21 year old female, terrified I have pancreatic cancer!

First*

Being*

Luck*

Urine is completely normal - I've not noticed a difference and they did a urine test to rule out kidney infection which came back clear.

My stools have been floating and are solid ish but ragged edges that seem to break up in the toilet - toilet water has also been discolored from it at points.

Do you think it's just anxiety for us? I did read anxiety can cause yellow stools because of fight / flight mode and it passing through too quickly as blood is directed to other organs.

I truely hope it is caused by anxiety, but im really seeking some reinsurrance on that before i will be able to relax. I have also read a lot about anxiety, but i have never experienced anxiety in the past and i only started being anxious when my symptoms began, but the body is a weird instrument so who knows.

Can you desribe how your pain is like?

Mine is dull most of the times and almost all day, but sometimes i get a sharp/stabbing pain both in my stomach, side and back. Mostly back just feels achy.

Hiya. My pain is exactly the same as yours 100% word for word. It's reassuring you have the same symptoms - I'm sure a liver function test would show some sort of abnormality from what I've read in the biribulum / liapase (excuse my horrific spelling can't be bothered to find the right word) levels.

I've also been trying to reassure myself in the fact that I'm healthy otherwise. Are you going to return to the doctors? Thanks!

In my latest blood they tested CRP and Bilirubin, which in some cases of problems with the pancreas would be elevated, but not always, which kind a freaks me out. The thing that bugs me the most is that it is so hard to detect and find cancer in the pancreas because the usual bloodwork in many cases doesnt necessarily show anything suspicious and therefore by the time where you finally get a CT scan or another imaginary method it is too late. That really scares me.

The thing is that i initially went to my doctor after 2 weeks and told her all my issues and concern about cancer and she looked at me and said;''mh you are to young to have anything serious, come back if it keeps bothering you''. I went home just to realise over the next few days that the pain increased. Therefore i went back and said that her previous answer wasn't acceptable and i wanted a further investigation. She said ok and reffered me to a gastroscopy 14 days after (which actually is tommorow morning). So tommorow im having a gastroscopy and some more specific bloodwork done.

How about you?

Well I had my ovarian ultrasound which came back clear - I went back and she started speaking about IBS etc as they do. I explained I was concerned as I don't generally suffer with stomach pain which is when she sent me for bloods. Results should be in tomorrow afternoon - so I will ring and leave an update. If they come back clear (including coeliac) I will be returning. My problem is I am leaving to travel Asia for 10 months on 20th Feb and realistically want to solve it by then but with the NHS waiting times for tests and referrals I'm not holding out much hope. My parents aren't concerned but said they would be willing to pay for private investigation in a couple of weeks if I'm still concerned. I'm hoping I can wake up one day and the pain goes. Because it's in such a broad area I suppose it could be a number of different things. Have you read up on diverticulitis at all?

Bloods came back completely normal. Another doctors appointment Tuesday next week.

Anxiety coming and going... seem to be getting new symptoms now of lower back pain and acid reflux which is making me panic. I know if I got it aged 21 it would be so unlikely it's untrue!

Im glad to hear that your bloodwork came back normal. Thats always a good sign. Dont worry too much about the fact that the pain is spreading. Mine has also spread to all over my back both lower and upper. 

I had my gastroscopy done yesterday, btw. the most uncomfortable thing i have ever tried. i was litterally gurgling in my own vomit seven minutes in a row. Anyhow, they didnt fint anything in my stomach og colon, but i actually wasnt really worried about that, because my concerns are my pancreas. That concern got even bigger when they told me that some om my liver levels were slightly increased. But im hoping to schedule an ultrasound of my abdomen as soon as possible. 

Sorry to hear the gatroscopy didn't go well, I can't imagine it was pleasant! Just some more reassurance - in the age group 20-39, only 23 males get diagnosed per year, and most of them are around the 35+ mark.

The more I've been reading, the more I realise it could be anything in the endocrine system. Potentially problems with gallstones? Or like I said before, anxiety could be an issue. Where are you going from here?

Hi Wayne, I'm sorry to hear you feel anxious. Please believe when I say I understand where you are coming from and have been / am still there myself.

As time goes on I try to focus on getting my anxiety under control before even thinking of my symptoms.

All I will say is pancreatic cancer is a extremely rare in anyone under 50 really. Most people who get it have no idea there's anything wrong until they turn yellow, and yes, some experience stomach pain but it is usually onset suddenly, randomly, quite severe and doesn't leave you.

Recently I have come to the conclusion that most of life will unfold in accordance with forces far outside your control, regardless of what your mind says about it. I believe genuinely and whole heartedly that our symptoms are being played out by our minds. Yes, there may be a slight pain, a niggle, a tension but our mind creates it into something so much worse.

You have had a CT scan too! The best possible thing to look for pancreatic cancer! I'm still on blood work &I under the diagnosis of IBS.

Your body is smarter than you give it credit for & I'm certain if you really did have anything the symptoms would be far worse. Weight loss, fatigue, prone to infection, lack of appetite, bruising, severe pain, jaundice. All we have is a mild ache in a place where the pancreas happens to be. I genuinely wouldn't even be worried if this pain was anywhere else in my body. Google is not my friend.

Hope this helps and all the best.

Lucy

Lucy this is an incredible comment. Thank you for saying this.  It is true that the forces of nature are out of our control.  I am working on accepting this so I can live life to its fullest. I have been terrified I have pancreatic cancer as well...  I'm 33. What's the latest with you? How are you managing your anxiety now? 

Luna I am sorry to hear about your anxiety. It's difficult to cope with, particularly when people get fed up of reassuring you!

Just an idea... I visited a chiropractor on Monday. She was very helpful, reassuring and I opened up about my health anxiety. She took down my whole medical history and then had a look at my back. She said I was very tense which can cause so many symptoms and gave me an adjustment (no bone cracking, just very subtle movements) - since then (touch wood) I have been almost pain free in my tummy. I also feel a lot less anxious - she used to be a nurse and was able to reassure me. Maybe worth a try for you as well?

Good luck xxx