Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Pancreatic cancer

98 replies

Shinyshiny2 · 01/01/2024 13:29

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.

OP posts:
RatatouillePie · 01/01/2024 22:01

The blood tests were clear.

You have anxiety! That's all. It causes even horrendous heart palpitations in some which feel like a heart attack.

What you need is stress management and anxiety counselling to manage this abnormal fears.

Ratfinkstinkypink · 01/01/2024 22:10

DH had cholangiocarcinoma but was originally diagnosed with PC. He had no pain but had rapid weight loss, diarrhoea with pale, foul smelling stools, itching all over, jaundice and exhaustion (not just tiredness, proper exhaustion as he was malnourished). His initial blood tests were so out of whack it wasn't funny, everything was out of range, everything.

Missingmyusername · 01/01/2024 22:12

My dad had pancreatic cancer, he was almost 70 and an ex smoker. Consultant said he would have had it years, it was discovered when he lost weight very rapidly and was jaundiced. No itching. No pain.

It is highly unlikely you have cancer OP, however you sound anxious and stressed I’d probably address that side of things, as that in itself can make you ill. I hope you get the scan soon and it puts your mind at rest. Stop googling.

ilovebreadsauce · 02/01/2024 01:14

My 2 daughters 18 and 20, have had a virus recently with these symptoms. The first one had the pain you describe, and in her back too for 3bdays.she had all the bloods done and rhey were OK and the consensus was it was the lymph nodes in her tummy.A few days later her sister started with the same thing.

Original poster
Shinyshiny2 · 02/01/2024 14:48

Spent all day feeling sick. So worried

OP posts:
biscuitnut · 02/01/2024 15:34

Shinyshiny2 · 02/01/2024 14:48

Spent all day feeling sick. So worried

What about? The chances of you having pancreatic cancer are so, so remote. You have been told over and over on this thread that if you had pancreatic cancer you would be yellow and in agony. Real agony, not intermittent pains. In the nicest way possible if you had pancreatic cancer you would know about it, you would not be functioning. You would know you were seriously ill and you wouldn’t feel the anxiety you do now because every ounce of your being would be focussed on how to stop the pain. It doesn’t matter what any of us say though does it? It won’t matter what the doctor says either, you will think they are wrong and go and get another opinion. You are ill and you do need to see a doctor for your health anxiety. If you do one thing today, try and switch your focus onto what your real illness is and focus on that. Posting on mumsnet about imaginary illnesses is feeding the monster and keeps the worry cycle going. Go and see the GP.

Catza · 02/01/2024 15:57

@biscuitnut the issue with health anxiety is that any kind of reassurance only feeds it. Reassurance provides temporary relief and when it wears off, the person seeks further reassurance. No matter how many times we say "don't worry" it simply isn't doing its job. OP needs to learn distress tolerance skills.

biscuitnut · 02/01/2024 16:02

Agreed @Catza. I feel so sorry for her and her family. I have grown up with this kind of thing and it’s a living hell- for everyone. I really hope op gets the correct help.

Caerulea · 02/01/2024 16:22

OP - affectionate firm words incoming from a fellow health anxiety sufferer.

Get help! Let the GP give you some meds to calm the anxiety (50mg sertraline has done WONDERS for me). HA doesn't go away by itself & it will eat & eat at you, it's bloody awful! Despite mine being much more manageable, this week alone I've had pancreatic cancer (almost didn't click on this thread but HA said I had to), mini stroke & a 'slow dissecting aorta', at least I think it was that. The difference now is my brain starts the panic process but I can intervene & wrestle control back before that deep, ice-cold black-hole fear kicks in & I Google myself into hysteria. Then I can laugh at myself & how ridiculous I'm being.

A friend also suffers & we quite often joke about what we're dying of (currently she's got anal & ovarian cancer) but only with each other cos we know we understand that the fear part is real

Anxiety can absolutely cause all manner of real physical pain & even manifest specific pain related to the thing you're fearing at that moment.

The chances of you actually having cancer are very remote, they are for everyone - but I already know how your brain will work around that.

Gp appt, be straight with them about the crippling fear & understand how badly HA affects you, it's no joke but you will be OK!

biscuitnut · 02/01/2024 16:24

@Caerulea well done for getting help! Proud of you 👏

Original poster
Shinyshiny2 · 02/01/2024 16:53

Thank you for your message. I haven’t suffered from health anxiety for years so am so upset it’s happening. I wasn’t worried until the stomach ache persisted on and off for weeks so went to the doctors for blood tests, all clear then googled! Then a whole host of other symptoms including back pain pain and nausea so am now panicked. Really hope it’s just anxiety.

