New Concern

[matisworried]

sorry you weren't able to be seen. that sucks.

if you had kidney cancer, it would have been seen on your scan.

i know it's tough not to worry, but it won't do you any good. try to keep yourself busy in the meantime. it really does help with anxiety.

 

[anxiousinamerica]

You sound like me about three months ago. Having cramps in my upper right abdomen, radiating to the back, scared it was pancreatic cancer. Got an ultrasound done as well as an MRI. After all that, they found nothing, except for a tiny little spot in my liver, which they said I was probably born with, and was no cause for concern.

Now I'm getting lower abdominal cramps, and the cycle starts all over again. So I understand what you're going through right now. But when you get the results from the tests back, you have to trust that the doctors have done as thorough of a job as they could based on the information they had, as any competent doctor would do.

I agree, waiting is the most difficult part. To me that's more scary than the actual procedure itself. But so far, everytime I hear back from the doctor, it's almost never the thing I thought it was, and never as bad as I thought it was. We are not doctors, we don't have the medical background necessary to properly diagnose ourselves. That may not stop you from trying anyway, or from constantly worrying about it, but it is good to keep in mind when the worrying gets the better of you.

 

[Scared1234]

The doctor didn’t seem worried about the bile ducts and nothing showed up o the CT or my blood work. I would really like to believe if I had a tumor large enough for symptoms they would have caught it. But then you read of other people having theirs not caught for month. I keep reminding myself of how slim of chance it is that it could be bile duct or Liver cancer at my age. Yesterday, I had very little right side pain. Today, it’s been worse after I thought it would be better today because I’d be less worried. Im
Having pains in each side. My friends who were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer all had tumors that were visible on a CT. One had some on the liver after treatment started. It I think it took an MRI to catch that. But it was so small it wasn’t causing any symptoms that I am aware of.
I keep hoping it’s anxiety or even the cysts on my kidneys. But I feel very “full” today, and I can feel the pressure in my my shoulders too. I guess I’ll be waiting for quite awhile, u less things take a turn for the worse.

 

[Bobnnat]

If the cysts were a serious problem, there is no way they would not have changed in the past 6 years in a way that would not be visible on the imaging. Cancer grows..that's what it does. Your kidney would have shown obvious evidence of disease if the cysts were anything serious.

 

[Scared1234]

If the cysts were a serious problem, there is no way they would not have changed in the past 6 years in a way that would not be visible on the imaging. Cancer grows..that's what it does. Your kidney would have shown obvious evidence of disease if the cysts were anything serious.

I’m actually not too worried about the cysts. It’s the fact I’ve had digestive issues and I’ve heard that can be related to the bile duct and I’ve had right sided “pains” in different areas along my right ribs. Scans last Friday didn’t show anything visible in the bile duct or the liver ( as in blockage or tumor). But I’ve been told a tumor has to be over 1 cm to be seen on a CT. My duct was measured in mm, so I’m wondering if that’s too small to see? I really thought my symptoms would be allieviated today after the doctor on the phone said she wasn’t concerned about the bile ducts being dilated.
Lots of burping today and feeling a lot of pressure in my shoulders and then the right side pain that is very short lived when it hits but it’s still coming and going.

 

[Scared1234]

I was just really hoping after hearing the dr say she wasn’t concerned about the bile ducts/liver that I would feel less anxious and my symptoms would start to fade. They haven’t. I have had pains today and what I think is nausea when it’s time to eat, and the pain in between my shoulder blades. When the pains were only on the left, at least there was a chance it was coming from tummy and reflux/GERD. Now that it’s on the right and I have no gallbladder, I’m out of organs besides the liver/ducts to be causing these issues. I’m soooooo worried but clinging to hope the CT would have picked up any tumors. I haven’t been able to fully enjoy a weekend since mid-December. Looks like this weekend is still going to be filled with worry...I just feel pretty hopeless that it could be anything non-serious!
And I definitely feel like I have been more sleepy the last two days. So adding fatigue to the lost too... ugh!!

 

[Anna70]

Scared1234, I think maybe the symptoms you are feeling are caused by gas. Did the doctor say it could be that?

