Wrong diagnosis?

[Michaela1]

I was wondering if anyone could help me please. I am a 47 year old female with a 13 year old daughter and partner and I have within the last week been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer with lesions on my liver too☹ I am trying not to be in denial but could it be wrong? I haven't had a biopsy yet, but it is this thursday and they are doing a liver biopsy. I have so many questions! My symptoms were just really bad abdominal pain upper right side for about six weeks, it was much worse at night to the point it was waking me up. Dr sent me for an ultrasound and by time results came the pain was getting worse, I was off food and my belly was always swollen. She said I would need a CT scan and because I was in a lot of pain sent me straight up the hosp. My bloods are normal, I have not lost weight...i do not have gallstones. Anyway they put me on morphine and I went for the scan the next day....Results came back suggestive of malignant pancreatic shadow that had metastised to liver. The consultant was all doom and gloom basically telling me I have pancreatic cancer that is inoperable. I just want to know if this can be wrong. I have not been sick feel relatively ok apart from tired, even the consultant was surprised at the result...i do not have jaundice either (even though it says that on my Dr note, but trust me I am not) my eyes are clear. The only reason I feel more tired now is the pills the have put me on. I mean I know something wrong as if I do not take the pills I get the pain, I am now constipated too...but that is prob down to the pills....Please can anyone give me hope that they may have actually got it wrong and that it could be something else? Thanks in advance.

[toodotty]

Hi Michaela1,

I am really sorry to hear your news, and the terror and sadness that this will be having on both you and your family. Sadly, if they suspect pancreatic cancer because of the CT scan, they are will be reasonably confident in their diagnosis. Unfortunately the UK has a very risk adverse pessimistic approach to pancreatic cancer, but there are other options out there if you are prepared to look which will give you more time.

I also had similar symptoms to you, including pains that can only be described a second stage labour pains mostly at night. I did lose weight but that was mostly because the only way I could avoid the pains was not to eat.

On the positive side, you are young, your family will motivate you and you do not yet have jaundice. You must press for treatment as quickly as possible, try and keep yourself fit and active because you will need every ounce of strength to battle this disease (and in some cases the NHS). The first round of Folfirinox immediately got rid of the worse of my pains, they came back after about a week, but not as bad and I could cope with paracetomal. I have just had my fourth round and I am not taking any pain killers at all at the moment, which is a huge improvement.

Fight, fight, fight, fight is all I can say.

toodotty

xxx