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Anxious about possible pancreatic cancer symptoms

Soph2234
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Good morning, 

I was wondering if anyone may be able to offer any help or advice? 

I have been experiencing bloating and abdomial pain (occasional, sharp stabbing feeling) on and off for a couple of years. I put this down to stress and dietary issues which I have tried to alter in the hope of the bloating going away. However, for the past six months I have been having unusual bowel movements alongside even worse bloating than I have previously experienced. Sometimes the bloating is so painful that I need to lie down and wait for it to subside. My bowel movements are also usually painful and often 'oily' (I have googled and I think it is called steatorrhea?) - sorry TMI. Although, I do not have diarrhoea or constipation. 

I have spoken to my GP today and they have asked that I provide a stool sample and come in for some blood tests. I will go in later today to book these for next week (hopefully!). The problem is I am now terrified and my anxious mind has led me to do possibly the worst thing and go on a googling spree checking my symptoms.

If any one has been in a similar situation before I would be glad to know how you got on? 

For context I am a 28 year old female who has followed a vegetarian diet for the past 5 years (not sure if this even makes a difference!). 

 

 

 

 

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    Hi,

    Your symptoms could be one of a number of things so the stool and blood tests may show a different problem. Steatorrhea can be caused by malabsorption of food by the pancreas - pancreatitis can cause this - it's not cancer but it is serious and needs treatment. I have pancreatitis and it's managed with enzyme tablets and pain killers.

    Hopefully the tests will find the problem and treatment starts quickly. Good luck,

    Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

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    Hi Soph

    The anxiety is the worst, right?

    I've been getting abdominal and back pain for over 3 weeks now since being what I thought was ill with a virus before Christmas. Lost 11lb in weight and lots of gurgling noise in my stomach and nausea/bloating regularly.

    Had an ultrasound and bloods (all normal) becuase my GP sent me to hospital because of the back pain element. I was discharged with a double dose of ompeprazole and told to eat bland for 2 weeks to see how it went. Symptoms progressed, so I actually contacted a consultant's secretary who did an endoscopy for me a year ago. I know usually the head and tail of the pancreas are missed in ultrasound and the head and tail are associated with pain rather than jaundice, hence why I pushed. It's our health and sometimes we need to push..

    I've now got a scope this weekend and a CT booked for a couple of weeks. I'm terrified it's pancreatic cancer, and praying for gastritis/ulcers due to being ill.

    From all the research I've done over the past few weeks there's a few things:

    Had the orginial pains you had a few years ago been a pancreatic malignancy you would be very, very ill by now or worse. The oily stools if not also a grey/pale colour should also be OK, these usually come from the head and are accompanied by grey colour and/or jaundice. You also have age on your side, PC at your age would be very rare.

    When you get the bloods done ask if they are testing for amylase (high or very low can often be an indicator for a pancreatic issue but not necessaruly PC) and tell the GP your concern over PC.

    Good luck.

  • Offline in reply to AngieT

    Hi sorry my husband has most of these symtoms..did you get you results?

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