Very afraid of having stomach cancer
Posted , 7 users are following.
I'm a 29 year old female and for the past 2 years I've had a burning sensation in my stomach that hasn't gone away. I'm currently on prilosec at 40 mg a day which helps a bit but I still have to watch what I eat and can't miss a dose of meds or it's hell. I also have heartburn from time to time. I feel like if it was some kind of ulcer that prilosec should have healed it by now. I have an endoscopy scheduled but its months away. I've tested negative for h. Pylori. I'm just scared it's something major... Any replies or similar stories would be comforting.
0 likes, 15 replies
pippa58442 wynter88828
Posted
Worry will make your symptoms considerably worse. Wait and see what your endoscopy shows first before consdering the worst case scenario. Try distraction techniques such as light exercise or a hobby to take your mind off your pain and tell your doctor how worried you are and ask to have your endoscopy brought forward. When I had constant stomach pain in 2015, I had my ultrasound brought forward on a private appointment because I was too anxious to wait a month on the NHS. Knowing that my scan was sooner than planned really helped to reduce my anxiety.
pippa58442 wynter88828
Posted
wynter88828 pippa58442
Posted
Thank you for the advise. I did look up gastritis as well, and it's just odd how it came out of nowhere and it's lasted this long. So what ended up being your diagnosis?
pippa58442 wynter88828
Posted
I was diagnosed with IBS after three and a half months and it seemed to come on suddenly. However, prior to the onset of symptoms, I had months of non stop stress. But the last straw was being left in permanent pain after a blood test. Two months after this, my stomach pain began. After my diagnosis, my panic disappeared and my symptoms got so much better.
wynter88828 pippa58442
Posted
Oh ok got it. I don't know if you remember but I wrote a similar post a few months back with these same symptoms and you wrote me then as well. In my post I mentioned being pregnant and how treatment was basically being put on the back burner and my endoscopy was postponed. I'm still pregnant and just concerned that I will have to wait another 6 months+ for the endoscopy when its already been 2 years.. i know its not likely to be cancerous but worst case scenario if it was things are just being delayed even further.
Don't get me wrong, my baby's well being comes 1st and all.. I've just been dealing with this for so long, you have no idea how anxious/concerned I am.😳 but thanks so much for you help.
pippa58442 wynter88828
Posted
Sometimes doctors can diagnose you just from your symptoms. Tests are usually only done if the doctor is unsure about what is wrong. I would see your doctor again and ask about gastritis. He/she may recognise your symptoms on the spot . This would save you waiting for an endoscopy and would relieve your anxiety. I wouldn't google your symptoms because that will stress you more.
Being pregnant can also increase heartburn and so can worry.
Guest wynter88828
Posted
Morning, ok lots of us have been there and its not nice a nice place
. I assume you are in the UK?? I'm lost as to why you have not been given an Endoscope after 2 year!!!! There not nice and last time I had one they caught me so to speak which made the pain etc realy bad for 2 month lol. Anyway, I think is fair to say forget cancer, why, if your symptoms have remained constant for 2 years you have more of a chronic acid problem. Like Pippa said Gastritis would be my bet also, its painful and can be very difficult to put to bed. Now ask the doc for pantoprazole, yes some say its just the same as its a PPI but trust me I've been on all the PPIs and H2s and can tell you that some work 100% with some people and not others. You may have an hiatus hernia making things that bit worse also, yes you could have more then one problem. Also and theres always an also the meds could indeed be causing your acid!!!! Change meds asap and try taking 40mg Pantoprazole 2x 20mg one hour before eating, (you will find over the years that YOU will have to dose and choose you meds and the Doctors will love this as they just don't know what suits you) If the 40mg Pan which in fact = 20mg Omp improves drop to 20 mg and take just as above. I know this has worked for 100s of people. Don't worry, I'm sure and I mean sure when you get the right med after one year (yes forget the 8 weeks healing stuff) you'll be back to normal. Oh here an example: lansoprazole? doubled me over in pain for 4 weeks with the exact pains it was meant to stop!! The worrying thing is you cant trust the docs, sorry but you cant, they want you in and out asap and give you the cheapest PPI and its on your way. Keeps us all informed.
Guest wynter88828
Posted
wynter88828 Guest
Posted
Oh ok, thank you for all the advice and taking the time to respond this morning. I will definitely be looking into Pantoprazole. I didn't have the endoscopy done for so long because prilosec at a low dose was masking my bad symptoms for awhile, then it stop working at the minimum dose and I upped it. When I was finally cleared for an endoscopy I ended up getting pregnant and now things are on hold again. I'm in the US
Guest wynter88828
Posted
I somehow had the feeling you were in the US, the NHS is not perfect here in the UK but trust me its still an excellent service in general and free, well we do pay NI. I think the main point here is not to worry but that's easy said then done
I really think getting on the right meds will sort your prob. I do up and down my meds dependent on whats occurring in life. At times of stress I have to double the dose, I think some people just produce (for whatever reason) more acid, in fact my dad had the same and died from a related issue. But after having tummy probs all these years and reading blog after blog, paper after paper your symptoms are so very common so don't worry too much. Good luck and comeback with updates.
wynter88828 Guest
Posted
I will thank you so much. I'm sorry to hear about your dad as well. Yes hopefully it's just some functional gastritis or something. I always tend to think the worst and always have, and can honestly say that I've also always been wrong in self diagnosis lol. I worry too that I'll have to stop the meds before the endoscopy since they usually always make you do that to get a clear reading and that it will be hell during that time too. It's just one thing after another. Thank you for all your help.
gwen45436 wynter88828
Posted
Hi, I figured you were US. Here in UK if the doc is worried at all, you are referred within 2 weeks. I have had this several times for different issues as well as gastritis.
My pain was HH/Silent Reflux/Esophagitis .PPI's did nothing for me at all.
I don't take them now. I take Ranitiidine am and pm as per my doc.
What I have felt is working is Kefir probiotic drink which kills any bad bacteria in your gut it also eases inflammation as in gastritis.
I also, after trying many many things which did not suit, find Mastic Gum brilliant before bed - stops any heartburn totally. Pepsin may be leaking out of your stomach where it lives quite happily but if it leaks upwards, it causes pain and burning. I take Pepsin caps twice daily.
I certainly don't think this is anything sinister - stomach problems can present with all sorts - I think I have heard them all and you sound no different.
Don't worry.
Guest wynter88828
Posted
Gwens reply speaks volumes about meds, Ranitidine? is one of the H2 blockers and even at 600mg/day did very little for me and 300 was like taking nothing at all. If you look at the test results of Ranitidine vs any of the PPIs you'll see which one works for most people and has the best healing results. In saying that again each person is so different to what med/s suit them and yes I believe gender also plays a role. I always found apple juice helps which some sites say is about PH4 and they says causes reflux when I use it to stop mine
So again you'll get in tune with your tummy but it will be what suits you. This leads on to one topic which states acids like apple vinegar etc help to bring the acid levels in your tum into balance because the meds are knocking it back to much? I'm 58 and my probs started 40 years ago. I know that for the rest of my life I'll be on some sort of acid reducing med. I tried coming off for a one year period and treated via food etc. I ended up with Gastritis and esophagus erosion? again which if not stopped can lead to other not so nice conditions.
marc85364 wynter88828
Posted
I also worry about stomach cancer, I'm 26 male and for the past days i've been having no appetite at all, burping when going from laying/sitting to standng, feeling full ect, I have an appointment with the docotor next week but feel very scared what they will tell me
pippa58442 marc85364
Posted