Worried about cancer please help

[Scared80]

Hello
I am so worried.
For quite a while now (a few years), I have found it painful to swallow stodgy food, most particularly chips. It usually starts off ok, but as I eat more I can feel it going down in lumps and it causes a bad pain in my chest which radiates to my back. It doesn’t feel stuck but it feels it starts going down very slowly. Sometimes it’s so uncomfortable I have to stop eating and wait for the discomfort to subside.
I have a gp appointment booked but I’m so worried it’s cancer of the oesophagus, I’ve been in bed all day crying, unable to function.

I suppose I’m just after some reassurance and a handhold please.

Thank you for reading x

I’m not a doctor (and no one can say for sure until it’s properly investigated) but I would think that bearing in mind how long you’ve been having issues and that the problem hasn’t worsened, a malignancy is unlikely. A hiatus hernia would be my guess.
Easy for me to say I know, but try not to worry. Hopefully your GP will be able to put your mind at rest

Could be various things op, try not to panic. Acid reflux and gastritis can cause it but youre right to get it checked. Also op with swallowing the more you worry the more you'll focus on it as it's part of the parasympathetic nervous system. Try to focus on box breathing when you're spiralling.

It is highly unlikely to be cancer as you would probably be dead by now if it were.

In addition, the difference between malignancy and benign conditions is that malignancies continue to spread (albeit at varying rates).

It is great that you are getting it checked out, but it is really unlikely to be sinister.

Thank you so much for your replies.

It seems to be so much worse with chips, any idea why that would be? I can swallow them fine initially and it’s like it then builds up and goes down slowly, in big lumps

This can be an anxiety issue too.
I know of someone (friend of a friend) who had this and all the investigations showed it was anxiety.

You will see your GP?

You need a specialist to look at your mouth and tonsils.

The feeling full is often a sign of acid reflux.

Be assured that if it was the cancer you mention, it's very aggressive. So it's unlikely.

Think they're just a bit stodgier, I have issues with bread and chips and I have acid reflux.

Op please don't worry, it's really common with acid reflux. Especially chips and stodgy stuff.

Have you had a lot of stress lately?

OP - I had exactly this problem and it turned out to be a huge hiatus hernia. It could also be just gastric reflux. You need to get it investigated with a gastroscopy. Are you on omeprazole? It makes a big difference. I’m sure your GP will be able to help. .

Sounds like reflux which worsens with high fat foods.

I've always had this, particularly when I eat bread or cold chips. Toast and warm chips are fine. My uncle had always had the same thing too,I found out recently.

I forgot how bad pizza was for this, I just had some!! Had to chug water to get it down!

I get this and it’s linked with GERD. I had an ultra sound and a swallow study to check. Chips are the worst for it in my case too.

Sounds like a hiatus hernia,my husband had the exact same symptoms,problems swallowing stodgy food like chips and bread and pain when it wouldn’t go down.I would bet that it what the problem is.

I’ve got personal and professional experience with this. It is definitely worth seeing your GP and you should be referred for a gastroscopy, but the majority of people that have these symptoms have reflux and/or a hernia, if it’s is like this but hasn’t got progressively worse, it’s very unlikely it’s anything nasty. Do see your GP but I hope what everyone is saying reassures you.

I’ve been reading online and there was a lady who just had three instances of pain over the space of a few weeks, and she ended up having oesophogeal cancer.

also I had one instance where I was eating a sandwich last year and got a really bad pain and it kind of temporarily got stuck, but that didn’t happen again.

im so frightened I can’t imagine how I can function, I just want to cry and scream with the fear

Stop googling!! You will find whatever you want to confirm your fear. Heck I was at this last week, my chatgpt convinced me I had a hard lymph node. It was not!! Step away from google.

Op also you will be creating a bit of a feedback loop here with fear and swallowing. Swallowing is very much affected by anxiety. Look up globus. The more tense you get the worse you will feel. Try to keep busy and look after yourself until your gp appointment.

It sounds like reflux (or silent reflux) or a hiatus hernia. There are many causes before cancer. I hope you get relief soon.

My grandad had your symptoms - hernia. My husband had oesophageal cancer and his symptoms were different to yours.

You’re all so kind, thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me, I’m very grateful x

I just feel like I’m trapped in a nightmare, I need to function as I have children but my fear is making things so hard for me. I’m not sure how I’m going to get through the next few days, my fear is off the scale 😞

I get this pain when I eat McDonald’s chips 🍟

That sounds like hiatus hernia/acid reflux. Almost identical symptoms to my Mum who suffers like this. Something going on like this is more likely chronic in nature. However also am not a doctor. Best of luck OP z