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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To freak out at this from the doctor

89 replies

KitKatrunchie · 20/10/2023 19:10

Iv had a cough for years
im
Overweight

they said it was reflux
recently felt a lump in my throat and one time felt I needed to drink water to get food down (on one occasion) most food give me reflux but it’s the wrong food I don’t get it when o eat right

I told the doctor and he sent me this! I’m freaking out as I didn’t think it was cancer

recently iv had a series of horrible life events and iv started to think I’ll die soon and suddenly and leave my daughter

To freak out at this from the doctor
OP posts:
Tailfeather · 20/10/2023 20:45

It's great that they are checking you out fully. It would be much worse if they just dismissed you with some rennies. But it will be a torturous wait. I hope you get seen and get results quickly. X

Alopeciabop · 20/10/2023 20:46

Usually a gp would make sure to tell you the two week wait says cancer and looks scary but certainly doesn’t mean it is and in most cases doesn’t. I wouldn’t freak out (I mean I would, personally, because I freak out at everything - but you should relax if you can as it’s far more likely not than is)

greenleader · 20/10/2023 20:49

Don't panic. I had similar swallowing problems and the endoscopy (via the two week pathway) showed mild oesophagitis with a hiatus hernia exacerbating reflux. Managed with proton pump inhibitors and all well currently.

Original poster
KitKatrunchie · 20/10/2023 20:51

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This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

Oh you poor thing! I feel for you seeing those words is awful

OP posts:
Itjustgoesonandon · 20/10/2023 20:54

They've just referred you on the 2 week wait cancer pathway to make sure you're seen sooner than later, doesn't mean it's cancer and in all likelihood won't be. I've been referred twice to this for different things and my teenage daughter once, neither times were cancer.

autiebooklover · 20/10/2023 21:00

I had this and it was just reflux try not to worry

ReturnOfTheRainMac · 20/10/2023 21:00

I've been on a 2WW recently. I think due to waiting times they are being additionally cautious with anything of risk and putting people on them. Best to get this checked out. Please don't worry x

Nejnej · 20/10/2023 21:01

I read a statistic once that might be reassuring - can't find a damn source though!

They expect only 30% of all 2WW referrals to be actually be cancer - so 70% something else entirely. Hopefully just the GP being cautious as they should be.

Original poster
KitKatrunchie · 20/10/2023 21:08

Alopeciabop · 20/10/2023 20:46

Usually a gp would make sure to tell you the two week wait says cancer and looks scary but certainly doesn’t mean it is and in most cases doesn’t. I wouldn’t freak out (I mean I would, personally, because I freak out at everything - but you should relax if you can as it’s far more likely not than is)

He didn’t say this in fact he said tiday that he was giving me pills for reflux and if they don’t work then a referral then I got this which makes me think he had a think and then thought it’s more serious

OP posts:
SandGroperNomad · 20/10/2023 21:09

Where we are then everything that requires a 2WW is written as suspected cancer, but our GP usually tells us and it's ruled out.

I have cancer by the way and I've had a few referrals like this but not actually the referral that found the damn cancer. All of my referrals have been normal, including the lump in my throat (was reflux and irritation).

Henbags · 20/10/2023 21:22

It doesn’t necessarily mean cancer, it just means they want to see you a little quicker than an ordinary referral in order to rule anything out. I work in breast screening and we have this at the breast unit. If a lady presents with a lump to the GP they are put on the 2 week wait pathway to our unit - that doesn’t mean it’s definitely cancer it just means they’re going to do investigations to rule that out.

I completely understand your fears of death. My mum was diagnosed stage 3 bowel cancer last year and my dad almost died this year from an aortic dissection so I constantly worry I will be next with something and leave my son.

Take care and good luck x

ittakes2 · 20/10/2023 21:23

please don't worry he's put you on a two week cancer wait to give you priority treatment - its completely normal and common doesn't mean he thinks you have cancer it just means you have a lump which needs seeing to incase its cancer.
I recently had a two week cancer wait for a lump on my neck and it turned out to be fat :) - not even a lipoma with edges just my body has decided to create an extra fat bump.

