Pancreatic Cancer Fears

Hey Guys, I'm 33 years old and scared I have Pancreatic Cancer and don't have long left. I first went to the doctor with Lower left abdominal pain and diarrhea three months ago, I had lost a little weight but as the GP only had a ten year old weight for me they wouldn't acknowledge the weight loss. After maybe 10 different blood tests and no abnormal results I started to relax a little but the pain got worse and more generalised and the Diarrhea became steatorrhoea. The weight loss continued but the GP refused to take it seriously and sent me for more and more blood tests which all came back normal. I went to A&E a few times to try and get help as I was now experiencing shortness of breath and chest pain, chest X-rays showed nothing abnormal so I was sent home. Then my lymph nodes in my groin swelled a little and it felt like they were burning and I was getting night sweatsz I went back to my GP and they sent me for more blood tests, all of which came back normal apart from a mildly raised calcium that was fine by the next blood test and a mild lack of vitamin D at this stage I was panicking and asked my GP for a cancer refferal which they refused for two weeks. During that time I went to A&E explained the pain again and they suspected Pancreatitis and my amylase was slightly raised so they ordered a CT scan with contrast of my pancreas and abdomen. Apparently all this showed was a small hiatial hernia. They sent me home and told me it was acid reflux. My lymph nodes continued to swell so I have been now been referred to the Cancer Centre next Friday to get checked out. I'm scared that the doctors refusal to take me seriously may have cost me my life, or at least the opportunity to extend it a little.  

  • Hello MTG. and welcome to our forum, 

    It's reassuring that the CT scan with contrast of your pancreas and abdomen didn't show anything concerning but I can understand why you are feeling worried after your lymph nodes started to swell. Try not to draw any conclusions from the fact you have been referred to the cancer centre and hopefully you will get some proper answers on Friday. 

    The best thing to do to avoid thinking too much about this before you are seen on Friday is to keep busy and distracted if you can and avoid looking things up online. I can imagine it is hard for you to do this at the moment but it will help you feel a little less anxious. 

    I hope you will also hear from others here who have been through all this before and that they will be along soon to share their story with you. 

    Keeping everything crossed for you that everything turns out fine. 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator