Advice please

[murphy]

HI 

 

Sorry to bother anyone.  I am waiting on a scan to determine if I have PC

 

I have lost weight and had serious stomach issues for 3 weeks leaving me with no energy and struggling to move at some points.

 

over the last few days my back pain has intensified and is constant. my side under the ribs appears swollen and very sore also radiating to the back making it so hard to sleep.  I have lost half a stone in 3 weeks.

 

As I say I am sorry to bother people but I was wondering if anyone experienced similar.

 

cheers

 

 

 

 

[Craig Ash]

Hi murphy.
I'm new on this forum and this is my first post. I was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer in April of this year. The symptoms that prompted me to seek medical advice was a gradual loss of weight that started in Jan/Feb of 2023. I was losing about a pound a month which equated to just over a stone of weight-loss by Christmas '23.

Then came a moderately painful gnawing pain under my right rib in around August of 2023. By the new year this pain gradually spread across my whole stomach and affected my appetite, sleep, and concentration as the pain was very distracting. I was also very fatigued, sleeping for around 13-hours a night.

By this point I'd made several visits to the GP and in January of this year I had blood tests, a thorax and abdominal CT, chest x-ray and urinary gas analysis, which all came back clear.

At the start of April '24 I suddenly got jaundice: my eyes yellowed overnight, and my skin too. I looked like Bart Simpson. Now I knew something was seriously wrong. It was! I was immediately admitted to hospital where within two days many scans and blood tests were done, and lastly an ultrasound endoscopy that found a tumour in my duodenum. The primary cancer was in fact in my pancreas, which wouldn't be discovered until after the Whipple surgery the following week.

I spent 7-weeks in hospital on a upper gastrointestinal ward (GI), and got to know many upper GI patients during that time. Out of around twenty patients I knew by name only I had pancreatic cancer. Even though just about all of us complained of very similar (in some cases identical) symptoms. One bloke had a gallstone that had found its way into his pancreas. Another had multiple gallstones that couldn't free themselves and caused painful symptoms. Two or three had pancreatitis, while some others had infections of the pancreas or galllbladder. A few who had the same symptoms ended up with issues totally unrelated to the pancreas/stomach/gallbladder.

What I'm trying to say is, the amount of explanations for why you're suffering with your symptoms are too numerous to just simply say it's likely to be pancreatic cancer. Chances are it's something far less serious, and that's where you should put your mind at this time. Yes, of course it's worrying and easier said than done, but try not to dwell on the extremely negative side. Be cautious and have a healthy level of concern but be aware of all the other treatable issues it could be. 

Additionally, your symptoms seem to have come on acutely rather than over a long period of time. This doesn't mean it cannot be PC or another cancer, but cancer symptoms - like weight-loss - often gather pace over a long period of time. Can you recall any symptoms before the ones in the last few weeks?  

Still, it's very reassuring and confidence inspiring to know that your medical team or GP is taking the possibility of cancer seriously, no matter how unlikely. Too many PC sufferers are diagnosed far too late and for me it's because the symptoms are often vague and it's all to easy for professional to blame it on IBS, GERD or acid reflux.

Just for clarification: I'm a two time cancer sufferer. I had S1 testicular cancer when I was 30 in 2001, and I was recently diagnosed with PC in 2024. I'm not a medical expert and my response is purely based on my own experiences and reading. Basically, please fact check if unsure about anything I've said.
Please keep us informed about your results - I've got everything crossed for you!

[murphy]

Hi Craig

 

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply. I really do appreciate it.

 

I have a lot of stomach issues over the last couple of years I.e cramping, constipation and diarrhoea but when I went to docs they done checks and said nothing to worry about.

 

It's the pain on my right side under my ribs and the swelling that is really getting to me along with constant back pain that comes and goes all over that is also a worry .  The pain got so bad that I went to a&e the other night but after a long wait doc just said that pain will be muscular .  I explained I was concerned about pc but she said there was no red flags and sent me home with laxatives(only check done was my pee)

 

You are right but and I will try and stay positive as it could be many things and hopefully just me being silly.

 

Thanks again for your response as I know you have enough on your plate without me .

 

 

[Craig Ash]

Hi Murphy

 

Try to remain positive, but at the same time there's something clearly wrong somewhere. You shouldn't be experiencing pain under your ribs and back, and your doctors should be taking it more seriously. I hope they've got a CT scan and chest x-ray set up fo you soon, as time is of the essense if it is cancer.

Hopefully, they'll check your blood and urine too as these can be done quickly and the results back within just a few days.

It's clear you're suffering Murphy, and even if the results come back clear and the complaint still persists or worsens, I'd go as far as taking yourself to A & E. 

As I said before, hopefully it's nothing too serious. However, the longer this goes on untreated/diagnosed the worse it could potentially get even if it is something as comparably innocuous as gall stones. Actually, I'm flabergasted that your HC provider has told you there aren't any red-flags. Pain under your ribs and back with fatigue and weightloss should have got their attention for a whole host of possible conditions.

Keep pushing for tests, and xrays, and scans. Don't forget: nobody knows your body as well as you do!

Murphy. I believe the whole point of this forum is to help people like yourself, not just those who have cancer. I've got all the time in the world to help you if you need it, and I believe I'm echoing the words of every member of this community. My only hope is you won't have cancer and you'll get whatever the issue is sorted out speedily.

 

Hopefully, others will chime in with their thoughts soon. However, please keep us informed and vent off or ask as many questions you like.

 

Craig

[murphy]

 

Thanks again Craig.

 

It really does help having someone to talk too.

 

Called docs today for latest blood test results and the receptionist told me I have high esr. I asked what this is and she said she didnt know and would get doc to call me but he hasn't.

 

I checked what esr high means and it means an infection which I knew.  It also fits the bill of pc in the liver .  Will try and stay positive as again it could be many things

 

Hopefully get to  bottom of it soon 1 way or the other.

 

Thanks again

 

 

[Craig Ash]

Hi Murphy

 

Hopefully the high sedimentation rate will be the indicator that your care team need to push further with this. Fingers crossed and prayers coming your way that it's nothing serious. Please let us know how this all progresses for you, yeah?

 

Best regards.

Craig

[murphy]

Hi Craig

 

Starting to get fed up with this.  Pain spread to left under rib but comes and goes.  

 

Back pain still comes and goes.  Stomach now feels really bloated as if full of fluid.  Finding it hard to relax .  Scan is not till next week and I have now been to a and e twice and they had absolutely no interest in the possibility of PC.  Basically said that blood tests taken at a&e would have shown any issues with pancreas and liver so I have nothing to worry about.

 

I asked about scan while at hospital and they said I had to wait to get the 1 from gp as they wont be doing a scan.

 

Sorry just venting a bit as fed up waiting and struggling.

 

I have put post on ask the nurses forum to see if they have any advice but nothing as yet which is understandable as they will have enough to do dealing with people who have been diagnosed.

 

Hop you are keeping ok?

 

Cheers

 

 

[Support Team]

Hi Murphy

 

To get in touch with the nurses privately, you can phone or email them and they will be more than happy to help  Details are here https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/support-for-you/specialist-nurse-support-line/

Best wishes

Nadia

[murphy]

Thanks.

 

I will phone in the morning

 

Cheers