Alopeciabop · 20/10/2023 21:31

KitKatrunchie · 20/10/2023 21:08

He didn’t say this in fact he said tiday that he was giving me pills for reflux and if they don’t work then a referral then I got this which makes me think he had a think and then thought it’s more serious

Show quote history

Yes sorry I meant to make a point really that they should have done. It’s just awful when stuff like this happens. My partner was told once on a phone call on Friday afternoon he may have pancreatic cancer - obviously googling that will tell you that’s not something you want - and just left it at that. Hung up the phone and went home for the weekend I guess. So we spent the whole weekend like wtf?

Monday called and called but never got a ring back. Tuesday got a ring back to say it likely wasn’t as looked more likely to be something else from some other tests or some such bollocks. Honestly it was so stressful. And the doctor heading seemed to even think about the stress it would cause when he just casually dropped pancreatic cancer into the conversation.

when I had a breast thing a few months ago though my doctor DID ensure to Make very clear that when i got correspondence from the clinic it might say ‘cancer investigation’ or something similar but that in no way meant it likely was cancer.

so empathise with your situation right now op. Hope you get some speedy answers so you don’t have to feel this feeling for too long.

ShoesoftheWorld · 20/10/2023 21:40

It's about impact, not probability. There are some sets of symptoms that could be all sorts of things, including cancer, with cancer being among the rarest causes. But the impact of missing cancer or leaving it untreated is so high that they get the tests done quickly even though it probably isn't.

Hope the wait passes quickly and all's well for you. Not ENT but I've been for investigations more than once with a particular sign or symptom that can be suggestive of cancer and it wasn't.

Kiwano · 20/10/2023 21:43

It sounds like he's playing safe and making sure all the investigations are done, which is good news. I had something similar when I discovered accidentally that I was anaemic - they put me on the two week pathway because there was no obvious reason and it could have been due to internal bleeding; I'd had reflux for years so they wanted to rule out any sort of gastric or oesophageal cancer by doing an endoscopy and colonoscopy.

It turned out the anaemia was due to bleeding from an ulcer and with strong antacid medication all that got sorted out, but I must say I was impressed with how quickly the NHS can move when necessary - and thankful the doctor was taking no risks.

LeakyPipes · 20/10/2023 22:49

This reply has been deleted

This message has been withdrawn at the poster's request

It's your GP's job to tell you what he/she is referring you for. The possibility of cancer is frightening but that's not your GP's fault. Once we become adults scary things can't be hidden from us as though we were children. It's good news that nothing was found, but you should count yourself lucky that your GP took your health seriously enough to refer you for the appropriate test. Others with similar symptoms are referred for the same test and they are not so lucky with the outcome. The GP wasn't attempting to scare you, or making the referral for no good reason.

Itwasamemo1 · 20/10/2023 22:54

GPS use the 2 week pathway to get their patient seen quickly. All very well but the letter scares the patient. Also it then increases the wait for the people who do need to be seen ASAP! This is our NHS !!

Original poster
KitKatrunchie · 22/10/2023 22:45

Thanks everyone this weekend has been horrendous iv been. Choking when coughing but I can also feel something on my chest fingers crossed
have a big lump in my throat/neck not sure of its anxiety

OP posts:
Itiswhatitis21 · 22/10/2023 22:54

Try not to worry. I went to the gp with bowel changes and a positive FIT test and mine said suspected lower GI cancer
It's wording that has to be used to be seen within the 2 weeks
My colonoscopy came back normal

TeaGinandFags · 22/10/2023 23:16

They rule out the worst first.

Chances are you'll come back negative for the big C snd they'll have to do some more work.

Wishing you well, whatever the outcome

❤

determinedtomakethiswork · 22/10/2023 23:17

Could it be a hiatus hernia?

KnickerlessParsons · 22/10/2023 23:22

A friend had oesophageal cancer. She had part of her oesophagus removed and is doing fine.

Coffeeebean · 24/11/2023 20:44

Hi OP, came across this thread and I hope you are doing well ❤️

Original poster
KitKatrunchie · 25/11/2023 00:48

Hey turned out to be pneominoa

OP posts:
Couchpotato3 · 25/11/2023 00:56

Hope you're feeling better now!