Pancreatic Cancer Worry

I think that's a sensible outlook...and once you get the cancer thing out of your head, I'm sure you'll feel better in yourself too.  I do hope you can get to the bottom of your symptoms...it's rotten to feel like that all the time.

Lots of luck

Thanks I think it's taking it's  toll on my family and fiancé. I am scared for them mostly. I really hope I get to the bottom of it very soon.

I visit this forum as my husband had pancreatic cancer. However, I have had a recurrent bowel problem which has been diagnosed as diverticulitis.i can manage it better now through the types of food I eat but at first I felt very unwell, tired and lethargic. It affected me mentally too as I felt I wasn't in control of my life. It is important that you continue to see your consultant but I thought I would make the comment on my own circumstances.

Squeaky

Squeaky said:

I visit this forum as my husband had pancreatic cancer. However, I have had a recurrent bowel problem which has been diagnosed as diverticulitis.i can manage it better now through the types of food I eat but at first I felt very unwell, tired and lethargic. It affected me mentally too as I felt I wasn't in control of my life. It is important that you continue to see your consultant but I thought I would make the comment on my own circumstances.

Squeaky

How was that diagnosed if you don't mind me asking?

I have had a Colonoscopy and samples taken but it all came back ok.

I think worrying about your symptoms will make them worse - I speak as a champion worrier myself! I have been down a similar road as you and I did end up being diagnosed with PC BUT my pancreas showed up as inflamed in my scans right from the beginning (for ages I was told it was pancreatitis) and I eventually became jaundiced which resulted in a hospital admission, a biopsy and the inevitable diagnosis. It is a very hard cancer to detect and if you are concerned, do push for tests. However, I think your worrying isn't helping. Digestive/upper GI stuff can be a multitude of things and very connected to your emotions and attitude - the gut is called the "second brain" for a reason! Do try some kind of relaxing therapy (yoga, meditation) and see if it eases your symptoms. It will help with your relationships too.

The positive is that although I was eventually diagnosed with PC, it was operable and I have been cleared (pending some mop-up chemo as insurance). It is not always a death sentence if caught and you are making sure of that by pushing for all the tests. My bloods never showed anything, the cancer markers always came back clear. Because of the inflammation in my pancreas, I was scanned a lot and eventually the tumour revealed itself (was 7cm by then, had hidden well!) BUT only after I was jaundiced. 

Good luck! I really don't think your pancreas is your problem but I'm no doctor and, as someone else pointed out, it's your body and you know it. However, you can waste a lot of time worrying which won't help your symptoms - it's all about balance.

Cdcmoon

It was detected through a colonoscopy. This was about 15 years ago. In simple terms as many people get older the bowel begins to get pockets in it and if the pockets become inflamed it sets of, in my case diarrhoea. Interestingly last summer it seemed to worsen and the GP sent me for a further colonoscopy. That showed that nothing had worsened but I did see s very good GI consultant. These symptoms showed up about six months after my husband died and this was probably about the time I felt at the lowest point. Whilst the GI consultant suggested the FODMAP way of eating he also said that the emotional distress might be making the situation worse.

Although it's 15 years ago when I first had symptoms I can recall the anxiety I felt and the lack of control. 

Squeaky

I just not sure what i should do, speak to my GP Monday? Book an earlier appointment with the GI Doctor? Seek a second opinion privately? it's just been going on for so long now i am worried sick i am wasting valuable time.

Had a follow up appointment after my Endoscopy all clear including biopsy. The Dr wanted to review me in a couple of months but i said it's been going on for so long now i really need to get somewhere with it now and i have been booked in for a CT Scan on Friday 26th. I really hope this is going to be clear. 

I have booked a follow up for 2 weeks later, if they find something would they call me in sooner?

Atm i have diahrhea every day sometimes tan coloured sometimes grey but dr said this was normal? I just have general uncomfortable feeling when i sit up in my upper abdomen and my weight seems stable.

Hey, all sounds good as far as your tests go but as I've replied to you before, I really think a lot of your problems are being caused by your worrying. It's sounds like you have high anxiety and this is what you need to get treated. It can cause all sorts of digestive issues - I know as I have had terrible anxiety in my time and it plays havoc with your bowels! I have also had PC so I feel slightly qualified in both things.

I know what it's like to be convinced you have something wrong with you and to be constantly seeking answers even when everything appears clear. In my case, I was pretty sure I had cancer quite soon in my pancreatitis investigation but as I said before, my pancreas showed up as inflamed right from the beginning and everything else was pretty normal until the jaundice (I was progressively unwell over the course of a year). I would now say to you seriously consider treatment for anxiety and see if your symptoms settle down or at least see if there is a correlation between your symptoms and anxiety. You can drive yourself mad constantly being tested and waiting for results that are ultimately clear. Good luck!