Posted 3/9/2017 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everybody. I am sure there are others out there experiencing what I am about to describe. Just a fair warning if you will, some of what I and possibly others will be discussing on this particular thread may be considered graphic or "gross" and is not meant to offend anyone.....Here is my story. My name is Mike, I am 32 years old and live in New York. At the end of February/beginning of March of 2016, I went to the doctor for some minor discomfort in my upper chest. The doctor did an EKG and said that I may have an arrhythmia which could be because I was very nervous, so I never gave that very much thought. The doctor also wanted to do some blood work. I am 5'11 and then was 210 pounds, I was mostly heavy in the stomach. I ate whatever I wanted. I went back to the doctors office the next day and she went over the results with me. She said that my cholesterol was high, but not high enough to be on medicine for, so that wasn't too bad. The alarming thing was that my liver enzymes were elevated. This really scared me because my grandmother on my mothers side died of a rare form of liver cancer. My AST was 124 and my ALT was at 319. Upon getting these results, the doctor immediately re-did the test, the time testing for Hepatitis A, B, and C as well as GGTP. The new results were that my AST was 116 and ALT 302 and now GGTP was 150. The normal ranges for AST and ALT are 40 or below and GGTP is 71 or below. The doctor then sent me for a CT Scan of my abdomen and pelvis. At this point I am so scared. I went for the CT Scan and it revealed that I had a fatty liver. Went I heard this from the doctor, I almost cried. I actually did cry. The doctor then referred me to a GI specialist. Rather than immediately going to a GI, I went to one of the best cardiologists around my area. I did this because I have a history of heart problems in my family. The cardiologist did an ECHO, EKG, and stress test which all came back perfectly normal with no issues at all. I showed him my blood work and CT Scan results. Because the CT Scan results said "indeterminate hypodense region 3cm suggest further characterization with MRI", he wanted to send me for an MRI which he said was the gold standard and he wanted to make sure the fatty liver was not mistaken for a mass. The MRI confirmed that I had a "diffuse hepatic steatosis" which is another term for fatty liver. The original doctor told me that I need to change my diet and eat healthier, so out of utter fear that is exactly what I did. I immediately and I guess you can say drastically changed my diet. I immediately cut out most red meats, cold cuts, pizza, cake, cookies, ice cream, buffalo wings, chips, fries, and alcohol (never drank hard alcohol, just beer). Here is where my anxiety is kicking into over drive, I went from 210 pounds when this whole ordeal started in March to now in the month of August 183 to 185. Most of this weight came off the first month. I did intend to eat better, but I did not anticipate such a dramatic weight loss. I read that weight loss can be a sign of c****r and I am convinced that I have it, particularly colon c****r. I did end up going for a consult in April with a GI. The GI did a digital rectal exam and said there was no blood. He felt and listened to my stomach and said there was no tumors and said to just let it go. So that I did. I have been noticing lately that my bowel habits are changing or have changed. I used to just go once in the morning when I woke up and now I am going another time in the afternoon which I never go in the afternoon. The stool is hard and lumpy at one end and well formed on the other end. I am also noticing these tiny pin point like black specks. It almost looks like black pepper flakes. I was scared that this is blood, but my current doctor whom I trust, says that blood would not present that way, the whole stool would be black. Lately, I have been experiencing some abdominal and pelvic discomfort along with lower back pain and discomfort. Sometimes when I breathe in and out I feel a slight pain on my left abdomen and also when I lean back in my chair at work. I asked my doctor about this and he didn't seem too concerned. My grandfather on my mothers side died of colon cancer at 62 and my old boss at 35. I am so scared! I have an almost 1 year old baby girl whom I fear I won't see grow up. I am crying everyday. My family is getting so tired of me because they say it is anxiety causing the pain and that I changed my diet. Here is a rough idea of what I usually eat. For breakfast I usually have a bowl of cereal with skim milk like plain special k and sometimes I make 2 eggs and have oatmeal with it. Then when I get to work, I will have a plain toasted bagel with a bit of cream cheese, an orange juice and Belvita snack cookie. For lunch I will have a piece of grilled chicken of some kind along with brown rice and sometimes veggies. For dinner my wife will make chicken or fish with brown rice and sometimes some salad. I am keeping myself at around 2,270 calories or less, I don't even know how many calories I was eating prior, I never counted, I would eat what I wanted when I wanted. My doctor said he wasn't concerned about my weight loss. He said I am still overweight according to the BMI chart and that I should lose a little more. Today as in around this time period, I experience abdominal discomfort sometimes when I move side to side. I am so afraid of what I am experiencing. My new doctor says not to worry and doesn't even want me to see another doctor other than a mental health professional. I am so afraid that all of this means colon cancer. I cry all the time. My baby girl started crawling and standing up. Just yesterday she was crawling and chasing the cat and laughing and I had to walk away and started crying because in my mind I feel like I am not going to see her grow up. I also do not have the same appetite and get full and bloated easily after eating a small amount. I am so afraid. If there is anybody out there going through this, or even someone in the medical field, please feel free to join this thread. I should also add that I had my blood re-tested in April and the AST went to 56 and ALT 175. The GGTP went down to 88. with these liver tests, were also CBC's which came back normal (white blood cell, red blood cell etc...) My CT Scan that I had said "no bowel obstruction or wall thickening" and the MRI was normal also other than the fatty liver. I know these tests aren't for colon cancer, but wouldn't they have shown something? Wouldn't something show up in my blood? I am freaking out scared and crying over this. What is freaking me out is that sometimes I will go to the bathroom at a time I don't usually go and it will scare me. Sometimes its not the normal color. I am on anti depressants for my fear but I can't help but think it is colon cancer. My doctor says he doesn't think it is and that a test is not needed because the benefit doesn't outweigh the risk and that its wrong to put a patient through a procedure just to make them feel better. I have a baby girl I fear I won't see grow up. I have been told this could all be IBS and stress depression and anxiety, but I don't know. Thank you for reading!!