 

[Scared1234]

Scared1234, I think maybe the symptoms you are feeling are caused by gas. Did the doctor say it could be that?

Nope. There really hasn’t been any discussion. However, on my CT it did state nonobstructive/ nonspecific bowel has pattern. So maybe? Can that also cause little pains far over into the ribs? I think it could explain my shoulder pains, maybe. I also have little air pockets in my shoulder area, where if you rub my shoulder they start popping.

Nope. There really hasn’t been any discussion. However, on my CT it did state nonobstructive/ nonspecific bowel has pattern. So maybe? Can that also cause little pains far over into the ribs? I think it could explain my shoulder pains, maybe. I also have little air pockets in my shoulder area, where if you rub my shoulder they start popping.

But also... I’ve had this off and on for the last month and a half. Would gas really be the cause of that? For the longest time it was mostly on the left shoulder but now it’s the the right, which when you look it up, says it’s from the liver. I just feel like my symptoms have lasted for so long that they would have gone away by now if they weren’t anything serious, like a tumor.

 

[Scared1234]

And how do you differentiate between fatigue and just being sleepy?! Is there a difference? I’ve been more sleepy for the past 2 days, with a lot of yawning. But it’s not like the fatigue I felt for example when I was pregnant and couldn’t stay awake. I hope it’s not turning into that though...

 

[kristinelorraine]

Fatigue is when you’re not really sleepy but your body feels like jelly. Like the body feels very tired, sluggish and weak. At least that’s how i feel about being fatigued. And gas can travel up the body besides stomach because i used to have it on the sides of my upper ribs and back. Thank God it went away now. I think you’re just tired and stressed from the anxiety. Don’t worry too much you will be fine.

 

[Scared1234]

Fatigue is when you’re not really sleepy but your body feels like jelly. Like the body feels very tired, sluggish and weak. At least that’s how i feel about being fatigued. And gas can travel up the body besides stomach because i used to have it on the sides of my upper ribs and back. Thank God it went away now. I think you’re just tired and stressed from the anxiety. Don’t worry too much you will be fine.

Thanks! I keep comparing it to the fatigue I felt when pregnant and it (so far) hasn’t been like that. I had my husband massage my shoulders and back today and I have SO many tight muscles around my ribs. My shoulders are filled with air pockets. I’m really hoping and praying that it what the pains are from.
Good to know about where the gas pains can travel too. Thanks for your reassuring words!

 

[Scared1234]

It seems like if I have a good day where I don’t. Price as many symptoms, then the next day, I wake up with symptoms that last the whole day! I keep thinking I feel nauseated and then I start to feel pains in my side. I’m so exhausted from worrying and wondering all the time!

 

[Scared1234]

You sound like me about three months ago. Having cramps in my upper right abdomen, radiating to the back, scared it was pancreatic cancer. Got an ultrasound done as well as an MRI. After all that, they found nothing, except for a tiny little spot in my liver, which they said I was probably born with, and was no cause for concern.

Now I'm getting lower abdominal cramps, and the cycle starts all over again. So I understand what you're going through right now. But when you get the results from the tests back, you have to trust that the doctors have done as thorough of a job as they could based on the information they had, as any competent doctor would do.

I agree, waiting is the most difficult part. To me that's more scary than the actual procedure itself. But so far, everytime I hear back from the doctor, it's almost never the thing I thought it was, and never as bad as I thought it was. We are not doctors, we don't have the medical background necessary to properly diagnose ourselves. That may not stop you from trying anyway, or from constantly worrying about it, but it is good to keep in mind when the worrying gets the better of you.

Did they say your right sided pain could be from that spot on your liver?! I had a CT and nothing showed up, spot wise, on my liver.
So why is it.... I had a CT done and the doctor doesn’t seemed concerned (still haven’t met with her in person, coming up on Thursday), yet I still have symptoms, maybe even more than before? If this was all anxiety related, shouldn’t it be gone now that I’ve had scan and had dr say it looked like nothing to be worried about?!?!

 

[Izthewiz]

Tumor size to be missed would have to be under 1mm that isn't big enough to cause your issue.
Its your mind causing this.
Radiologist are medical doctors that look at these all day you're fine.

