Any Help Is Appreciated

PSting · New User Joined: 06 May 2008 Posts: 1

Hello all. I am 27 year old male who lost my Father to pancreatic cancer 10 months ago. 3 weeks ago I started having mild pain in my upper right abdomen. The pain was mild for a week and then it began to increase into a noticeable ache. About 1 week into the pain I started having diarrhea. The diarrhea has been constant since. The abdominal pain has also increased and migrated from not only the right upper abdomen but can also be found in the upper left abdomen. Sometimes I will have pain in my back as well, usually on the right side between my shoulder blades. In addition to these symptoms last week I noticed my hands and feet will occasionally feel slightly numb. I have been losing weight since this started, probably about 10 lbs in the three weeks. My appetite is nothing of what it used to be, but I forcing myself to eat. I rarely feel nauius, but it has occurred.

Given my grave concern over these symptoms I have visited the ER once and seen my primary car physician twice. In the ER they ran a series of blood tests, a CT scan, and an ultra sound. The only finding of the CT scan was that I had fatty infiltration of both my pancreas and liver (slight, nothing major). The blood tests turned up normal except for slightly a slightly elevated liver panel. Given the pain and the liver functions they tested me for hepatitis and mono and both have come back negative. A 2nd liver functions test produced similar elevated results, at which time my primary care physician recommended me to see a GI doc who specializes in the liver.

Heres the rub of the whole situation. Given my symptoms I am beside myself with fear! I just bought a house with my girlfriend of 8 years and my life has never looked brighter until this.

Whenever I have mentioned PC as a possible concern to any my health care professionals I am immediately brushed off. Everyone has said that there is just no way given my age. I have even tried confiding my worries in my brother who is a nurse, my mother, and my girlfriend and all treat me as if I am out of my mind. While I know it is not helping things my worry is consuming me to the point that I am not able sleep.

I have an appoint with a GI specialist, but that isn't until the 30th of May. And even their triage nurse who scheduled my appointment told me that I had nothing to worry about as pancreatic cancer it is unheard of at my age.

As my symptoms aren't improving and I am driven closer to wits end each minute. How can I get people to listen to me. Please Help!

brainman · Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject: Re: Any Help Is Appreciated

PSting, I am truly sorry about your health concerns. There is no minimum age requirement for worrying about one's health. I do not want to increase your worries nor do I want to just gloss over them which is what your medical team seems to be doing.

27 is on the lower side of the age range of Pancreatic Cancer patients. However, it does not take long to find others even younger than you who are facing this cancer. Whether or not you have cancer, I really have no idea. However, just because you are 27 is not a good enough reason to discount that possibility.

As for your father having Pancreatic Cancer... first, I am very sorry about that. However, to my knowledge there has never been a family connection established for Pancreatic Cancers as there has for Breast Cancer and Colorectal Cancer. For a doctor, that is an interesting fact but not an indication that you are at a higher than normal risk of getting Pancreatic Cancer.

Your symptoms could be caused by other things and not cancer. All I can say is that I think you are doing the right thing in pushing for answers. While your anxiety may be aggravating your symptoms, there is still something going on in your body that need to be identified and treated.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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