Crohn's, UC, or IBS but scared of it being PC....

[Lakme]

Hey, so I came on here a while ago over some really bad neck pain I was experiencing in March. I started taking 10mg of Elavil the day my pain subsided and everything was great. Back in June my doctor told me to bump it to 20mg and see if I feel better. I think that was a huge mistake because not long after I began having trouble with my digestive system. It took me a month after to confirm with my doctor that I was getting off of the meds and not long after the pain started (TMI: my stool was yellowish brown for a bit which had me worried. I thought I saw blood once after a bout of stomach pain and had a stool test. Right now, it's only yellow when I wipe and that's the part that has me most worried because it accompanies the symptoms. Doctor said it came back negative over the phone and I was so relieved but honestly it makes me worry more because if it wasn't bowel cancer, it lead me to think that it was still something serious.)

Anyways, someone recommended Imodium to me not too long after and I was still experiencing upper abdominal pain. After I started taking it the pain totally subsided and it was replaced by this really irritated bloating. I had a bit of trouble breathing so my first instinct was to stop taking the crap of course. The bloating went away after a while, at least to a certain extent, my stomach feels kind of hard sometimes and I'm always worried that this might be an indicator of something really bad, but I've been trying to check myself and honestly these past two months of my life have been some of the worst. I visited another doctor not too long ago at Urgent Care and all he did was poke my stomach and take my blood pressure. I told him that I had a stool test (and a rectal examination, which came up fine). He just told me that I could have IBS, Crohn's or UC. I know I've been getting a bit better, but when symptoms persist for an extended period of time it's hard to not think of the worst possible scenario. I can't seem to get Pancreatic Cancer out of my head and I spend most of my time thinking about being in the hospital for an extended period of time or dying. It's really distressful, and I feel guilty about how much I've dragged my grandmother to the doctor with me. It makes me reluctant to tell her when I'm worried about my health. I'm only 20 years old by the way. I had food poisoning back in February so if I have any condition related to my digestive system it's probably because of that.

[Capercrohnj]

They didn't recommend a colonoscopy if they suspected crohn's or uc? The symptoms you describe don't sound anything like mine (I have fistulizing crohn's)

[Lakme]

All he did was poke my stomach and tell me that I look like a nervous guy and that IBS was the most likely candidate. Said that UC and Crohn's were possible but essentially told me to bug off. He said that a colonoscopy, CT scan or ultrasound would run me about 2k and I don't have health insurance. This was at urgent care. I got a cold today and I'm having trouble going to sleep. My symptoms aren't too painful but enough to be debilitating. I'm starting to think about gallstones or pancreatitis. I hope to god that it isn't PC because my skin still isn't yellow and it's been 2 months. It's hard trying to convince myself. It seems like every other minute I'm imagining myself in a casket or a hospital bed.

[paranoid-viking]

Hey, so I came on here a while ago over some really bad neck pain I was experiencing in March. I started taking 10mg of Elavil the day my pain subsided and everything was great. Back in June my doctor told me to bump it to 20mg and see if I feel better. I think that was a huge mistake because not long after I began having trouble with my digestive system. It took me a month after to confirm with my doctor that I was getting off of the meds and not long after the pain started (TMI: my stool was yellowish brown for a bit which had me worried. I thought I saw blood once after a bout of stomach pain and had a stool test. Right now, it's only yellow when I wipe and that's the part that has me most worried because it accompanies the symptoms. Doctor said it came back negative over the phone and I was so relieved but honestly it makes me worry more because if it wasn't bowel cancer, it lead me to think that it was still something serious.)

Anyways, someone recommended Imodium to me not too long after and I was still experiencing upper abdominal pain. After I started taking it the pain totally subsided and it was replaced by this really irritated bloating. I had a bit of trouble breathing so my first instinct was to stop taking the crap of course. The bloating went away after a while, at least to a certain extent, my stomach feels kind of hard sometimes and I'm always worried that this might be an indicator of something really bad, but I've been trying to check myself and honestly these past two months of my life have been some of the worst. I visited another doctor not too long ago at Urgent Care and all he did was poke my stomach and take my blood pressure. I told him that I had a stool test (and a rectal examination, which came up fine). He just told me that I could have IBS, Crohn's or UC. I know I've been getting a bit better, but when symptoms persist for an extended period of time it's hard to not think of the worst possible scenario. I can't seem to get Pancreatic Cancer out of my head and I spend most of my time thinking about being in the hospital for an extended period of time or dying. It's really distressful, and I feel guilty about how much I've dragged my grandmother to the doctor with me. It makes me reluctant to tell her when I'm worried about my health. I'm only 20 years old by the way. I had food poisoning back in February so if I have any condition related to my digestive system it's probably because of that.

