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I'm stressed, maybe someone can help with my anxiety

justinsomepain

Hi all,

I will try not to make this too long and get to the point.

I started having lower left abdominal pain off and on about 6 years ago that would sometimes radiate to the center of my belly. I couldn’t really figure out what would cause it and it was never extreme pain, just kind of noticeable and uncomfortable. At that time I had a CT scan but they didn’t see much besides a fatty liver. About 5 years ago I had my appendix removed and assumed that may have been the issue but it wasn’t and continued throughout the years. I mentioned it to my PCP way back and he felt my stomach and thought I was constipated. He gave me some liquid stuff to basically flush out stuff. The pain came and went, nothing severe, but I always felt like my lower abdominal was tender to the touch. I always had to be careful to make sure my son or dog didn’t hit/step on me there.

Fast forward to about three months ago….

I started noticing that no matter what I ate, I would get extremely bloated with pain and discomfort all across my lower abs. I was trying to limit my meals to small 300 calorie-sh meals as clean as I could. Sometimes I wouldn’t have too much pain, sometimes I would still get it, I couldn’t find any connection with removing certain things from diet. Seems pretty random. Only thing that would for sure set it off is a regular/big meal.

Fast forward about a week ago….

The pain started creeping up to my right side about to where my gallbladder and liver is. Typically by evening time and rarely, if ever, in the morning.

As of last night, I can no longer sleep on my right side. My ribs basically feel almost bruised. Not sure if my liver and/or gallbladder is inflamed

I went to a GI Doctor yesterday and I am having a CT Scan and a Colonoscopy in the upcoming weeks. I have a regular visit with my PCP tomorrow.

I am a 47 year old male.

No diarrhea

No constipation (Go once or twice a day)

No fever

No blood in stools (Stools have definitely got thinner over the last 6-7 years but not pencil thin)

Not fatigued

Not jaundice

No GERD

Urine looks normal

My anxiety went down yesterday after visiting with the GI doctor but returned this morning when I realized I can no longer sleep on my right side. My GI doctor doesn’t think it’s the gallbladder but didn’t rule it out. He did say, however, we would hold off on an ultrasound and just do the CT scan and Colonoscopy first. He’s leaning towards IBS right now and prescribed me Dyclomine.

My fear is that I need to wait 2-3 weeks until all these scans and procedures are done. I don’t want to end up in the ER, especially with Covid being such an issue. Just to be clear, I am not in ER type pain at the moment but things don’t seem to be getting better.

I will discuss this stuff with my PCP tomorrow but I was just looking for some opinions or really anything to help with the anxiety.

Anything you read here that makes you rule out cancer? I know the Scans are going to be the answer but my mind is having a hard time processing this and I have weeks to go. Also, realizing that I can no longer lay on my right side as of last night has me feeling really stressed again.

I appreciate any advice/thoughts

Sahara Fleetwood-Beresford Moderator & Contributor
Hi .

I realise I am pretty late in responding, so I am hoping you're doing a little better with the anxiety at the moment?!

To hopefully put your Cancer anxiety at ease, common symptoms are blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, chronic fatigue, breathlessness, lumps etc. If you don't have any of these then try not to panic. I get that we are all experiencing heightened emotions of late due to COVID etc, and health anxiety is pretty common, but one of the worst things you can do is go on Google and stress yourself out.

For me, yoga has helped with my anxiety a lot. I didn't realise I was learning anything other than yoga, but because of the breathwork and the instructor being so calming, it has helped me day-to-day! I am actually struggling with anxiety myself at the moment, so I have just contacted a GP to talk about getting some treatment, but the yoga has definitely helped me breathe some panics and ground myself! I am taking a herbal remedy from the supermarket, but you would need to make sure it doesn't interact with anything you currently take medication wise if you wanted to explore that route.

Kind regards
- Sahara (team member)