Holby City! Why did i have to turn over at that exact point!

[allyp82]

Hi All,

For a bit of background, I am currently experiencing the following symptoms and am really scared that I have chronic pancreatitis following 5 and a half years of not sensible drinking habits:

-left hand side rib pain (behind breast, middle ribs, and underneath ribs, seems to follow round to my back too - mostly crampy and shooting, sometimes burning pain, sometimes throbbing)
-nausea
-a lot of wind and bubbling behinf my left breast and a bit lower
-burping

All these symptoms appear to be worse after eating.

Last year I was at rock bottom with these symptoms, convinced i had it and was going to die. I did a lot of googling which made it worse.

I did have some tests run and was told that a had a nervous stomach type thing. I then went on citalopram and felt a bit better. The pains seemd to ease a lot too.

Now they have come back with a vengence and i am scared that in the last year i have developed the condition (after being tested previously), or that it was missed. I have still not been as good as i should be with the alcohol i'm ashamed to say :-(

Despite trying relaxation and IBS tablets, the pains do not seem to be going. I am getting very scared again, but have avoided googling as i know it makes it worse.

Then last night I was watching something i had recorded. When it finished i was flicking between the channels and Holby City was on. I turned on just when a man was describing his symptoms (which sounded exactly like mine). They did a gastroscopy as an ulcer was suspected that came back negative. The doctor then asked for blood tests including anmylase which i know they do for pancreas stuff. It also appeared that he was a bit of a drinker.

Then my partner came into the room and i switched over. But i am convinced that the guy on TV had chronic pancreatitis and it has made me even more convinced i have got it too. Why did i turn over at that exact point! It feels like a sign! I then went to bed on my own and had major panic and crying until i eventually fell asleep.

I recorded the rest of it - i should probably delete it but i will probably end up watching the rest and scaring myself silly.

Does anyone know what happened in the prgramme?

Also does anyone on here have chronic pancreatitis?

Anyone else get the same sympotms after being bad with alcohol for a few years?

Sorry for long post - very anxious today. I've had enough.

Thanks

Ally

[Mumto2]

I watched that today after recording it last night and was shocked as I also have all the symptoms he and you described, his was gallbladder and the pain was on his right side so try not to panic to much, I am off to the drs again next week due to the pain as I can stand it any longer, I have been put on omeprazole but it isnt helping.
It really freaked me out watching it, even my husband stopped in his track when he heard the symptoms, I feel slightly better knowing I am not alone in these symptoms so I hope it helps you too.

[BNCfan]

The guy was found to have Gallbladder problems, not Pancreatitis - symptoms can be similar as both organs are very close. I had my Gallbladder removed two months ago after eighteen months of pain radiating from my back and right shoulder area and feeling as though my ribs were in a 'vice', stomach pain, IBS type symptoms, almosts constant nausea, just couldn't face food, resulting in loss of weight and despair bordering on suicidal as nobody believed me and I was told it was anxiety and given antacid tablets - Lansoprazole, Omeprazole etc, which only made matters worse. When they finally removed my Gallbladder because a Gallstone had 'escaped' and blocked a bile duct, they found over twenty large stones in my Gallbladder. If you're not satisfied with the attention you are getting from your GP, keep on until someone takes notice. I don't know what's happening to the NHS, it's diabolical - at least here in London it is, it seems to be something of a post-code lottery.

[blueangel]

Hi there

Just to add to what the others have already said, pancreatitis is much more a problem of "older" people, so unless you've really been whacking the alcohol it's pretty unlikely.

Gallbladder problems are quite common though, and don't just affect people over 40 (as they used to think). One of my ex's had to have his gallbladder removed some years ago after getting loads of pain with it, and he had loads of stones ranging from sand grain-sized to small marbles. A classic thing with gallbladder pain is that it comes and goes, and it does tend to be on the right hand side of the body (and not always!).

A lady I used to work with had gall bladder problems as well, and reckoned it was more painful than having a baby!

It's always worth getting a second opinion from a doctor though - an ultrasound scan can certainly determine whether you've got gallstones, and I would imagine it would be able to pick up whether your pancreas was the right size, although I suspect you'd need blood tests to confirm whether your pancreatic enzymes were functioning properly.

As for the booze, if you really are going way over the top of the recommended limits, try to cut back on it a bit as it's well known that alcohol makes anxiety worse afterwards! I discovered this one a long time ago, which is why I very rarely have more than 2-3 units at once, as I get hell from it the following day.

Hope this helps x

[pammy1944]

I NEVER, EVER, NOT NO NOT EVER .......LOL watch any hozzy programmes on the telly .....for exactly the reason you have put in your post ally .....take care love xxxxxxxxx

[allyp82]

Dear All,

Many thanks for your replies. Much appreciated.

I am glad that the guy on TV has gallstones and not pancreatitis - just goes to show how much we can jump to conclusions with anxiety - i was absolutely 100% convinced thats what he had, and 100% convince it was a sign or something ridiculous, because i turned over at that exact point!

I do not think that i have gallstones unless something was missed on the scan as i did have an ultrasound scan last year. I also had blood tests and a CT scan - all negative. I scared myself silly on google though because it seems that lost of people have negative tests for years before chronic pancreatitis is finally confirmed. I dont google any more but that is still always in the back of my head! And now that i have still been not sensible drink wise i feel another year has gone by and just because the tests were clear last year doesn;t mean i haven;t developed it in the mean time!

My pains are on the left side and are in my ribs and below my ribs. I don't have weight loss though or the other stool type symptoms you get. Its just because of the drinking that I get so scared.

I am really trying to cut back on the alcohol as i know it doesn't help with the anxiety and my health anxiety is 'because' of the drinking. The reason i worry is that i have drank about a bottle of wine almost every night for about 5 and a half year - so thats about maybe 10 units a day. I know its not the same as drinking a litre of spirits or anything but it is obviosuly very excessive. It started after a family bereavement and my mum who suffers from depression being almost suicidal.

I just find its the only was i can get any relaxation in the evenings after a crappy day at work etc. But I do know its a vicious cycle and I am trying to cut back. It is hard though. I don't drink during the day or anything, but in the evenings I drink wine.

I donlt usually watch medical prgrammes but it was very annoying that i just happened to change channel at that exact point!

Mumto2 - i hope you have some luck with the doctor - do let me know if you do. I am going to give it another couple of weeks and if the pains don't go away I will be going to my GP too. I am trying trying b vitamins abd 5-htp to see if i can perk myself up a bit. If not i may have to go back on meds again - it did make most of the pains go away when i was on them before.

Take care all and thanks once again x

[allyp82]

On a positive note - i did delete the rest of the prgramme without watching it - before i read these posts, because i knew if he did have pancreatitis it would make me worse! So at least i didn;t give in to my morbit curiosity that time!

[lollypopgirl1981]

hi, it might not mean alot to what you want to know, but just to add im so convinced i have a brain tumor as had dizzy/swaying feeling and then im watching t.v with my daughter and turned on to a prgamme where a lady had a brain tumor and i keep thinking its a sign and then she said its goes to show if you think somethings wrong to get it checked...and that freaked me out i was so sure there is a reason i turned over to hear her say that at that excat minute..lol its a horrible thing anxiety...hope it is anxiety lol take care hope you get it sorted...

[allyp82]

Hi lollipopgirl1981

Thanks for your post. I am sure these things are just coincidence but it is so hard to make yourself believe that when you are scared out of your wits. I tend to be a bit supersticious too which doesn;t help!

Take care too x