If it is any reasurance; the percentage of pan can patients oin their twenties are aproximately zero, even though some awarenes campaigners have been using patients that young even though it is extremely misleading. 80% patients are between 70 and 90. Still, I have the same fear to and it is disabling me. I am 39 so I am at more risk than you, although I am still too young as every doctor is reauring me. But I get new symptoms all the time that is feeding my fear.

Remember though that there is way more likely that waht you have could be gastritis, celiac or...just IBS. It is very unlikely it is PC. But I know how it is to fear it. It is a murder mentally.

The reason we think so much and obsess about pancreatic cancer is not because it is likely; in fact it is the last likely; but because it is the worst ilness humans can get; it is the cancer equivalent to rabies; a certain and fast death sentence. People dont fear gastritis because it is not a murder disease; it is just uncomfortable. But if you are a hypocondriac you fear the worst worst case scenarios of course.

Yellow stools is not uncommon; the stools ascosiated with pancreatic diseases are floating yellow; in other words yellow diarreah. The faeces color normaly waries between yellowish light brown to dark brown stools; it depends on what you eat and drink. I doont thoink it is Chrons though; as those with Chrons have constant diarreah.

Out of curiosity; what led you to the fear of pancreatic cancer? When was the forst time you heard/read about this vile cancer type?

[anxious848]

paranoid-viking: great reply!

Lakme - listen to paranoid-viking. First off, you're 20 years old...the likelihood of you having this awful disease is so unlikely. You may actually have a better shot of getting hit by lightning then having PC at your age.

Secondly, PC is slow growing and often shows no symptoms until the cancer has spread. Then you would have symptoms of weight loss, jaundice, loss of appetite, etc, etc. It is such a scary disease because there are often no symptoms until its in a very advanced stage. Pancreatitis would likely be very, very uncomfortable and I imagine (though I'm not an expert) that you'd end up in the hospital.

You say "someone" recommended immodium for you to take? Who recommended that? It is typically taken for diarrhea and it doesn't sound like you have that based on your note. Also, one of the side effects of immodium is bloating so not really surprising you experienced that.

[Lakme]

If it is any reasurance; the percentage of pan can patients oin their twenties are aproximately zero, even though some awarenes campaigners have been using patients that young even though it is extremely misleading. 80% patients are between 70 and 90. Still, I have the same fear to and it is disabling me. I am 39 so I am at more risk than you, although I am still too young as every doctor is reauring me. But I get new symptoms all the time that is feeding my fear.

Remember though that there is way more likely that waht you have could be gastritis, celiac or...just IBS. It is very unlikely it is PC. But I know how it is to fear it. It is a murder mentally.

The reason we think so much and obsess about pancreatic cancer is not because it is likely; in fact it is the last likely; but because it is the worst ilness humans can get; it is the cancer equivalent to rabies; a certain and fast death sentence. People dont fear gastritis because it is not a murder disease; it is just uncomfortable. But if you are a hypocondriac you fear the worst worst case scenarios of course.

Yellow stools is not uncommon; the stools ascosiated with pancreatic diseases are floating yellow; in other words yellow diarreah. The faeces color normaly waries between yellowish light brown to dark brown stools; it depends on what you eat and drink. I doont thoink it is Chrons though; as those with Chrons have constant diarreah.

Out of curiosity; what led you to the fear of pancreatic cancer? When was the forst time you heard/read about this vile cancer type?

