Pan-can freakout

[davide.h 26]

I've been nervous about the prospect of pancreatic cancer since reading about it a few years ago. I wrote about how i'm afraid of the idea of asymptomatic diseases and that's mainly what I was thinking of. It's of some solace to know it's classified as 'rare' and most who get it are above 60 (which I'm not), but doesn't make my worry go away completely. It's often what comes to mind if I have soreness in my abdomen or loss of appetite. :(

[Leah1976 301]

Hey did you get the results of your brain MRI?

My MIL had PC.... she said she felt she had bricks in her stomach.... couldn't eat much.... also had intense non stop pain radiating to her back from her upper ribs area and center of the stomach. Her ribs felt super tight and her blood work was all messed up (liver enzymes, etc). This disease is VERY obvious.... it's not like, I may have it... no there is something clearly wrong with you that you can't put off going to the doctor. You don't have PC!

[davide.h 26]

I did. Everything was normal.

[Leah1976 301]

Just now, davide.h said:

I did. Everything was normal.

Awesome!!!!!!! I am so happy for you!!!! Please don't jump into another disease.... I know it's hard and that's what we do.... as soon as we are sure we don't have something, we start worrying about something else... how can we break the cycle?????? you don't have PC. 

[davide.h 26]

But those symptoms don't show up till later, which is why it's hard to treat. I don't know how to break the cycle. 

[lofwyr 215]

Are you seeing anyone regarding the anxiety? Are you getting any help for it? Coming here, we can be supportive, but fighting anxiety is a hard road, and not easily done without some good help. Have you looked into CBT at all?

[davide.h 26]

Yes, I see a counselor and do neurofeedback once a week. 

[davide.h 26]

Getting nervous again. I long had a tendency to drink too much soda but have cut back a lot in the recent months, though I had 3 over the weekend. A lot for me. Made me regret it and fear I'd already damaged my body too much. Should I see a doctor and get a blood test? Help! 

[davide.h 26]

I drink green tea often now, but there's always sweets being served at work. Even when I decline, they keep telling you there's sweets in there..or even bring them to my desk. ?

[Holls 1498]

12 minutes ago, davide.h said:

Getting nervous again. I long had a tendency to drink too much soda but have cut back a lot in the recent months, though I had 3 over the weekend. A lot for me. Made me regret it and fear I'd already damaged my body too much. Should I see a doctor and get a blood test? Help! 

3 sodas over the weekend isn't going to hurt you. Your anxiety is just high right now. Hugs. It's a challenge to always eat healthy.. as long as you try that's what counts . You don't have what you fear. 

[davide.h 26]

Missing the point  

[Holls 1498]

17 minutes ago, davide.h said:

Missing the point  

What is your point?? Sorry but you have anxiety not pancreatic cancer. 

Just trying to help. 

[davide.h 26]

You don't know that and neither do I. 

[Holls 1498]

1 hour ago, davide.h said:

You don't know that and neither do I. 

Ok David then maybe go to your Dr and get relief there. Take care. 

[Iugrad91 501]

There are a lot of things health wise that we don’t know. Will we have a heart attack or get cancer or get hit by a car or lightning? Chances are low and for medical issues history and risk factors play a role. But the bottom line is you have to give up the idea that you can control everything because you can’t. You have to be able to accept that there will always be some unknown, uncertainty in life. There are no guarantees no matter how much you worry, how many tests you have, or how well you take care of yourself. 

[plac8170 7]

My dad had pancreatic cancer. It was obvious. Severe abdominal pain, he turned as yellow as a banana, and couldn’t eat anything. 

You don’t have it. If you had it, I assure you that you wouldn’t be posting on here. You’d be doubled over in pain. My dad was so busy crying and vomiting that he couldn’t even answer his phone much less go online. 

Cheer up! You don’t have it. 

[Holls 1498]

19 minutes ago, plac8170 said:

My dad had pancreatic cancer. It was obvious. Severe abdominal pain, he turned as yellow as a banana, and couldn’t eat anything. 

You don’t have it. If you had it, I assure you that you wouldn’t be posting on here. You’d be doubled over in pain. My dad was so busy crying and vomiting that he couldn’t even answer his phone much less go online. 

Cheer up! You don’t have it. 