OP posts:
biscuitnut · 02/01/2024 17:02

@Shinyshiny2 the tests were clear which they wouldn’t be if you had cancer. The problem is you googled and fell down a rabbit hole. Honestly google is a nightmare. If you have a headache you can convince yourself it’s a brain tumour. Do not google. Give your husband your phone when the urge takes you. Googling symptoms is a waste of time and is guaranteed to cause you anxiety. I have a bad back at the moment and indigestion, according to Google I could have pancreatic cancer. Please seek help asap. Best wishes op

PeloMom · 02/01/2024 17:24

Google h. Pylori and see if your symptoms line up with that since you also got back pain.

Zanatdy · 02/01/2024 17:26

More likely to gallstones, sphincter of oddi or something similar. Have you lost a lot of weight? That’s a common symptom (again could be other things). The reason PC is diagnosed so late is because it’s got so many symptoms in common with other ailments. So chances of this being PC are very slim. Try not to worry too much

Original poster
Shinyshiny2 · 02/01/2024 18:21

I haven’t lost any weight and have been tested for h pylori. Feeling so nauseous today but no back of stomach pain. In a state

OP posts:
quarrelmerchant · 02/01/2024 18:55

Have you done anything at all to calm yourself? Or have you just continued to spend the last 24 hours winding yourself up even more?

Your children need you to get your anxiety treated and under control. They need their mum to be present with them, not spending hours, days and weeks irrationally googling diseases and working herself into a state.

This whole thing was originally triggered by stress, you have then worked yourself up even more, done nothing to bring your anxiety under control, and unsurprisingly now feel worse.

Stop feeding it.

Original poster
Shinyshiny2 · 02/01/2024 19:44

I relaxed and watched a film yesterday. I have been at work all day tufts not googling and still felt sick which caused me to worry.

OP posts:
Ratfinkstinkypink · 02/01/2024 21:10

So many of us have shared our real life experiences of PC and you are ignoring them. Please get help for your anxiety, it will be adding hugely to your feelings of nausea and this is no way to live your life.

ClaudiaAndHerFringe · 03/01/2024 00:04

This happened to my mate. She had gallstones and had her gallbladder removed and is fine now.

Josette77 · 03/01/2024 00:16

None of your symptoms are for pc. I lost my Oma in 2 months from it.

You need to see your doc about anxiety.

You haven't had weight loss and pancreatic cancer is a silent killer because there are no symptoms until it's too late. You are fine.

thedementedelf · 03/01/2024 00:17

Gallstones

justanothermanicmonday1 · 03/01/2024 00:36

My friends dad also sadly passed away from this. He didn't really have any pain/symptoms and by then it was too late.

PC is very difficult to diagnose.

Stressedafff · 03/01/2024 18:21

OP you do not have pancreatic cancer. I have health anxiety too.

You’ve got new symptoms because you’ve been googling and convinced yourself you’ve got something, now your body is mimicking it. Go to the doctor or self refer for talking therapy if you can, don’t give health anxiety anymore power to ruin your life.

Original poster
Shinyshiny2 · 03/01/2024 18:35

I’ve just read of a 35 year who was misdiagnosed after complaining of similar symptoms to me. I’m so scared and this is really ruining my life. Can anxiety cause symptoms to feel worse? This has been going on a month now which symptoms coming and going or changing. I just want to feel normal! I keep thinking clear blood tests are good then stressing that it doesn’t neab anything.

OP posts:
Stressedafff · 03/01/2024 18:37

Shinyshiny2 · 03/01/2024 18:35

I’ve just read of a 35 year who was misdiagnosed after complaining of similar symptoms to me. I’m so scared and this is really ruining my life. Can anxiety cause symptoms to feel worse? This has been going on a month now which symptoms coming and going or changing. I just want to feel normal! I keep thinking clear blood tests are good then stressing that it doesn’t neab anything.

Listen to me please. I went to the doctors 37 times in 2015 because I was convinced I had lung cancer. I had all the symptoms, a cough, pain in my shoulder, breathlessness, wheezing all of it. I didn’t have lung cancer, just like you haven’t got pancreatic cancer. Any good doctor will tell you to stay off Google as it does nothing but give you anxiety and feed stupid stories about how “someone coughed twice then died of cancer 4 hours later” or “super rare cancer symptoms you might have missed”

Youre gonna make yourself so unwell