Do I have stomach or esophageal cancer?

[skippy66]

I was getting pains in my lower chest/upper stomach, loads of indigestion and loss of appetite. Also feeling of food stuck in throat now and again. Heart has been ruled out as a cause. Doctor put me on lanasoprazole, a strong acid blocker, for 4 weeks.

2 weeks in and my appetite is back. Chest/stomach pains went away at first but now they are back.

Also the feeling of food stuck in my throat/upper chest is back. Not all the time, but seemingly unrelated to mealtimes.


I have convinced myself I have some horrible kind of stomach cancer. Otherwise the drugs would have cleared these feelings up, surely??????

Please give me some reassurance.

I havent been checked by a gastro doc yet because my GP suggested give these tabs a try first, because, his words, a gastro doc will do a camera down the throat test which is 'vile' and I really dont want that.

[PanicMan]

Im not an expert in either but I know with Esophageal you have difficulty in swallowing and it is also painful to swallow as well as vomiting blood, weight loss etc.

If you are not having trouble or pain swollowing its more likely a form of indigestion or reflux that you are suffering from which would also cause the chest pains along with anxiety which would also account for the loss of appetite.

If you are particularly worried you should go for the Gastroscopy and they do sedate you which can knock you out so you wont even be aware of what is being done so I wouldnt let the thought of the proceedure put you off.

[DeMac]

Hi Skippy Glad I dont have a doc like yours. The only way to see whats going on inside the stomach is to have an Endyscope. It's not pleasant neither is it painful as i have had the camera down twice. The symptoms you have described sounds very like my own -For your own peace of mind and believe me please when I write this - peace of mind is what you really get once you are told the results of the endyscope - big weight is lifted off your shoulders. If I were you go back and tell ur doc you would like the cam down - opt for the sedation u wont feel a thing.

All the best - Dee

[kazzie]

Hi

Im not a doctor but I also take those pills one a day have done for years

I always thought as my gp told me that you had to keep taking them

I know if I forget for a couple of days the acid comes back

Kaz

[mark1980]

Hi, I am going to attempt to put you at ease

In March I came back from 4 months of travelling and from no-where I started getting acid reflux. I too take Lansoprazole (and have ever since) and I too have been (very) worried! Do not worry - I have now stopped worrying about it. Why? Because this is such a common and non-serious problem that there is no-need, I know it's easy to say - but please try to be reassured.

So many people take these tablets, according to what I have read and my doctor has said. I take 30mg a day and when I temporarily changed to 15mg, I noticed straight away, and went back to 30mg - also, if I do not take a tablet (like this morning) I KNOW about it.

There are things to do to avoid the acid build up as much as possible and a list of foods to avoid, eg. caffeine, alcohol, spicy food - http://www.ehow.co.uk/list_5461366_t...flux.html?cr=1

I have had a bad few weeks recently so know exactly how you feel with the worrying but please believe that you just have acid reflux - I know it's weird how it just comes from nowhere, I found it strange too, but if it were more serious you would feel far, far worse and your GP would notice.

I must also add, even being on the lansoprazole, I still get symptoms if I eat something that triggers it.

Take care and I hope this helps

[looking4answers]

Nope im pretty sure its acid reflux.. God I used to think I was dying.. Its nothing to do with food ,.long after you have eaten feels like liquid fire coming up and going into your throat and nose sometimes. It hurts burns and is uncomfortable. Take some peptobismol and coat your stomach or some rolaids.. If you don't feel better go with the doctor . Im not a doc but know the symptoms. Thank God I only get them everyonce in awhile now.. I HATE IT.. Hope you feel better soon.Michael

[kathee]

have you been tested for helicobacter pylori? ... it is the bacteria that causes ulcers and gave me all the above symptoms but was sooooooo easily eradicated with a course of antibiotics and ppi's..... best thing to do is go back to your doctor xx

[miss diagnosis]

Hi

My dad had stomach cancer and he was vomiting blood,not able to eat anything at all and dropped 3 stone in the space of a month.He died really quickly after diagnosis.Im telling you this to put your mind at rest because what ur describing sounds nothing like what my dad had at all.

Stress can do wierd things to the stomach. i went through a very low patch a couple of christmas ago and i couldnt eat at all. two bites and i was full. it passed in time. Also the felling like something caught in your throat is very common with anxiety. i get that all the time.

I hope this made you feel somewhat better xx