Hi anxious75,

I'm sorry to hear of the difficulties you've been experiencing recently. It's good that you've had a number of tests done that have been OK. Try to take some reassurance from this. It sounds like you're still waiting for a few more results, so this means you'll have an opportunity to talk anything through with your doctor again. Make a note of any questions or concerns you have so you can get things answered and hopefully get some peace of mind.

You also mention the anxiety - there are steps you can take to help with this, and the NHS every mind matters page is a good place to start.

Wishing you all the best,

Ben
Cancer Chat Moderator

Weight loss can happen with anxiety. Like dramatic weight loss. I lost all my excess weight and more a few years ago with anxiety.

It's reassuring all tests have come back clear, so at least they're going through a process of elimination. If everything continues to come back clear there comes a point when you either have to accept the answers they're giving you or waste your life worrying about having your life wasted by a disease that's yet not been diagnosed. Either way, all your fears are already playing out as if you had something sinister as you're already not living your life.

If it helps any, I got given a few things for that anxiety and the only thing that worked, and worked well, was propranolol. Absolute godsend. Things got so bad when my wife was ill, I was destroying all my teeth with grinding at night. Had to spend 1000's on root canals etc. Don't let that anxiety get out of control.

Sorry to hear you are going through all that.  

I think it is important to remember though that the options are not only (or even mostly) it being all in your head or being something life-threatening. Did the doctors say anything about the ovarian cyst? Is it possible that is causing some of your symptoms? Things like IBS or lactose intolerance can also cause some of those symptoms and IBS is mostly a diagnosis of elimination, as far as I know (though I am not a medical profession and am going mostly on what I read here) so you wouldn't expect to find that in tests.

Most illness are not life-threatening and what you describe sounds like it could be many, many things, most of which not going to put your life at risk. And I wouldn't worry too much about the weight loss in your case (well, to be honest, I probably would, because it's easy for the rest of us to say there are plenty of minor or treatable causes but when it's oneself or somebody you love, it's hard not to think "but what if it is the worst?") because you are having diarrhea and nausea and are probably eating less than usual. When I had the winter vomiting bug, I lost nearly a stone in a week. You've been having stomach symptoms for months. It would be surprising if you hadn't lost weight.

It does sound like stress is possibly a contributory factor in your case. This does not mean it's all in your head. Stress can bring on physical symptoms and heck, you've had a stressful year, we've all been through a pandemic, your father and sister have been ill and you've had an ovarian cyst found (I know your symptoms started before that, but it was bound to add to your stress). Having a stress reaction and being run-down after dealing with that isn't imagining stuff. 

Thank you for your replies, I have now been told that the latest fecal result is within normal range as well. I am to have a colonoscopy in a couple of weeks, as loose stools are still a feature of my morning, numerous times. I am sure anxiety is playing a huge part even if something else is going on. I think if I didn't have the back, tummy pains and the low lying nausea I would be able to take more comfort from the results. I have convinced myself there is something more sinister like pancreatic cancer going on. 

I do need to take note of the results so far but as my fathers issue was due to missed medical issues by his consultants at the hospital, it has made me very on edge. Especially as they have just said the results are coming back good but they haven't offered a diagnosis as yet. 
I am also concerned about the sclerotic focus on my spine as although they consultant at the face to face appointment was very convincing in that it was a bone island, one of those things a CT scan can show up, on his letter to the GP he put most probably representing a bone island - so what's the alternative ?

many thanks for your replies