Handhold if you have a minute (digestive cancer suspicions, analyses start tomorrow)

[Godlovesall26]

All in the title really.
Just turned 33, been having what I thought was stress symptoms (still could be I guess, they don’t know), for quite a few months, regular medications did nothing.
Was told recently it could be compatible with a tumoral evolution.
So tomorrow the medical stuff starts (I’m not sure what as I was referred to a spécialised place, and it seems they, logically, wish to start with a general all around consult).
I mean it could be nothing, it could be something, that’s basically as much as I know right now.

It just feels a bit strange.
Does anyone know anyone who has gone through similar ? Including if the diagnosis turned out unfortunate, I don’t mind any type of stories.

PS : if anyone does reply, and I don’t reply quickly, fatigue is also one of my symptoms sorry

Sorry to hear this op. Fatigue is quite a broad symptom what are the others?

Thank you for your reply. Nausea, loss of appetite, loss of quite a lot of weight mostly. And a couple of others like occasional bleeding when nauseating but I figured I’d just irritated the route.

And general pain in the region. So nothing extraordinary, and it was a horribly stressful period for completely unrelated reasons (still is)

Hi, here for a hand hold. Sending lots of love and strength to you ❤️

Thank you 💚

It could be cancer but equally there are several other conditions which have identical symptoms. It's reassuring that they are heading straight in to investigate and hopefully rule out cancer, especially when there are so many stories of people being fobbed off for months, if not years, with those kinds of symptoms.

Thank you for your kind words.
I wasn’t fobbed off per se as I didn’t insist on anything, I was told it was stress for the past months, and indeed it has been a really hugely stressful period, and I didn’t google my symptoms or anything, I was already overwhelmed by coping with general life issues. So basically didn’t research further.
Then I called again recently due to severe pains (and the whole thing just becoming unbearable as latest meds weren’t working) and got referred. So I guess it felt a bit of a sudden switch for me, from two extremes really ?

But true I’m trying to see the ‘positive’ side (I got a different doctor when I called, who knows maybe another would have tried yet another medication and left it at stress). At least now I’ll know. And the place does have a good reputation.

Hi @Godlovesall26
Sending you lots of positive vibes and hope everything will be ok ❤ xx

Thank you 💚

Any news @Godlovesall26 ?

Please do try to stay positive. I had a good year of symptoms that were quite worrying - also during a very stressful time. When I did finally get it checked out, my inflammatory markers were across the board quite high and I had some unusual blood results that could have indicated cancer. I received an urgent referral and I was in for a CT scan and a colonoscopy in about 2 weeks time.

Mine was not cancer. It was a GI issue that, while it doesn't have a cure and I have to take daily medication for life, it is completely manageable with lifestyle changes. Stress was a huge factor for me - both longterm chronic stress, but also really acute stress over that year, which is why I think it all flared up when it did. There is a huge mind-body/brain-gut connection, and if you're stressed, there is no surprise you may feel it in your GI tract.

It's great you're getting it addressed though. You're doing the right thing. But try not to worry too much in the meantime while it's being investigated. Do, however, start to make lifestyle and stress management changes now - if you smoke/drink, think about stopping or significantly cutting back. If you don't get enough exercise, or fresh air, or time to take care of yourself, start thinking about how to get more of all those things. Hopefully, those changes alone will help you start to feel a bit better - they certainly won't hurt. And if the worst case scenario happens, then you'll also have a head start on being the healthiest you can be to tackle it.

I wish someone had told me all this back then. I'm not sure I would have listened, but I was completely oblivious to how much I wasn't truly helping myself and I was contributing to how awful I felt by not treating myself as kindly as I could have.

Thank you for asking, it is very kind of you.
I had the first consult, a general one really where they took all my medical history, bloods re done etc. She kind of said what you guys said, it could be that, it could be other.
I have an endoscopy scheduled soonish, so we’ll see I guess.
Thank you for checking in.

Thank you that’s very sweet of you to share with me.
It does feel a little lonely sometimes, it has been so sudden and I don’t want to burden anyone with it too much.
I’m really glad it turned out ok for you.
💚