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SERIOUSLY worried i have cancer.

UberScout

UberScout

Please Don't Be Mad At Me 02/09/1996
V.I.P Member
1. My stomach hurts after i eat something small until i use the bathroom, but not when I eat something like a full meal.

2. My stools went from being chunky to being thin and stringy (sorry everyone!) And while just now they appear to be getting thicker and more their original size it still worries me.

3. There is no blood in my stool and it isn't black, and the only pain i feel is in my stomach when it happens; although this could be fat burning after the strenuous workout of a fishing trip me and Charles went on this morning, im still skeptical.

And my mother still has yet to make the doctor's appointment. I'd make it myself if i had a way to get up there myself, but i dont. I'm honestly worried that I have cancer now because now i think the years of eating junk and not exercising enough has finally caught up to me and now it ha me thinking this is the end! That it's over for me! I HAVE to know that i'm not going to die! Please somebody at least give me an idea what's going on!
 
@UberScout
What appears to be going on is that you see changes involving your digestion/elimination,
and you don't know what those changes signify.

You aren't able to transport yourself to a doctor, so you haven't made an appointment for yourself.
You are dependent on other people to get you to medical appointments, so you are waiting for
another person to find it convenient to make an appointment for you.

You are afraid you are going to die.
You are in a state of anxiety with that idea.

"I HAVE to know that i'm not going to die!"

You need information.

It looks like you need to make it clear to your mother (if she is the one who will make the
appointment and provide/arrange transportation) that you are feeling very frightened.

What has been her reaction to your excitement over the changes in your bowel movement,
so far?
 
She's pretty stoic until something ticks her off, and she doesn't react as openly as i do to things like this.

She still manages to do a good job of taking care of me though. She does make sure i go to the doctor every now and then.

But when i tell her about these things, she seems to already know about the causes of them and what leads to them... maybe she's just one of those mothers that prepares herself with tons of research before these things arrive?
 
From what I've read, cancer itself doesn't actually hurt (most of them - depending on type of course), but only when it starts spreading and/or pushing into nerves and bone which is part of quite advanced stages.

From the symptoms you've presented affecting your digestive system, sounds like you have a stomach upset, IBS or intolerance to something. A visit to the doctor is a good idea depending on severity and length of time the symptoms have been presenting themselves. Take note of the types of food that affect you the most and length of time it takes to appear and resolve.
 
Well, the pain isn't enough to make me roll on the floor screaming bloody murder, but it's still enough that I feel it.

I think i read somewhere that bananas have an effect like this? Or they negate it? Because potassium? I dont know.

I know protein can make you ga--*REALIZE*

WAIT
What if it's fiber?! I haven't noticed fiber in many of the foods i eat, so what if ignoring that has been causing it?
 
Don't assume it's cancer. There are many intestinal issues that can show up and cause alarm unnecessarily. Make the doctor's appointment, preferably when it is not inconvenient for your ride. Ask first, but set the appointment. If things have returned to normal, there probably isn't much to worry about. Perhaps you ate something that was strange to your system. Good luck.
 
What's wrong with you is probably not cancer, but hypochondria. In other words, you notice a physical change (like pain in the stomach, or change in bowel habits) and jump to the worst possible conclusion. Learn to laugh at your tendency to do this - most of us do it, to a degree - and laughing at yourself will make life go a lot easier.

At the same time, follow through with the doctor visit.

I hope this reassures you somewhat! Have a good day. :)
 
If the pain is higher up , center of chest, its heartburn. If its above the naval but below the chest it could be gas, or an ulcer. If lower in abdomen, consider cramps from a period or diarrhea, intestinal gas, constipation, irritable bowel. Lower right side could be appendix getting inflamed. Lots of things could be going on. Have you eaten anything with sorbitol or mannitol, erythritol or even stevia? These can wreak havok with the digestive system. Is it a sharp or dull pain? Does lying down make it better or worse? Abdominal pain is non specific enough to be anything!
 
It's kind of just the typical "burning" feeling of pain you get with gas, only "louder", i guess you could say. Like you know how you get gas and it kinda burns? It goes like that but with a rollercoaster effect.
 
Personally, I'd say to not see a doctor, which might sound like an odd suggestion, but based on the evidence these worries are irrational and if you see a doctor every time your tummy hurts or your poops looks a bit different then you're satisfying your OCD-like anxiety.
 
Fino said:
Personally, I'd say to not see a doctor, which might sound like an odd suggestion, but based on the evidence these worries are irrational and if you see a doctor every time your tummy hurts or your poops looks a bit different then you're satisfying your OCD-like anxiety.
Click to expand...

I would disagree with this a bit, honestly.

Not related to the OCD aspect, but because when you talk to a doctor about it, they can explain to you how & why something happens/works. This knowledge can be useful for future situations.