I'm well aware of the chances but honestly what makes me worry is the food poisoning I got several months ago. I feel like it did something really bad to my system. It was the starting point for my hypochondria. At first I thought I had glaucoma. My eyes were bugging me and I was scared because I thought I was seeing colored rings around lights. Went to the optometrist and everything checked out fine. Then I thought I had tetanus because I cut myself on a rusty razor in the bathroom. My left arm and leg were hurting. After that, I woke up one day and had the absolute worst pain in my neck imaginable. I thought I had a tumor in my neck for almost a month. I couldn't focus, my mind was disconnected from reality and my grandmother was genuinely worried about me. It was so bad she wanted to take me to the emergency. Then one day I went to pick up my anxiety meds and I ended up walking it off. The same day I got my pills was the same day my symptoms went away. I was perfectly fine for several months until it was suggested by my doctor that I bump up my dose to 20 MG. After that I started going out for runs to manage my weight because I knew my metabolism was going to slow down, and not long after that is when I started being scared of having cancer of some kind because of my abdominal pain. I learned about PC because Pavarotti died from it. I was researching him because of his part in pagliacci, an Italian play. Back when I learned about it I knew that there was virtually no chance in hell that I could ever get that. When I was having the problems at first I thought it was bowel cancer. I was reassured by my doctor because I took a stool test and it was negative for blood. But what has me worried right now is the fact that I've been losing weight. I lost 5 pounds in 22 days, and 6 pounds in the 17 days after that. My left arm got skinny after I began to lose the weight and it feels a lot heavier when I carry things, even though I started exercising. I know it's ridiculous to suggest that the reason I've been losing weight is not because of my running, but I see no reason to suggest why my left arm got so weak afterwards. I realized where the mild pain was coming from and it lead me to believe that it might be my pancreas instead of my bowels. I've also been off of my anxiety meds for a month because I thought that's what was causing my problems, but maybe that was a bad idea. I do have evidence to suggest that it's gallstones because I passed one not too long ago, but I was really scared yesterday because it hurt to lie down and I felt really weak. I had a BM that went straight through me in the matter of a few hours. I also had trouble sleeping last night because my heart rate was going crazy. And yeah, I've been checking myself, for the usual symptoms. It seems like I'm always checking my eyes for yellowness. My mother was also a hypochondriac at my age, so it makes sense. My family has a history of mental health issues and unfortunately I got stuck with debilitating anxiety.

Anyways, I had a blood test done yesterday and I have to turn in a stool culture test on Wednesday. As for celiac, I don't know if it's possible because I've been eating bread my whole life and I never had any problems until now. Thanks for your input, I'll be keeping it in mind.

[paranoid-viking]

I'm well aware of the chances but honestly what makes me worry is the food poisoning I got several months ago. I feel like it did something really bad to my system. It was the starting point for my hypochondria. At first I thought I had glaucoma. My eyes were bugging me and I was scared because I thought I was seeing colored rings around lights. Went to the optometrist and everything checked out fine. Then I thought I had tetanus because I cut myself on a rusty razor in the bathroom. My left arm and leg were hurting. After that, I woke up one day and had the absolute worst pain in my neck imaginable. I thought I had a tumor in my neck for almost a month. I couldn't focus, my mind was disconnected from reality and my grandmother was genuinely worried about me. It was so bad she wanted to take me to the emergency. Then one day I went to pick up my anxiety meds and I ended up walking it off. The same day I got my pills was the same day my symptoms went away. I was perfectly fine for several months until it was suggested by my doctor that I bump up my dose to 20 MG. After that I started going out for runs to manage my weight because I knew my metabolism was going to slow down, and not long after that is when I started being scared of having cancer of some kind because of my abdominal pain. I learned about PC because Pavarotti died from it. I was researching him because of his part in pagliacci, an Italian play. Back when I learned about it I knew that there was virtually no chance in hell that I could ever get that. When I was having the problems at first I thought it was bowel cancer. I was reassured by my doctor because I took a stool test and it was negative for blood. But what has me worried right now is the fact that I've been losing weight. I lost 5 pounds in 22 days, and 6 pounds in the 17 days after that. My left arm got skinny after I began to lose the weight and it feels a lot heavier when I carry things, even though I started exercising. I know it's ridiculous to suggest that the reason I've been losing weight is not because of my running, but I see no reason to suggest why my left arm got so weak afterwards. I realized where the mild pain was coming from and it lead me to believe that it might be my pancreas instead of my bowels. I've also been off of my anxiety meds for a month because I thought that's what was causing my problems, but maybe that was a bad idea. I do have evidence to suggest that it's gallstones because I passed one not too long ago, but I was really scared yesterday because it hurt to lie down and I felt really weak. I had a BM that went straight through me in the matter of a few hours. I also had trouble sleeping last night because my heart rate was going crazy. And yeah, I've been checking myself, for the usual symptoms. It seems like I'm always checking my eyes for yellowness. My mother was also a hypochondriac at my age, so it makes sense. My family has a history of mental health issues and unfortunately I got stuck with debilitating anxiety.

