Pancreas or ?

[GrandmaDawn]

I am a 52 year old female with a long history of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, HBP, and now taking meds for hypothyroid after left thyroidectomy.  Recently I developed heart palpitations and pain in my upper abdomen and behind my sternum.  I also have had dizziness and my blood pressure at times spikes dispite blood pressure meds.  I fainted in a Wal-Mart with chest pain and sweats when I stopped to kill some time on my way to see cardiologist. Well...911 called and trip to hospital.  They said no heart attack and sent me home in spite of the fact I could not walk to my car due to dizziness.  Seen my family doc next day and he was livid with the hospital for releasing me in that way.  Seen cardiologist...did all the heart tests but waiting for results.  Cardio doc does not think it is my heart and gave me med for gastritis and vertigo.  Seen my GI doc today and set date for endoscopy next Wednesday.  Will not do it till he gets okay from heart doctor.  What scares me is the pain in my chest and upper abdomen is so bad when I eat and very bad when I lay down.  This has led to anxiety at night as I get a little scared I am dying the pain is so bad.  Also....these symptoms sound a lot like cancer of the pancreas.  What tests do they do for this....endoscopic sounds more like the stomach.  I am frightened....can anyone tell me anything to make this not seem so alarming?  Thanks

[ok2531]

Read up on SOD.  Pancreas pain is usually more to the left of the sternum.  

[3sox]

I forgot to mention, the pain is in the center right about the sterum area were the pancreas area is located. thank again

[3sox]

I have had pain in the stomach area for over 4 months now. My gall bladder was removed 2 years ago. I do have ulcers, I get an attack at least once a month. The liver function test come back high, I have had both scopes done, just had an ultrasound on my stomach area, still they can't figure out what it is from. The one dr. thinks it might be a stone in a bile somewhere. When they removed my gall bladder it was full of sludge. Is it possible to have more sludge in a bile after 2 yrs.? If anyone has any ideas it would be very heplful. Thank you.

[confused1000]

What you eat affects your pancreas, low fat diet and no fried foods.

[GrandmaDawn]

Thanks for the comment.  Today I had the endoscope done  today...stomach and esophagus is fine...as I thought.  Still in a lot of pain in the left upper side of my abdomen and still in great pain after eating.  I finally am just eating jello, pudding and water.  I can afford to lose the weight but if I put anything in my diet that has fat in it I am really in for some pain...especially if I lay down. Asked the GI if it might be my pancreas and he seemed surprised that my family doctor had not done the lepase (Sp?) blood test  which he had drawn before I left.  He also ordered a CT Scan which I will have Friday.  Hope to gosh they figure this out.  I do not want to be miserable over Christmas.  All my kids will be home and I don't want to be so down as I am now.  Thanks for the knowledge that this does not lead to cancer....just wish it didn't take the doctors so long to figure this out.  I had symptoms starting the middle of last October.  I have seen so far...my family doctor,....an ER doctor..a cardiologist and now the GI doctor.  Somehow I am not surprised though as I DX my own thyroid problem....demanding the family doc do a ultrasound because I could not swallow my food down. They found two little tumors...one pressing on my esophagus.  They were benign.  Well....I guess the internet is good for a great many things..  Take responsibility for your own health and don't always wait on the docs to figure it out!!!!  They said they would not get the CT Scan back until Tuesday...another almost 7 days of misery.  I hope that the lepase test will give them a clue.  I am getting really wore out!!!!

[gismatrix]

I am not a doctor.  Your symptoms could be due to acute pancreatitis, which does not lead to cancer in the majority of cases.  It can be treated.  Do a search query on it.  Good luck.