Agree. My aunt had it too. Sorry about your father. Hugs. 

[davide.h 26]

I'm sorry about your dad, but PC is usually asymptomatic until the final stages, which is why it scares me so much. Ruth Bader Ginsburg survived it, that's literally the only person I've ever heard to get it and live. I'm sorry I was unpleasant, Holis. I get that why when I'm stressed. 

[plac8170 7]

Exactly! It is asymptomatic until the final stages.. my dad went from being completely fine and then bam! He was on his death bed. It’s not subtle. You don’t start out with heartburn or indigestion or a little nausea or vomiting. It’s severe symptoms... to where you can’t function. 

What I meant earlier was that if you had it now, and were already showing symptoms, you’d likely be stage 4 and be much much MUCH sicker. 

If you want complete reassurance, talk to your doctor. 

I hope you feel better soon! 

[Holls 1498]

2 hours ago, davide.h said:

I'm sorry about your dad, but PC is usually asymptomatic until the final stages, which is why it scares me so much. Ruth Bader Ginsburg survived it, that's literally the only person I've ever heard to get it and live. I'm sorry I was unpleasant, Holis. I get that why when I'm stressed. 

Thanks David. ??I understand that kind of stress very well. 

[davide.h 26]

16 hours ago, plac8170 said:

Exactly! It is asymptomatic until the final stages.. my dad went from being completely fine and then bam! He was on his death bed. It’s not subtle. You don’t start out with heartburn or indigestion or a little nausea or vomiting. It’s severe symptoms... to where you can’t function. 

What I meant earlier was that if you had it now, and were already showing symptoms, you’d likely be stage 4 and be much much MUCH sicker. 

If you want complete reassurance, talk to your doctor. 

I hope you feel better soon! 

How can I be sure I don't have it if there are no symptoms?? 

[Hypomania 29]

45 minutes ago, davide.h said:

How can I be sure I don't have it if there are no symptoms?? 

Hey Davide,

I can totally relate to this. I'm going through a pancan fear myself, and despite doctors reassurance, the reassurance from the kind folks on here who have seen PC first hand, and clear tests, I am still worried I have it.

Now, your question is interesting, because in the absence of symptoms, you simply don't know if you have ANY disease, barring a myriad of tests. But just because you're worried about a disease that is generally asymptomatic until late stage, does not mean that you have it at an early stage, in fact, on the absence of symptoms, you can most likely assume that you don't have it.

It's really the same with any disease: if you have no symptoms, why would you think you have one?

I feel your pain though, I'm currently feeling the same way about PC. I have no symptoms, but still suffer through intrusive  "what if" thoughts. I think this comes more from a fear of POTENTIALLY getting it, but that's just my own thinking. 

[davide.h 26]

I was starting to calm down but last night a radio ad I heard while in line at CVS came on, and I had to hear it. The numbers were truly frightening. I began panicking again. That's why, people don't have symptoms so they don't check till it's too late. It just suddenly shows up, then you're dead. I need to know for sure that I'm ok. 

[Iugrad91 501]

So if you get more tests and they come back negative for PanCan then what is the next asymptomatic disease will you worry about? Do you see where this reassurance won’t completely rid you of the anxiety? You will move on to something else. You must accept that there are some things you cannot know for sure. If you went to your doc with those symptoms there is no way he would suspect PC. 

[Bobnnat 495]

True what Lugrad says.  Here in 2018 there are some diseases we can largely prevent or at least screen for, such as colon/rectal cancer, breast cancer and even stomach/esophageal cancers (via endoscopy). Simple blood tests help tell us our blood sugar levels to guide us towards not developing diabetes and a simple CBC can show evidence of some blood cancers.

Unfortunately, we are not yet at the point where PC can be diagnosed early, and unless you have a very strong genetic predisposition to PC, you are not given the option of testing (MRI/CT etc). Those tests are not that great anyway at seeing small, asymptomatic cancers.

So what do you do?  Accept reality. it is what it is. Maybe in your lifetime they will come up with a recommended tast for the masses to catch PC early.  Until then, live healthy. Exercise. Don't smoke (at least 1/3 of all diagnosed with PC are or were smokers). Eat relatively healthy. Keep to a decent weight. Practice acceptance that there's only so much you can do.

Bob