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[KAH]

I suppose it depends how bad your pain is - if it's really bad, I would go to the walk-in centre, but if not, then it can wait until Monday.  Maybe phone NHS 111 number and see what they advise, perhaps?
[/quote

I'll wait, I'm just panicking! At least then I'll have a couple more days to see how my bowels are. Thank you for replying, I do realise I sound like a crazy person 😳

[Taz2]

You don't sound crazy KAH just worried. Even if your bowels go back to normal with no black stool I still think you need to get this checked out as bleeding can stop and start.

Taz x

[KAH]

You don't sound crazy KAH just worried. Even if your bowels go back to normal with no black stool I still think you need to get this checked out as bleeding can stop and start.

Taz x

Thank you Taz x

[KAH]

Hi there!

You don't sound crazy at all, KAH! The symptoms you have been describing since you 've started the thread have been changing, so now it's easier to analyse them and  have some idea of what's going on.

You have given a good description of what's going on but I'd like to ask you a few things;

1) Have you been taking any medication, supplements or herbal preparation?

2) Is your current anxiety just health related or are there other issues?

3) Before this specific pains began, how was your sleep ( amount and quality)?

Hi there,
I take Spirulina and Vit B6 and 12 (have taken these both for a long time now)
It's always just health related.
I either sleep very well (8hrs uninterrupted) or wake up on and off all night. To be honest last night was the first time my back kept me awake and I'm not entirely sure it was the pain waking me up, I think my anxiety was waking me up and then I noticed the pain! Also, I did read a little on pancreatic cancer and that said it hurts more when lying down so can make sleep difficult, so I had that in my head which I think didn't help!!!

[KAH]

Tks!

How do you take Spirulina and the vitamins? Amount, delivery route, dose, time?

All first thing in morning:
Spirulina powder, 1tsp in orange juice.
Vit B6 100mg - 1 per day
Vit B12 1000ug - 1 per day

[KAH]

Tks again. How are you feeling today?

Spirulina has some side effects, mostly from contaminants, including digestive problems

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-923-blue-green%20algae.aspx?activeingredientid=923&

http://news.algaeworld.org/2014/12/spirulina-side-effects-include-fever-edema-digestive-problems/

http://www.cam-cancer.org/The-Summaries/Herbal-products/Spirulina-blue-green-algae/(merge)

Maybe you could stop taking it at least until your gp appointment? And make sure to tell him/her that you are taking this supplement and the vitamins.

Spirulina is rich in B12 so you can also be taking too much B12, but this is probably not causing your symptoms but may be contributing since the excess is secreted in the bile.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/vitamin-b12/interactions/hrb-20060243

Just an advice, I hope your appointment/exams all go well.f

Thank you Analee, I will definitely mention it but as I've been taking the Spirulina for several years with no problems, I can't imagine why it would affect me all of a sudden. Definitely worth mentioning though. Ive calmed down a bit, although my back is still really painful as well as the intermittent pain under ribs and in ovary area. I did have a blood test a couple of months ago which was quite comprehensive ie testing liver, diabetes, kidneys, blood count, hormones etc. and as far as I know everything was ok, I guess that's a good sign. Thanks again x

[KAH]

Clean blood tests results are definetely a good sign.

At the risk of being nosey... you mentioned dark stools and I read that pancreatic cancer can cause pale-coloured stools. Dark stools are caused by bleeding in the upper digestive tube (oesophagus,stomach, duodenum) or ingestion of beetroot, iron supplements and some beans (my experience). So I guess, that's good news too 

Yep I had read that too and took that as a good sign, in fact that was the reason I was paying more attention to the colour, just to make sure it wasn't pale!! Thank you for the reassurance x

[Taz2]

I've now lost three friends and two family members to pancreatic cancer and by the time they experienced bad pains they were already really ill and jaundiced. Analee is right in that pancreatic cancer causes pale, bulky stools due to the liver being compromised.

Taz x

[KAH]

I've now lost three friends and two family members to pancreatic cancer and by the time they experienced bad pains they were already really ill and jaundiced. Analee is right in that pancreatic cancer causes pale, bulky stools due to the liver being compromised.

Taz x

Thank you Taz x

[wombat62]

Hi there

As the others have said I would see a GP soon just to be on the safe side. Yes, anything that involves lack of bile and pancreas issues causes pale stools as fats aren't broken down, white means no bile is being produced as it's the bile that gives colour less there is old blood present. LOok at the Bristol Stool Chart for colours and explanations. Hope you'll be ok...

Just going back to the copper dumping, read a little on it last night as unusually had a real metallic taste and it reminded me to take a look! Really interesting and the personality traits associated with high copper fit me to a T. I'm also wondering that weird time I had after my gallbladder out could have been a lot of dumping at once especially as copper is connected to bile and it's all linked to stress! I shall read up more when I get some more time. We hear very little about other minerals and metals in the body other than magnesium so thanks for raising it!

[imgeha]

Hello Wombat. Interesting to hear about your copper / gallbladder experiences. I am there in spades at the moment as I have been taking bile salts to stimulate bile flow and released a lot of copper I think. I have a very strong metal taste and backache, so I need to slow down, I think. I am also a copper personality to a T. How are you getting on without a gallbladder?

[wombat62]

Hi

Not bad thanks! I know loads of people who have had theirs out and some of them eat loads of fatty stuff! Not sure how they do it but I'm pretty ok apart from creamy things make me feel sick and oily/greasy things give me an upset tummy. I still try to avoid too much fat as it bloats me as well.

I think this is because I had to go on a ultra low fat diet for so long whilst waiting for the op it totally altered my thinking! It's hard to get my brain to think otherwise now! Some people I know had theirs out as emergency and I think for them they didn't go through that process they carried on eating everything! Still I lost 10kg in the process and have managed to keep it off and feel so much better do I can give up a few chips to stay that way!

Hope you get over the copper episode soon!

[KAH]

Been to docs this morning, he had a good feel of my tummy and back/ribs and said it all felt fine. He did an internal to see if there was a growth on my ovary but couldn't feel anything there either. He said he has no idea what's causing the rib/back & ovary pain so I'm to give it 3-4 wks and go back if it's the same then he'll arrange a scan. He thinks the indigestion is something separate and told me to go and buy gaviscon! Told him about odd coloured stools (which have since returned to normal colour) but he wasn't concerned. So basically I'm not better off than I was!
On a plus note, he looked back on my previous blood tests, the last one all was normal including hormone levels but on the previous one, it showed I was peri-menopausal.....no one ever told me!!! It might have given me some of mind but never mind, I know now!!

[KAH]

I suppose at least he's keeping an eye on you!

May I suggest you get Gaviscon Advance, it works better than the ordinary ones at keeping good where it should be i.e. in the stomach!

S x

Yes and I guess he was thorough in checking my tummy and back etc. Can I just ask, do you just take gaviscon when you need it or all the time?

[Nasil41]

Hi KAH
I recently went to GP for my blood test results and was told my LFT was 3x what it should be. Well that set alarm bells going and ramped up my already severe anxiety 
She was asking me if I had any abdominal pain which I don't apart from tense anxious stomach. Asked if I had problems when eating or any indigestion and the answer was no to both
Then she examined me and I knew what parts she was palpitating ( was a theatre nurse before my peri breakdown ) . So now I have to go for a scan and had some more blood took this morning which is to check my pancreas and liver 
I am now terrified that I have pancreatic cancer which has spread to my liver. I lost my husband and his sister to cancer which had metatised to liver
I'm trying my best not to Google but ive now developed this strange symptom like a hiccup but it only happens a few times a day
My mind is in overdrive
X