26 y.o. HA strikes back

[anxious26]

Hi,
I am a 26-year old guy that have been having huge problems with health anxiety. Last year was really tough with a lot of different health scares, but then at the end of last year through CBT I managed to defeat the health anxiety. At least until 3 weeks ago.

It all started with a feeling of fullness in my lower stomach/buttocks area, combined with two different types of stomach pain. One more of a classic, subtle and constant stomach ache, and one sharp pain stretching from the lower stomach to the back to the rectum. The latter seemed to occur mainly before releasing gas perhaps once a day.

Now, a little more than two weeks later, more symptoms have arisen. Since three days the lower stomach ache has worsened. But the scariest new symptom is really loud stomach noises (loud enough to wake me up in the early morning, when they are the worst), combined with nausea/acid reflux.

I have now completely convinced myself that I have stage 3-4 colon cancer, with a partial bowel obstruction causing the reflux and stomach gurgling. My health anxiety appears worse than ever, I lie in bed full days without getting up just crying, and I only spend my days googling on colon cancer forums.

I can't really focus on anything, and work and relationship really suffers. Even though I know from my therapy that my googling worsens it gravely, I am now so convinced of my coming death that I don't even care about anything anymore.

Last weekend I went to the A&E due to my stomach and a week ago I went to a GI specialist, but I found that visit very odd as he spoke with me for a maximum of 1 minute, and then ordered a lot of different blood tests and one stool sample, and told me to come back in three weeks as that apparently was when the stool sample would be ready. He didn't ask about the severity of my pains and I found him a bit dismissive. I have booked a new appointment with a GP at my regular office this Wednesday, but every minute that passes my mind tells me I need to go into A&E right now for more tests/x-rays etc.

All in all I feel I can't go on like this and I need help (both mentally and physically). Thank you for taking the time reading through!

[netminder1976]

How have your eating habits been lately? I would go to that GP appointment and tell them all your fears and what you are feeling. Sounds like you are experiencing some pretty bad anxiety and it's causing your mind to not think straight and thinking you are really ill. I know this because I got the same way but it was heart fears, I was convinced I had heart failure... I didn't end up having it, instead I have bad anxiety. Feelings of doom are common with anxiety. Check the main pages here for anxiety symptoms and I'll bet you can relate to alot of them.

[anxious26]

How have your eating habits been lately? I would go to that GP appointment and tell them all your fears and what you are feeling. Sounds like you are experiencing some pretty bad anxiety and it's causing your mind to not think straight and thinking you are really ill. I know this because I got the same way but it was heart fears, I was convinced I had heart failure... I didn't end up having it, instead I have bad anxiety. Feelings of doom are common with anxiety. Check the main pages here for anxiety symptoms and I'll bet you can relate to alot of them.

My diet has been fairly OK (or at least unchanged) up until these problems started, since then the appetite has been severely affected by the symptoms. Of course as always difficult to know what is psychological and what is not when it comes to appetite. Thank you for your answer.

[anxious26]

An update from the GP visit. She was understanding about my issues and it appeared that she took my problems seriously (even though she was a bit surprised seeing the number of doctors appointments I have had recently). She went through the answers from my GI doctors blood tests (apparently he had tested a lot of different things, amongst other a lot of different liver numbers), and assured me that all blood tests looked completely normal. She told me that due to my age, combined with the clear blood tests, she definitely couldn't find anything pointing towards cancer. She did ask me what tests I would like in order to be reassured, and suggested the FOBT (blood in stool test). I accepted this and will be handing this in Monday morning.

The day after my pains increased (right after eating) and my stomach gurgling has now gotten really bad. My back pelvic pain has also gotten worse (not sure if this is related though). Would it be possible to have late-stage colon/rectal cancer with completely clear blood work, being so progressed that it causes back pain as well? I feel like I can't live like this anymore, yet I do not know what to do. My whole body tells me that I need to go into A&E right now to get x-rays and such, but at the same time I feel ashamed and irrational. What it then comes down to is me lying in the couch the whole day doing nothing, since nothing seems worth to care about when you have convinced yourself you will soon be dying.