I’m 31M, and I’m honestly at my wits’ end with the fear that I might have pancreatic cancer. I’m so scared, and I can’t seem to get this thought out of my head, no matter how much I try.

Last summer, I started experiencing unusual stomach pain. My doctor initially thought it was most likely gastritis, which was eventually confirmed by an endoscopy in February 2026. I ended up paying for the endoscopy privately because my doctor wasn’t particularly concerned.

Alongside the stomach discomfort, I’ve been experiencing persistent back pain around the bra-strap area for over six months. It does seem to get worse when I shrug my shoulders or flex my back, and it feels similar to stretching a tight muscle. However, because it has been going on for so long, I can’t stop worrying that it could be something more serious.

I can’t really notice any significant difference in either my stomach pain or back pain when I lie down or after I eat. Occasionally, when I lie on my left side, I get a sensation as though I’m lying on something hard. This comes and goes and isn’t nearly as persistent as the back pain.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that, occasionally, when I’m sitting down, I get a sharp pain on my left side. It’s almost like the side stitch I used to get when I was younger. It doesn’t happen very often, but it has happened enough times for me to notice it and start worrying about it.

I’ve also noticed that my stools float quite often, although not every time. They are always brown, sometimes darker and sometimes lighter, but never a not brown in colour. I’ve had two faecal elastase tests, with results over 300 and over 600, respectively.

My urine appears normal, and I have no jaundice. I haven’t lost any weight, and I wouldn’t say my appetite has decreased. I’ve also had full blood tests done twice, and everything has apparently come back normal.

My doctor keeps telling me she isn’t concerned, and I know I should take some comfort from that, but I just can’t seem to shake the fear of pancreatic cancer.

One of the things making this so much worse is that I’ve been reading forums like this one, and especially Reddit, where I’ve come across people describing symptoms that sound similar to mine and later saying they were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Every time I read a story like that, I start thinking that the same thing could be happening to me. I know I’m probably only seeing a small snapshot of other people’s experiences, but it’s become incredibly difficult not to compare their symptoms with mine and convince myself that something is being missed.

At this point, I’m seriously considering going down the private route and paying for an MRI because I feel like I need something more definitive to put my mind at rest. However, I’m absolutely terrified of what the results might show. Part of me desperately wants to get scanned so I can hopefully stop worrying, while another part of me is frightened that I’ll receive the news I’m dreading.

I’m finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything else. This fear is consuming me, and I feel like I’m constantly looking for reassurance but never managing to feel reassured for long.

I feel genuinely frightened and exhausted by it all. I just want to be able to live my life without constantly thinking about cancer.