Anyways, I had a blood test done yesterday and I have to turn in a stool culture test on Wednesday. As for celiac, I don't know if it's possible because I've been eating bread my whole life and I never had any problems until now. Thanks for your input, I'll be keeping it in mind.

Looks like you have been through the same path as me. From fearing colon cancer to pancreatitis and then to the worst possible cancer namely pancreatic cancer. I wish I have never read about that cancer at all and rather lived happy wothout knowing such cancer existed. In fact; I did not know about it until a few months ago. Pavarotti was 70 years old and not excactly healthy. Been looking for yellowing of the eyes? Looks like you have the same bad habit as me.
You`ll be fine. You are too young for bowel cancer also. High pulse at night is a common anxiety problem. I have it a lot and had it last night. I have recuring nightly panick attacks that appear worse in periods.

[Beckybecks]

I've had IBS for most of my life. The symptoms vary as you will see if you google it. Each bout I have produces different symptoms and as I have HA my mind tells me I have every disease imaginable. This causes more anxiety which causes more symptoms. Its a vicious circle which you need to break in order to recover.

Very often a bout will be triggered by food poisoning or a bug and sometimes antibiotics can hurt your stomach. But the fear of what it MAY be just causes the symptoms to continue for much longer than they would normally.

You can get OTC remedies for IBS. I use Iberogast, Peppermint Tea, Chamomile Tea and Rescue Remedy. The Doctor could give you an anti-spasmodic/anti-anxiety med.
Maybe you should consider probiotics and try following the FODMAP diet for a while.

From reading your posts I'd say you have health anxiety and not cancer or any other terrible disease. So you really need to address the anxiety issue.
Have you tried CBT?

[Lakme]

I've had IBS for most of my life. The symptoms vary as you will see if you google it. Each bout I have produces different symptoms and as I have HA my mind tells me I have every disease imaginable. This causes more anxiety which causes more symptoms. Its a vicious circle which you need to break in order to recover.

Very often a bout will be triggered by food poisoning or a bug and sometimes antibiotics can hurt your stomach. But the fear of what it MAY be just causes the symptoms to continue for much longer than they would normally.

You can get OTC remedies for IBS. I use Iberogast, Peppermint Tea, Chamomile Tea and Rescue Remedy. The Doctor could give you an anti-spasmodic/anti-anxiety med.
Maybe you should consider probiotics and try following the FODMAP diet for a while.

From reading your posts I'd say you have health anxiety and not cancer or any other terrible disease. So you really need to address the anxiety issue.
Have you tried CBT?

I went to a therapist a couple years ago to manage a couple of my mental health issues but ever since I left, they became worse because of the environment that I was exposed to. My life did a 180 when I got food poisoning, and the anxiety damaged my nerves so bad I thought I had a brain tumor. My stomach was having problems then too, but I can't recall what my symptoms were, I just know that I didn't want to eat the garbage I usually eat because I was afraid it would make everything worse. But that was only for a few weeks. This has been 2 long agonizing months and I spent the entirety of one on my anxiety meds that my doctor prescribed me. Also I changed my diet after I started having these problems. I even wanted to go vegetarian for a while. Now I'm on Paxil for the first day and I'm coming around for a stool culture test and my blood test results tomorrow. I'm hoping to say the least, that it's just anxiety and that I'm going to have to deal with it for the rest of my life just like anything else, and even knowing that I have a better chance of being struck by lightning sort of puts me at ease. Anyhow, I think it's gallstones and I hope it's gallstones, I'll provide an update tomorrow. Thanks for all of your input. Knowing about symptoms because of the Internet can be really disorienting to say the least, but at least there are places like this to reassure me.

[Lakme]

Sorry for the double post but I just wanted to update. Turns out it wasn't IBS or anything like that. Had to go to the hospital at 5 in the morning because there was an aneurysm trapped in my stomach that moved into my leg and through my heart while I was sleeping so I had palpitations and a hard time breathing. I'm fine now but I'm more than relieved despite the terrible experience. Thanks.