 

[Ms.Honey]

Did they say your right sided pain could be from that spot on your liver?! I had a CT and nothing showed up, spot wise, on my liver.
So why is it.... I had a CT done and the doctor doesn’t seemed concerned (still haven’t met with her in person, coming up on Thursday), yet I still have symptoms, maybe even more than before? If this was all anxiety related, shouldn’t it be gone now that I’ve had scan and had dr say it looked like nothing to be worried about?!?!

I had a ton of tests for my right sided pain, all were clear, but the pain continued.. It has actually only just stopped a few months ago- I still had it for probably 8 months after getting the results. Sometimes very frustratingly, there isn't an obvious answer for pain- which doesn't mean its anything sinister.. I have really no idea why my pain is gone, or even what caused it in the first place! but it definitely didn't subside after getting my clear test results.

 

[Scared1234]

I had a ton of tests for my right sided pain, all were clear, but the pain continued.. It has actually only just stopped a few months ago- I still had it for probably 8 months after getting the results. Sometimes very frustratingly, there isn't an obvious answer for pain- which doesn't mean its anything sinister.. I have really no idea why my pain is gone, or even what caused it in the first place! but it definitely didn't subside after getting my clear test results.

I haven’t really had any testing done, other than blood work and a CT. But I figure a CT should be fairly sufficient. Who knows!! It really feels like 99% of the time, it’s my actual ribs, versus u set my ribs. But then I read that liver pain is felt right under the ribs, so maybe it is and I can’t tell the difference. I meet with the doctor on Thursday and we will see what she has to say...

I haven’t really had any testing done, other than blood work and a CT. But I figure a CT should be fairly sufficient. Who knows!! It really feels like 99% of the time, it’s my actual ribs, versus u set my ribs. But then I read that liver pain is felt right under the ribs, so maybe it is and I can’t tell the difference. I meet with the doctor on Thursday and we will see what she has to say...

Sometimes the pain is up higher and sometimes it’s right on my side, down lower. Was your pain localized or random?

 

[Ms.Honey]

I haven’t really had any testing done, other than blood work and a CT. But I figure a CT should be fairly sufficient. Who knows!! It really feels like 99% of the time, it’s my actual ribs, versus u set my ribs. But then I read that liver pain is felt right under the ribs, so maybe it is and I can’t tell the difference. I meet with the doctor on Thursday and we will see what she has to say...


Sometimes the pain is up higher and sometimes it’s right on my side, down lower. Was your pain localized or random?

My pain was mostly localized but also random! Under my ribs, but also more in my pelvis. Sometimes more to the side, sometimes more centred. I really seem to have baffled my doctor.

 

[anxiousinamerica]

Did they say your right sided pain could be from that spot on your liver?! I had a CT and nothing showed up, spot wise, on my liver.
So why is it.... I had a CT done and the doctor doesn’t seemed concerned (still haven’t met with her in person, coming up on Thursday), yet I still have symptoms, maybe even more than before? If this was all anxiety related, shouldn’t it be gone now that I’ve had scan and had dr say it looked like nothing to be worried about?!?!

The doctor said the spot had nothing to do with my symptoms. The spot was a hemangioma, which is a tangle of blood vessels. I suspect some of my symptoms could be strained muscles, perhaps due to the position I typically sleep in.

No one is saying that your symptoms are all imaginary. But just that the more you focus on them, the worse they will seem. And my guess is that your health anxiety has got you focusing on them like a lazer.

 

[Scared1234]

My pain was mostly localized but also random! Under my ribs, but also more in my pelvis. Sometimes more to the side, sometimes more centred. I really seem to have baffled my doctor.

That does sound a lot like mine—down to the pelvic area, too. Im
Hoping a CT would have been sufficient to pick up any tumors. What other testing did you have done?!

 

[Ms.Honey]

That does sound a lot like mine—down to the pelvic area, too. Im
Hoping a CT would have been sufficient to pick up any tumors. What other testing did you have done?!

I had blood work, two ultrasounds, X-ray, ct scans.. I think that’s it. But once my cat scan was clear my dr didn’t think any further testing was needed.