Husband Just Diagnosed - Doc says don't worry, but I can't help it!

VitaminP
VitaminP Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Stomach Cancer #1
My 32 year old husband has had years of ulcers and had been tested positive for h. pylori about a year ago. At that time they treated the h. pylori (which is gone, even now) and he had checked out. About 2 months ago he started getting strange cramping one day and it would go away for a few days only to return again.

A week ago he went in and had an endoscopy to check everything out. The doctor saw some minor esophageal inflammation and a spot in his stomach that she biopsied. The biopsy came back showing cancer. The doctor was honestly a bit taken aback, she was skeptical of the spot, but it didn't jump out at her as being cancerous. She pointed it out on the images and referred to is as "small" several times. She honestly didn't seem worried and she said we shouldn't worry about it since it is so small. Yeah...say cancer and then say don't worry about it. That's hard to do.

He has an appointment on June 9th to get an ultrasound and another test which starts with an h and involves a CCK (can't remember the medical name) so that she can see if it has spread or if there is another issue. She said that the spot seems so early she's not convinced that his pain is even from that. Her hunch is that he's having gallbladder or IBS issues.

Regardless, I'm scared. My mom just passed away a year and a half ago from Leukemia and I can't go through this again.

Does this sound hopeful to anyone else? Does it really sound like it may have been caught very early? He has the cramping really bad still, even this morning he was having an impossible time. Sometimes it feels a lot better after he eats (he has even felt completely normal), but sometimes his appetite is completely non-existent. I'm wondering if a lot this cramping is stress-related because he had the endoscopy done and it really did look quite good except for that spot. I can't wait for the ultrasound to be done. I want to know that this little spot is all that we are dealing with.

My husband is extremely healthy. He works out every day and is actually training for weight-lifting competition. He eats clean, drinks protein shakes every day, has never smoked and I could probably count the beers he's had in his lifetime on my fingers. He doesn't like to take even Tylenol, he likes to just wait out headaches and prefers vitamins over anything else. I saw some info on the B17 diet so I'll probably be researching that further since that sounds just like something he would be all for.

Does anyone have any words of advice for me?

Comments

  • jchristy035
    jchristy035 Member Posts: 2
    #2
    advice
    I have advice for you......I just spent 30 minutes typing a reply and lost every bit of it. I would love to talk to you, you may call me @ 251-679-9496. My name is Christy Jennings
  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #3
    jchristy035 said:

    advice
    I have advice for you......I just spent 30 minutes typing a reply and lost every bit of it. I would love to talk to you, you may call me @ 251-679-9496. My name is Christy Jennings

    Welcome
    Hi and welcome to this discussion board. I was a caregiver for my dad who had esophageal cancer at the junction to his stomach. His cancer was caused from many many years of acid refulx. I was thinking that your husband's years of ulcers may be the reason for his stomach cancer. Then again....cancer does not care the gender, color, or age, it just happens. The fact that your husband is young, in great shape, and has been staged early is all to his advantage. My dad was 70 at stage IV. My dad fought this for 16 mos, he passed away in March when the cancer went to his liver. I know it will be hard for you to be a caregiver again, but you will be able to do it. There is also a caregiver discussion board that will be helpful. Take this one hour at a time, ask a lot of questions, be ready for the roller coaster ride of your life! Keep in touch when you can. We will always be here for you. peace.
    Tina
  • liveinhope
    liveinhope Member Posts: 83
    #4
    Hi,I know this period
    Hi,I know this period between diagnosis and the start of therapy is very difficult.Once surgery or chemotherapy starts time moves much faster.Try and live one day at a time.Take a second opinion if you feel so and once you have located a good surgeon, have faith.My son is a year younger than your husband and we have been living with the disease for the last 10months.With time one learns to accept and live with it.My love and good wishes to you both. Nisha
  • canuck1
    canuck1 Member Posts: 7
    #5
    There is HOPE
    At age 60 I was diagnosed with acid reflux. Fourweeks later I overheard a conversation in a restaurant of someone having acid reflux and ending up with terminal stomach cancer.I asked my doctor to have an endoscope done. Two weeks later it was done and rhe next day I met with the surgeon who did the scope and was told that it was cancer but it was repairable but involved a major surgery and that he had already arrange to have me see the thorasic surgeons and have a CT scan and bloodwork done. Four weeks later I had the surgery ( a trans-hiatal gastro-esophagectomy) followed by two sessions of chemo and then 4 sessions of chemmo and radiaton and finally one session of chemo. this was completed three years ago and I do get a CT scan and chest X-ray every six month followed by a consult from my surgeons, oncologist and personal doctor.
    I was told after the surgery that had I not gone in and requested the initial scope that because the cancer was already in stage 2+ and because it was invasive (adenocarcinoma) it was have rapidly become a stage 4 (terminal). So please do not wait or hesitate to make sure that the doctor does further examination. Praying that all will turn out well for you.
  • Tina Blondek
    Tina Blondek Member Posts: 1,500 Member
    #6
    canuck1 said:

    There is HOPE
    At age 60 I was diagnosed with acid reflux. Fourweeks later I overheard a conversation in a restaurant of someone having acid reflux and ending up with terminal stomach cancer.I asked my doctor to have an endoscope done. Two weeks later it was done and rhe next day I met with the surgeon who did the scope and was told that it was cancer but it was repairable but involved a major surgery and that he had already arrange to have me see the thorasic surgeons and have a CT scan and bloodwork done. Four weeks later I had the surgery ( a trans-hiatal gastro-esophagectomy) followed by two sessions of chemo and then 4 sessions of chemmo and radiaton and finally one session of chemo. this was completed three years ago and I do get a CT scan and chest X-ray every six month followed by a consult from my surgeons, oncologist and personal doctor.
    I was told after the surgery that had I not gone in and requested the initial scope that because the cancer was already in stage 2+ and because it was invasive (adenocarcinoma) it was have rapidly become a stage 4 (terminal). So please do not wait or hesitate to make sure that the doctor does further examination. Praying that all will turn out well for you.

    Hi Canuck1
    Thank you for
    Hi Canuck1
    Thank you for your very imformative and helpful post. Thank god that you requested the scope be done. Unfortunately with my dad, by the time he suggested a scope of his esophagus, his tumor was at stage IV. It is unfortunate that patient these days have to self diagnose. I feel that all patients complaining of acid reflux should automatically have a scope done to rule out cancer, or dx cancer! Best of luck to you.
    Tina

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