For example: I get nasty headaches sometimes. I have trouble doing stuff when they happen. But they also tended to make me paranoid. What were they about? Why were they happening? Due to my neck/back problems, I went in for an MRI. It was incredibly boring (and loud). But based on that, much info came to light. I now know the actual cause of the headaches... and it's my bloody neck problems. The pain travels up through a couple of muscles that I can only assume are there to be annoying, and creates the headaches. There's more detail about it, which the doc and my physical therapist explained to me, but that's the basics. With that knowledge, I dont have to fear them anymore. It's a heck of alot better than being paranoid every single bloody time. On top of that, there may be medication they could offer that helps with whatever specific issue it is. Doesnt have to be a prescription thing... sometimes it's a simple sort you buy at a pharmacy. Can be useful. Sometimes it is a prescription though. I was put onto cyclo-whatever and Tramadol... the only things strong enough to curtail my nerve pain, when needed. Couldnt have gotten those without the doctor doing their job.

UberScout said:
2. My stools went from being chunky to being thin and stringy (sorry everyone!) And while just now they appear to be getting thicker and more their original size it still worries me.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, I went through the same thing rather recently. Was driving me mad... I hate not knowing why something is happening and I hate when things abruptly go bizarre.

But it was nothing, in the end (yes, it was discussed with doctors). Sometimes, our bodies just change naturally as time goes on. Other times, it's outside influences. Some conditions could be related to the food you're eating, or the air quality, or other stuff. It's different for each situation. There's a bazillion different possibilities! Annoyingly, those things are harder to figure out or even notice. We might go "but I didnt change anything" while not realizing that something DID change without us knowing it. Or that might not be relevant to this specific situation, heck if I know. Just something to consider.

Doesnt mean it's not a good idea to go to a doctor, mind you. It cant hurt, just to be sure, and to know more for future reference. And maybe get some possible solutions to make things less annoying.
 
Misery said:
I would disagree with this a bit, honestly.

Not related to the OCD aspect, but because when you talk to a doctor about it, they can explain to you how & why something happens/works. This knowledge can be useful for future situations.

For example: I get nasty headaches sometimes. I have trouble doing stuff when they happen. But they also tended to make me paranoid. What were they about? Why were they happening? Due to my neck/back problems, I went in for an MRI. It was incredibly boring (and loud). But based on that, much info came to light. I now know the actual cause of the headaches... and it's my bloody neck problems. The pain travels up through a couple of muscles that I can only assume are there to be annoying, and creates the headaches. There's more detail about it, which the doc and my physical therapist explained to me, but that's the basics. With that knowledge, I dont have to fear them anymore. It's a heck of alot better than being paranoid every single bloody time. On top of that, there may be medication they could offer that helps with whatever specific issue it is. Doesnt have to be a prescription thing... sometimes it's a simple sort you buy at a pharmacy. Can be useful. Sometimes it is a prescription though. I was put onto cyclo-whatever and Tramadol... the only things strong enough to curtail my nerve pain, when needed. Couldnt have gotten those without the doctor doing their job.
Click to expand...

If the headaches were consistent over some period of time then that's a different scenario than this thread. I also went to a doctor and had tests done due to headaches. Also, this thread is practically a duplicate of past threads of his, which had equally logical fears.

If we have stomach discomfort and unusual stools, it's extraordinarily likely the culprit is what we've eaten.
 
There are many causes of pain in the abdomen and if you look up symptoms online, it will list many and one cause will be cancer, but that doesn't mean that you do have cancer or that it is likely. Most such symptoms are causes by a reaction to a certain food, a stomach upset or some sort gastritus or a virus, an ulcer, or irritable bowel syndrome, trapped gas or heartburn. Most of which are temporary and easily treated. But do go and see a doctor about it, just to be sure. The doctor can explain what's causing it and hopefully reassure you, perhaps prescribe some medication to alleviate the symptoms or make suggestions as to how you can improve your diet and prevent future occurances.
 
Go to the doctor to find out for certain what, if anything, is going on. It's probably nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, you definitely need to eat foods with fiber every day. And eating a cup of plain yogurt with active enzymes every day is good for gut health.
 
My strategy for health anxiety is this:
1. Do the recommended things. (Like mammograms or colonoscopies when recommended; healthy diet)
2. If something happens that requires action, do that action.
3. Other than that, don't worry! You've done all you could, so worry is needless.

Real life example: Seven years ago I had breast cancer. 1. I had a routine mammogram, which found an early and so far non-invasive cancer. 2. Working with my doctors to formulate a personalized treatment plan, I followed through on all aspects of treatment. 3. I didn't worry. I actually never believed I was going to die from this, and I am cancer free ever since.

My feeling is, once you have done all you reasonably can, stop worrying. Worry can actually make you sicker!
 
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