself? :( ) so she put me on 2 x 30mg of Lansaprazole a day, and i've been taking them since, they seem to ease things off a tiny bit, but it's always there, aching and lurking.

It seems to get worse after big meals too. Now my dad has Crohns disease so i'm thinking it could be something related to that? I'm booked in for an Ultrasound of my abdomen and after that i'll be referred to a gastro specialist at my local hospital. I'm not vomiting or feeling nauseated or anything but my bowel movements have changed to going first thing in the morning now, with constipation (sorry for the TMI!), i'm also on my 3/4th week of citalopram, so not sure if that's affecting things. But it constantly wakes me up hours before i'm due up for work and it's sending my anxiety through the roof thinking it's cancer or a tumour that's getting worse day by day.

I've had blood tests (about 4 maybe 5 of them?) And they all came back normal aside from a bit of a dip in kidney blood count but it came back up on it's own. I've been tested negative for H-Pylori bacteria too. Currently waiting on a Calprotectin test to come back aswell. Panicking it's going to be a mysterious illness. :(

If anyone could offer there two cents or at least relate a little that would be pretty awesome. I've read about IBS on here and i'm wondering if it could be that. But i'm also terrified it's something more sinister.

[spacebunnyx]

Hi Aleman,

Sorry to read you've "discovered" HA. I had my first real episode of HA at a similar age. What I find useful is to write a list of other things it could be other than what you fear the most. Keep a little book especially for helping your HA... Maybe log how you feel, how many times you asked for reassurance etc. Nobody can say for sure if it is or isn't something awful.... But can say it's incredibly unlikely at your age. Anxiety itself can produce the symptoms you describe. Listen to your dr, take their guidance. Trust them. Enjoy each day. Xxx

[Aleman200]

Hi spacebunnyx! Thank you for your reply. I think i might try doing that. I'm constantly ringing dr's when the panic sets in thinking i'm gonna drop dead the next day before i can even live properly! I'm currently on citalopram to help suppress it a little bit and i'm in week 3 of it which seems to be helping out alot. Aswell as this website!

[StrangeQuark]

Hi Aleman

I can relate to what you're going through. I've had similar symptoms (severe pain in the morning and worse after I eat a big meal, among other things) and it's also made me really anxious about cancer. I'm being referred for an endoscopy and all I can think about is doctors crowded around the monitor gasping in horror and telling me I've got weeks to live. Good old health anxiety, eh?

I'd like to echo what spacebunny said: for somebody your age (and especially as you've also tested negative for H. pylori) stomach cancer is very, very, very rare. Really rare. On the other hand, GORD, gastritis, IBS and other less alarming causes of your symptoms are really common.

I hope the ultrasound and the gastro specialist are able to put your mind at rest and get to the bottom of your symptoms so you can start feeling better. It's miserable living like this.

[Aleman200]

Hey StrangeQuark

It's really helpful knowing there's people out there who share the same sort of mysterious aches and pains that i do. I hope your endoscopy goes well and you come out clear with nothing malicious.

I know it's pretty rare for someone my age to have it but your HA always makes you think "What if i'm the unlucky 1%" or something along those lines. It's not a nice way to live at all i completely sympathise with you.

It truly is miserable and i hope we can all band together and come out of this in fine form! Do keep me updated on how it goes for you mate. My ultrasound is in a couple of weeks so got a few weeks of anxious waiting!

[spacebunnyx]

Aleman - 1%?! You mean like 0.0003% or less surely?! That's a very very very low probability! I wouldn't bet on it all! Xxx

[Aleman200]

I would hope it's more like those kind of odds yeah! I'm trying my best not to bet on it! I think it's the waiting that's getting to me really! I just want to know what it bloody is so i can deal with it! Thank you for your support though!

[Aleman200]

Had my calprotectin tests come back today and my dr said it was normal so there's one thing down! Only a few more to go.

[StrangeQuark]

Excellent news - I'm sure everything else will come back clear, too. I'll be going through the same thing along side you over the next few weeks. Waiting sucks! Try not to dwell on it too much, though I know how hard it is when you're in pain and feeling sick.

[Aleman200]

Yeah i hope everything is okay on your end aswell. You guys are incredible, thank you for taking the time to post on here. I still live in worry i'm going to drop dead the next day but it's nothing but usual Health Anxiety!