DH has an ongoing stomach pain and lower back pain. Last year they thought it might be kidney stones and he was scanned. No kidney stones were found but there was a trace of blood in the urine. Since then he has had a frozen shoulder and had time off work for this. Once that started to get better the stomach pain has returned with a vengeance. He has blood tests, urine tests, ultrasound and a camera up his penis (yes really!) and nothing has shown up. He is totally fed up. He wants a reason.
But here's the thing. His father died at 52 of cancer that started in the colon. DH is 52 in May. He had a very unstable and uneasy relationship with his dad and it took him a long time to get over his death. He is also suffering massive stress at work - he was demoted to a HLTA from a teacher last year but despite the massive paycut he is still having a very stressful time and he is being constantly assessed for getting back his teaching status (which is unlikely as things stand). He had an affair in 2012 and we have both had a very up and down time trying to reconcile. He tends to swallow it all down and downplay his feelings.
I am not saying all his symptoms are stress-related but I strongly beleive there is a component of stress to their cause. I am a depressive and suffer from severe anxiety. Before I finally got diagnosed I had a few months of severe stomach cramps and generalised pain and malaise. It drove me mad to think that no-one took my 'illness' seriously. So I can see how it happens.
I have tentatively mentioned all the above to DH but he won't hear it. My GP was quite quick to suggest depression and anxiety but his hasn't mentioned it. He is back to the hospital soon for a colonoscopy. He is a very unhappy man at the moment and I don't know what i can or should do to help.
Any advice very welcome.