Need some reassurance in a bad stop

[Greg316]

My father recently died after a 3 year battle with pancreatic cancer, he and I were extremely close but being the oldest child and the President of a large company, I didnt have the ability to grieve and had to continue working and helping my younger brother and sister and my mom.

I'm 35 years old and in reasonably good shape, I play golf 4 times a week (coping) and recently lost a bunch of weight on a keto diet.

Recently work has been very stressful, and my long dormant acid reflux (gone since I lost weight) and constipation have reared their head. I have a pain under my right and left rib and gurgling from the right of my breastbone. I am in full panic mode convinced I have 3 different types of cancer. I know I should go to the doctor but I also know that if I went to do the doctor everytime I had anxiety I would never be away from the office.

Does anyone with ibs have the same symptoms? Anybody with IBS and delayed depression after a traumatic incident?

[Elise]

Hi Greg,
First of all - I'm terribly sorry to hear about your dad, sending much love.

I'm not surprised you are stressed - not being able to grieve - it sounds like you are holding a lot in and bottling it up, it must be wreaking havoc on your body and mind! Have you considered taking time off work?

I'm in a similar boat with the pain - anxiety - cancer cycle. Every twinge I get lately I believe is some kind of cancer, particularly in the abdomen and surrounding areas. I also know the struggles of IBS, which does flare up when something upsetting has happened to me. It's a vicious cycle, the more we focus on the pains and twinges, the more they're going to happen, I know it feels never ending.
It's really important you take time to grieve, whichever way you feel you need to, there's no right or wrong way to grieve.

Take care,
Elise