Re: Fears of stomach cancer

Posted By D.J. on November 15, 1998 at 15:04:54:

In Reply to: Fears of stomach cancer posted by Tamara on November 15, 1998 at 01:25:35:






I am a 33 yr old female with a history of heartburn and indigestion since I was 19 (first began with a thrush infection in my esophagus that left it more sensitive ever since).  I've been treated various times with Zantac for esophageal inflamation (inflammation), duodenal inflamation (inflammation) and what was diagnosed as slight reflux.  I've had two upper GI x-rays and two scopes (the last in 1991).  Because of all this, I've learned that over the years when the symptoms flare (several times per year), I usually just take Zantac since it's now over the counter and I know what prescription dose is.
About a month ago, I started experiencing sharp pains in my left ribs when I laughed.  I mentioned that, by the way, I had that burning in my stomach again, too, and that Zantac wasn't doing as good a job as usual.  He prescribed Prevacid for my stomach and enteric coated Naprosin for my ribs, believing it was muscles.  Stopped the Naprosin after a week as it wasn't helping (I also have been known to take a fair amount of Advil in the past due to headaches and I'm not doing that either now) and told me to keep taking the Prevacid although my stomach is also getting worse (he believes the rib pains may be related to my stomach now).  
I was tested (blood test) for H. Pylori and it was negative.  My white count is normal as well.  
I've been on Prevacid (30mg/day) for two weeks now and off the Naprosin for one of them.  My rib pain is not currently bothering me but the stomach continues to get worse.  I feel pretty good when I get up, but shortly after I eat the first bite of food, the burning begins.  It's mild in the mornings and gets worse as the day wears on.  I feel it in the pit of my stomach (like hunger pangs) and also up toward my throat and between my shoulder blades in my back.  It sometimes stretches across my stomach.  It's not excruciating but once it starts, it's there almost all the time.  Antacids don't relieve it, in fact they may make it a little worse.  Food seems to make it worse about 15 minutes after I eat and then it subsides a little and then comes back again.  I've been belching more than normal, too.  
I am a nervous person by nature and inclined to worry about health issues when they strike.  I have a consult with a GI specialist but not for a couple weeks.  Because my doctor is perplexed as to why Prevacid (the strongest acid med out there) isn't working for me, I'm absolutely terrified that I have stomach or esophageal cancer and that I've ignored it and now that I'm going to die and leave my kids without a mother.  Other than the long history of GI irritation and heartburn (the last scope showed nothing in 1991), I don't have other risk factors...I don't drink, don't smoke, etc.  But when I read about ulcers, it says they ARE relieved by eating.  This isn't!
Please help.  I'm nearly unable to function because of the worry!
  
hello, i am not a doctor but have had similar symptoms as you describe.  it sounds to me like you have an ulcer.  ulcers can get worse immediately following eating as stomach acid begins to form.  prevacid could take thirty days to begin quiting the symptoms of ulcer.  i would not be too concerned with stomach cancer for three reasons:
a. you are very young, most gastric cancer occurs after age 50 and very rarely under 40
b. you could not have stomach cancer for this many years without either dieing or developing major symtoms (symptoms) such as bloody stools, vomit, anorexia, etc.
c. the fact that your doctor has not done a recent upper gi leads me to beleive he is not suspicious of the desease.
best of luck...