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Multiple health issues - anxious waiting on results

3 replies

Lulabella22 · 17/02/2024 16:55

I don't know where to start on this but my mental health is taking a battering with it all. I hope someone will stick with me and read to the end.

Late Nov 23 I started with vague upper left abdo pain. The ANP in my surgery diagnosed gastritis and severe anxiety. Nothing improved with the medication, my anxiety only increased. He then prescribed Prozac as my life was in tatters over the pain, I was getting zero sleep, he said this was making my symptoms worse. Only I couldn't handle the side effects, it was horrific so i stopped them. I ended up in a&e in mid Jan with the pain. They ran bloods, all clear but prescribed antibiotics for h pylori. The ANP had already agreed on a gastro referral but once processed I was offered a phone consultation for 21st Feb. I couldn't wait another 6 weeks, so booked a private ultrasound, only they didn't do the stomach or bowels due to gas. I went ahead anyway and all was clear except a tiny polyp seen in my gallbladder. I still had no answers for my stomach so I booked a private appointment with a gastro consultant who said he didn't suspect any serious disease but based on my weight loss of around 7lb he would put me on the 2WW for an endoscopy. I had this appointment 10 days later and the report said "no cancer seen" and "normal tract" and discharged back to GP. Biopsies were taken and I will get the results in 6 weeks. This was a huge relief for me but im still getting pain.

Whilst I was waiting for the endoscopy appointment I had a very strange menstrual cycle. Admittedly my anxiety was already through the roof and I ended up in the Emergency Room to be checked over. They weren't concerned over the bleeding but on examination said my cervix looked "weird" and put me on the 2ww for colposcopy. I had my appointment yesterday and they took 3 biopsies. I had lletz treatment over 20 years ago and clear smears ever since, and I know for the last 2 years I've had cervical ectropion but no other symptoms. The consultant yesterday said he thinks it's changed since it was last seen in 2022 and wants to biopsy it to ensure they aren't missing anything, because there are "blood vessels visible". I am upto date with my smears, the next one is actually due. Last one in 2021 was HPV negative.

I'm in a right state. Due to the changes to the smear tests, what if my last smear had cell changes that were not checked, and the ectropion is actually cancer? What if the pain in my abdomen is linked? I have had an awful taste in my mouth for 2 months aswell, thought maybe due to the meds but I came off them all after the endoscopy. And then on top of that the gallbladder polyp. I've read they should be monitored, but my GP didn't seem bothered. I just feel like my life is falling apart. My family are totally fed up of me, barely speaking to me because all I do is worry about my health. I feel so isolated.

Any advice please? Anyone experienced any of what I've mentioned with positive outcomes?

If you've stayed to the end, thank you! Please be kind with your replies. I'm really fragile at the moment.

OP posts:
Nogodsnomasters · 17/02/2024 19:19

I have no experience with what you're dealing with specifically but I couldn't read and run as I know how horrible health anxiety is and how when health problems are ongoing they can become your entire focus and make living life difficult as I've experienced that part.
What is your next step in investigation now? Are you able to sleep now or is the pain still affecting that? Did the endoscopy show any ulcers or reflux? The bad taste is the mouth is a common reflux symptom and I'm surprised you haven't been offered a ppi alongside the antibiotics they gave for the potential H.pylori. They really should stool test you after the treatment to make sure the infection is gone as sometimes one treatment isn't enough.

Lulabella22 · 17/02/2024 20:09

@Nogodsnomasters thank you for replying. Sorry my post was so long I did miss some bits out! I was prescribed omeprazole back in September, was on and off them then back on it twice a day from November onwards. When symptoms didn't ease up I was also prescribed famotidine to take aswell. I took the omeprazole alongside the antibiotics too. I've been treated for h pylori 3 times before :( a stool sample was last taken in October and was negative, but due to the symptoms I had a&e said just treat again.

The endoscopy also tested for h pylori and it was negative although I'd only stopped the omeprazole 2 days before as I got my appointment pretty quick once I paid private. So I'm not sure if that affects the results. I did ask a nurse and she said they test higher up if thats the case. Everything was seen as normal. They said they took biopsies to see if I'm absorbing nutrients properly due to weight loss. Maybe that's a coeliac test? I'm not sure?

Next steps, I'm hoping to see my GP on Monday, they should have the report now as it's been 2 weeks.

OP posts:
Nogodsnomasters · 17/02/2024 22:07

I'm not sure about endoscopy but when I was tested for h.pylori I was told to come off my PPI for 2 weeks before the stool test as they can definitely cause false negatives, is that what you did when you were last tested in Oct?
Lack of sleep will not be helping your anxiety and ability to cope so I'd definitely work on that as a starting point. Anxiety always makes everything worse. Hopefully when you see your GP on Monday and can discuss the results with you, you may get some answers but if it all comes back as normal you need to ask the GP what the next steps are and explain how this is dominating your life at the moment as you don't want to end up fobbed off.

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