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Symptom Overload

Reallyworried
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Hi,

I dont have any dignosis but Im quite worried. My mum was diagnosed with breast cancer twice and beat it. 3rd time unlucky in her case as she was diagnosed with terminal breast, lung and cervical cancer and died in 2017 at 53.

Im a 31 year old female, i have 2 children and ive been keeping a diary of symptoms for the past 8 weeks. 

I really just dont feel well at all. Im exhausted, so exhausted that no matter how much sleep I get its never enough. My doctor has taken bloods for a full blood count and iron and twice its came back as severe anemia and folate eventhough im on supplements.

Along with this, im severly bloated. I cant eat because I constantly have heartburn and always feel full. I have abdominal pain and lower back pain and need to go for a wee a million times a day. The past 7 days all i have is diarrhea.

I have presented my GP with this and he has said its nothing to worry about. He said my symptoms are down to endometriosis and my hiatus hernia and refuses to send me for a scan.     

If my mum didnt have the history she did, I wouldnt be so aware of cancer symptoms. My family have a history of cancer. Everyone has died from some form. Do you think my GP is correct in what he says, and im just over sensitive? I just cant remember the last time i felt healthy and energised.

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    Sorry to hear about your mum . I am always exhausted as well with kids we are exhausted and when I am stressed I feel even more exhausted and I have always been anaemic since my early twenties and my last blood test my iron is normal but only just and I am on spatone liquid iron supplements that I take 1 a day and when it's the time of the month I take two and I take multi vitamin.  

    Are you feeling stressed lately as that can effect you or have you been stressed x

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    Hi Reallyworried,

     

    Welcome to our forum. I am not a doctor, but just wanted to confirm that you can feel as you do with anaemia.

     

    I have some idea how you feel because I too lost my mum to breast cancer. Ten years after she died, I was diagnosed with breast cancer myself. I had a lumpectomy and took Tamoxifen for a year before I discovered a second bout in the same breast. This time I had a double mastectomy followed by Letrozole for 6 years.

     

    You might find it more reassuring to see another doctor in your practice for a second opinion. It is impossible to say whether or not your GP is correct in what he says. The only way to be certain is to have some tests, which could confirm or refute the fact. Can you tell the other doctor about your family history and, how worried you are. Write down all of your symptoms and let the new doctor know that you are not picking up, despita taking supplements.

     

    It is all too easy for a doctor to dismiss your concerns because of your age. However, there have been a number of cases where people of your age have had to push hard to get the necessary tests and, some of these have later proven to have cancer.

     

    What ages are your children and, have you had to home school them during lockdown? This could possibly account for your tiredness too.

     

    Do please keep in touch and let us know how you get on. We are always here for you.

     

    Kind regards,

     

    Jolamine xx

  • Offline in reply to Jolamine

    Hi, I have an update. 

     

    I made another appointment with my GP and attended yesterday, fortunately it was a locum doctor. I expressed everything to her, told her my mums history, the family history of cancer and why Im so worried. My mum had all these symptoms and was misdiagnosed for 18 months on her 3rd time of cancer and she died as a result. I cant let let that happen again. 

     

    So, she has booked me in for a CA125 blood test and a transvaginal ultrasound scan. I should have the appointment by the end of this week. 

     

    She has also referred to me a colleague of hers who specialises in genetic links, after she looked upon my notes, m apparently high risk with a potential mutation of BRCA gene from my mother. I am absolutely mortified that I was never told. I know im only 31 and in the eyes of the doctors im unlikely to be developing breast cancer or other female organ cancers but its not impossible. Around the time of my mothers death her consultant wrote to the GP advising that her daughters be sent for tests for the BRCA gene as they have found evidence my mum carries it. Knowing this information has sent my anxiety through the roof but all I can do now  is pray i am fine and deal with the genetic testing at a later date. 

     

    Jolamine, I have a 7 year old girl and an 11 month son but my husband thankfully is a super Dad so having the kids around during lockdown has actually been lovely. He constantly has them occupied because i am always too exhausted. I get plenty of rest, I eat healthy, so theres no reason why someone of my age should be this tired or have anemia. Part of me thinks because im so worried i will end up like my mum Im draining myself (if that makes sense).

     

    Thanks for taking the time to reply to my post.

     

     

    Xx

  • Offline in reply to Reallyworried

     

    Hi Reallyworried,

    This sounds like a much better solution. IT appears that this GP is actually listening to you and, is following up on your fears. Like you, I would feel much happier to have some tests, so that I could be certain that there is no cancer present.

    It is hard to believe that your GP was told about the BRCA gene, yet never followed this up with you. Worry can drain you, but you are finally getting something done about this. Whatever the outcome, you will feel better once you know for certain either way. So many people of your age get ignored because of your age. You have already experienced this with your mum and, you certainly don’t want a repeat of her experience. As you rightly say, cancer is no respecter of age, so you are right to ensure that you don’t have it.

    You are fortunate to have a husband who is a hands-on dad. Looking after two young children can take a lot out of you, so this could possibly account for the tiredness and anaemia. Having an 11 month old baby will also mean that you have had a lot of hormonal changes in the past year.

    Here’s hoping that there is a simpler explanation for your symptoms, but I am so pleased to hear that you are at last going to get some investigation. I hope that your appointments come through soon. Do please keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

    Kind regards,

    Jolamine xx

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