Pancreatic cancer

[Shinyshiny2]

I am terrified that I have pancreatic cancer. A month ago I was really stressed and got an awful burning stomach ache. It lasted a day then disappeared. A week and a half later I got a wierd aching burning stomach at the top of my abdomen that persisted. Then I got a cold but was still having a slightly painful stomach. The stomach ache then died down but then I started having pain in both flanks, almost like a constant stitch, under my ribs. It began in my left side then swapped to my right. I went to the doctors on Wednesday who did blood tests which all came back clear and I’m waiting on an abdominal ultrasound as they want to check for gallstones. When I went the pain was in my right side. Since then the pain has moved back to my left side and into my shoulder blade on and off. I keep getting a burning ache in my stomach on and off. I am 34 years old with two young children and I am absolutely petrified. I also just read an article about intermittent pain being an early sign of PC and am in such a state! I am a very anxious person but so scared. The burning stomach is not there today but I did get a stitch in my right side when out this morning that’s gone but do keep getting random stabs there. Left side pain completely gone but shoulder blade aches. Shall I book a private scan? I can’t concentrate or feel happy as i‘m so scared.

I’ve had exactly this and it was gallstones. It sounds pretty textbook to me, I hope that is all it is and you recover quickly.

Your anxiety is probably making your stomach pain worse. Cancer usually doesn’t just move around daily and hurt.

It could be any number of things or nothing.

Why PC ?

Could all just be stress related .

Stop googling.
If anything serious it would be more consistent and worsening which it isn’t ?

No, you're terrified because you have poorly controlled anxiety that you keep feeding

My DH had Pancreatic cancer. It was very painful for him, never mild discomfort and it never went away. The pain certainly never moved.
not saying symptoms would be the same for everyone, but what you described sounds nothing like what he had.
Agree with pps, stop googling, it really doesn’t help.

With health anxiety once you start worrying about a particular symptom or feeling it makes the physical sensation worse.

I had a 'discomfort' feeling under my left rib during the pandemic, convinced myself it was all sorts of sinister things. Not surprisingly appearing when I was stressed or anxious and disappearing when I wasn't focusing on it.

My friend has PC. Her symptoms were tiredness, stabbing back pain, a firm area on the upper left side of her tummy. Blood tests picked up something was wrong immediately.

It doesn't sound like pancreatic cancer to me x

Usually because an Ultrasound is done first before endoscopy (which is invasive so has risks, all be it low).

Get them To test you for helicobacter - more likely at 34

Did your health anxiety originally begin after a trauma? Did you lose someone close to you to cancer?

I have health anxiety too. And all the symptoms you described had me phoning 111 thinking I was having a heart attack. It was costochondritis x

As PP said very unlikely to be PC as it is associated with older age and smoking.

Step away from Google and take some slower breaths - try breathing slightly longer on the exhalation.The tingling feelings you are experiencing are possibly due to the effects of hyperventilation.

Gallstones/Gallbladder dysfunction is more likely, especially if you have been pregnant recently, as oestrogen fluctuations can also cause fluctuations in CCK. However, as others have mentioned it could be conditions like H.Pylori, SIBO etc. The good news is that these can all be treated medically in conjunction with eating more whole foods (less processed, saturated fat foods especially for gall bladder issues) and often supplementation like probiotics.

Talk to your Doctor about your Health Anxiety - with the help of a Psychologist or Counsellor, HA symptoms can also be greatly improved.

I haven’t been pregnant recently. The tingling I know is anxiety it’s the pain that keeps moving around that is terrifying me.

i have seen 2 people die from pancreatic cancer, before diagnosis both had horrendous backache and noticeably lost weight. Step away from doctor google. The intermittent pain you are describing is most likely indigestion. Go and see a GP and mention your health anxiety because you do realise this is what you are suffering from? Having a few random pains and jumping to the conclusion you have got cancer is not normal. Get some help because this will escalate.

A blood test would've picked up pancreatic cancer.

DH and I have both had relatives with PC, neither of whom had symptoms like OP. They were also both smokers and much older.

Change your focus for just a half an hour. Look up breathing tools online and follow the directions. Block everything else out for the moment.
Look online for either a relaxing meditation or a Hypnotherapy recording about relaxation or reducing Health Anxiety and allow your mind to follow this.
Trust your Health Care Professionals - they will get to the bottom of what is going on with your health.

Have you taken any steps to calm yourself down?

OP I think you it would be helpful to go back to your dr with a list of things on paper that are worrying you and show them it. Whilst you’re at your drs appointment your mind might go in all different directions and you may forget to mention things. You might then worry afterwards because you didn’t mention it, which will set off your panicked thinking again.. but if you have a note ready with everything that’s bothering you it will be helpful for both you (so you feel all your concerns have been addressed) and them (so they can see if there are any symptoms they’ve missed and help clarify and rule out your concerns). Nobody on here is going to say you are ridiculous or say you don’t have something because, well, how can we? You are asking strangers on the internet who haven’t seen you in person and I’m guessing that the majority of people who have responded don’t have a medical background. It would be really naive to tell you that you’re fine when in reality there is no way of us knowing.

I get the health anxiety. It can absolutely manifest physically in your body, you can absolutely become hyper aware of everything that is happening. I am 36 and unfortunately have quite an extensive medical history and at my oncologist app in November we discussed some pain Id been having post op and he said “sometimes you can have pain and we just can’t find an answer, despite scans and tests, sometimes our body does strange things”. I guess what I’m trying to say is that even after all these tests they might find nothing. You might still have random discomfort. At that point if you know you’ve exhausted all the options and you know you’ve been listened to properly, you do have to trust the medical professionals that are taking care of you.

My mum had pancreatic cancer her pain was central in her back - she also went yellow (jaundiced) - no moving pain from side to side.

Both my family members who passed from pancreatic cancer, their first symptoms were itching all over, and the other unexpected weight loss. They were also both in their 60s. It is very unlikely. I have convinced myself i've had cancer before. It's easily done when you Google. That's why people say don't!

This is how my gallstones appeared op.

Pancreatic cancer is an absolute favourite for health anxiety as it's one of the worst diagnoses and you can pin a vague symptom to it.

There are a hundred other things you'd have to rule out for it to be top of the list as most likely.

You should get help for your anxiety instead.

My 23 year old DS recently tested positive for this. I’d never heard of it but apparently it’s quite prevalent and most people have no symptoms. DS was really quite poorly with it.

Having had gall stones, a removal of my gall bladder and now ongoing symptoms - I'd say it was related to your biliary system.

I have sharp pains in my left side (like stitch, or sharp knife pains) and lots of intermittent pain in my right side, shoulder and back pain.

The tingling you're feeling, is likely anxiety. I get health anxiety and have suffered it myself, so I sympathise, you please read and take in the posts here.

As an aside, I had to have an ultrasound (to check this pain) recently. The urgent referral waiting list was 6 weeks, but my GP advised me to call the ultrasound clinic and ask to go on a cancellation list. Within 4 days of the request, they'd rang me and I was in that day. Might be worth a shot.