Cancer

[bitter01]

I have a lump, left side of stomach just below rib cage. Not Painfull, but uncomfortable and growing. Hernia has been ruled out. No bowel changes, no  vomiting, but sense of fullness and increassed gas . Occas.. "locks "into position when laying down. Have CAT scan scheduled  in approx. 60 days. Onset was sudden (or only noticed  by me-meaning no recall of growth or injury). Present approx 6 months but larger than when originally noticed).
Would appreciate thoughts/concerns etc.  Surgeon suggested could be  tumour. Also is it worth my while (health wise) to pay for private CAT rather than wait medical system?

[patient915]

Bitter01 says "Not Painfull" and you said "tell them you are having some severe pain."  This could cause them to misdiagnose you.

However, I do agree that 60 days is an absurd amount of time to wait.  By lying to get a CT scan won't help you.  I would suggest pestering them to get it moved sooner or find a different doctor or pay privately to get one.  Are you overweight?  I ask this because if you are at all overweight then it makes it very difficult to rule out a hernia without a CT scan.

[worried8001]

patient915- If you want to wait 60 days- thats your call. I dont recommend lying to your doctor however if there is dicomfort and its 60 days out for a test for possible TUMOR I dont think waiting 60 days is in the best interest of a patient. Do not take time to repremend people, I was stating my opinion, waiting 60 days for a possible tumor is unacceptable and I would find a different doctor or do what I had to to get in earlier. To bitter01- Good luck to you and I certainly hope you find out some wonderful news soon, DONT WAIT! Take care, good luck. God Bless, its your health and your body- Find someone that is willing to care what happends to you!! -- and not in several months.

[patient915]

I agree with erin that it is probably something like a lipoma not cancer.  You should not go to the ER and tell them you are having severe pain, when you are not having severe pain.  This could cause them to misdiagnose you.

Worried8001, please do not advise people to lie to their doctor just so that they can get testing done.  This is a very bad idea.

[erin626]

I had a large lump on my knee last year. I swore it was a tumor. It looked like a second knee cap. Turns out it was lipoma...a mass of debri under my skin. It went away with steroid injections. Check out lipoma on google. They're not painful and can happen anywhere on the body. Try not to think worst case scenario with cancer just yet.

[worried8001]

Hi, I have something similar, a lump that is in my upper left abdomen, and I can also feel something blow my rib cage , I have had a ultrasound, CT scan and all have come back normal. I know its hard not to panic!! Not sure what exactly is going on, I would have swore to no end that I had a tumor or something in there or some sort of mass, but I do not. I have no idea what it is but? I do know what it isnt. Just sayin- try to stay calm. Why is it 60 days out for a CT? That is an awful long time to leave you scared! I would go into the ER- tell them you are having some severe pain- they will ct you right  there. 2 months is alot of wasted worry-