Worried and not sure what to think

Hi,

I apologise if this is not the right place but I'm feeling worried and trying to avoid google. Also sorry in advance for the essay.

Since around October 2022 I have been experiencing pain in my right side and back - the only way I can explain where I feel the pain in my side really is where my bra strap would sit and lower down in my back just below my ribs. It comes and goes and is worse at night - sometimes after I've eaten as well. It is like an attack, like something is being squeezed and it is very painful (sorry I'm not very good at describing things). Nothing relieves the pain, sometimes it lasts a few minutes and other times it can be hours. There have been times where the pain isn't there for a few days then it comes back - this is why I delayed going to see GP because I didn't want to feel like I was wasting their time if it felt like it was getting better. 

Along with the pain, I have been having feelings of indigestion. I can literally feel the food slowly going down, it feels painful in my chest and back/shoulder and I need to take a drink to help it go down. My partner was asking if I'm ok because I hit my chest when it feels like the food is stuck. Also regurgitation a few times after I've eaten. I thought it was maybe I wasn't chewing my food enough or eating too fast but it still happens even if I make sure I chew properly and take my time. 

Anyway I finally went to see GP in April 2023 and mentioned about the pain. They suspected gallbladder issues and were pretty certain because of the location of the pain so referred me for ultrasound and also prescribed me omeprazole for the indigestion. I waited 7 months for ultrasound which came back clear and was just told to contact doctor if issues continued. So after a month I went back to GP again in December 2023 to say the pain hasn't gone away and what will the next steps be? I had urine sample, stool sample, had chest x ray and blood tests - all came back normal so again I left it thinking it's maybe just muscular or something.

Didn't go back to GP until February 2024 - more blood tests which were normal again - they have no idea what is wrong at this point so have decided to refer me to the General Surgery team for further investigation which they said would likely be CT Scan or MRI. I was told the usual - if it gets worse get back in touch. At this point I'm feeling like they must think I'm a hypochondriac or it's all in my head and if I'm honest I'm starting to feel that way myself . 

I've been putting off going back because I just feel like I'm wasting their time but it has been getting worse. I've also been experiencing pain all down my right side, in my neck, under my jaw, my shoulder, my arm and even my hand - my hand actually feels weak and like my grip isn't as good at times which is very frustrating. The pain is not severe but it is constantly there like an ache. Over the last 4 weeks I've also had a sore throat. I had liquid which just shot up from my throat into my mouth which caused a burning and coughing fit. Swallowing feels like it is more difficult like there is something just constantly stuck in my throat. Right side tonsil looks bigger than the left but to be honest it's always been that way - so I assumed possible throat infection? 

I got in touch with GP last week after my partner insisted I contact them (I kept putting it off despite all the other issues). I said pain in back/side still there, experiencing pain in other areas of right side and that I may also have throat infection which hasn't cleared after 4 weeks. She said they can't speed up referral to general surgery and I'm looking at October/November time until I see them so not much I can do there. She made it clear she was reluctant to do any more blood tests because my last one in February and all the ones before that came back normal - I will add that I never even asked for a blood test and when I've had them in the past it's because the GP has asked me to. I felt she was very dismissive, she asked if I had been 'googling' my symptoms and suggested it was all in my head because all the tests etc they have done have came back normal. At this point I got quite upset and explained I hadn't been looking up symptoms I was simply telling her exactly what I am feeling and that while I'm grateful everything is coming back normal I'm still in pain and it is getting worse. 

After I said that she asked to take a look at my throat (which I wasn't even bothered about, I just thought it was a throat infection) - the next thing she is talking about sending me for an urgent ENT referral to have an upper endoscopy? She said because of my ongoing issues with indigestion, trouble swallowing, neck pain and the right swollen tonsil with no sign of infection (I did say it has always looked a bit bigger than the other) it was for precaution. 

ENT have phoned me already and have booked me in for 29/05/24 for an endoscopy. I had a call this morning from the GP I saw last week about my blood test results - I have low iron and low folic acid. She sounded different today, like she was taking me seriously unlike last week. She asked me to go in today to provide an urgent stool sample for testing and depending on what comes back they will push through for an urgent referral to see general surgery. I asked what the stool sample would be for and she said because of my symptoms and the level my iron and folic acid have dropped to the sample will be to check for microscopic bleeding which could be a sign of cancer.

This came as a shock to me and cancer honestly had not crossed my mind. Before I was just frustrated that I was in pain etc and I wanted to know what is causing it because I just want to get better but now I'm worried. I know I haven't had a diagnosis and these tests are done to ensure nothing is missed but it's frightening to hear that there is even a chance it could be cancer. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for from this post to be honest just someone to talk to would be nice or to hear if anyone has had a similar experience which led to diagnosis. I don't want to worry my partner or family by trying to speak to them about everything going on and I want to avoid google because I feel I would just spiral.

Thank you to anyone who made it to the end of my post. Any help or advice would be really appreciated.

xx