Please Tell Me The Symptoms...

...that you or your loved one had when diagnosed with stomach cancer. My mom goes for an upper GI next week to check for this--right now her symptoms are:

-nausea (especially after eating)
-loss of appetite
-adversion to foods
-occasional diarrhea
-some weight loss
-elevated blood sugar level

Thank you for your help

Michelle 

My dad's symptoms were very different. Stomach cancer is often misdiagnosed as it generally presents like an ulcer. He said it felt like he had swallowed hot coals. Then he would occasionally throw up something that looked like Coke. It was old blood. Sorry this is so graphic but cancer is a graphic and ugly thing.

He was treated, at first, for an ulcer. Then after not getting any relief, he went for an upper GI. That's when the biopsy was taken. 2 weeks later, he was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer.

Stomach cancer is pretty hard to detect as it shows no symptoms in the early stages. As you will learn on this board, most people who are diagnosed are already in an advanced stage of disease.

Good luck. Hope things go well with your mom. Keep us posted!

 

Our experience was 50 pound weight loss (which wasn't all bad, we do love to cook), early satiety (feeling full earlier than usual), and a feeling of trapped air that he had to belch out after eating. Took three doctor changes to finally find one who said we need an endoscopy NOW. Took two of those as the stomach was so leathery, the first did not grab enough tissue. Second one revealed gastric cancer, stage IV, inoperable. Other than those, there was a lifetime of great health with NO issues other than elevated blood pressure, and nothing to suggest this terrible disease. Again, early diagnosis is almost non-existent due to the absense of symptoms. Even now, after one year of chemo, you would be hard pressed to point to any symptoms at all, he is still feeling great. It is just a offensive word removed of a cancer. Insist on an endoscope and biopsy by a qualified gastroenterologist for diagnosis. Best wishes and loads of prayers for your Mom. Hope you don't have to fight this battle.

Love and Peace,

Scott

Michele,

My husband's symptoms were the feeling of food getting stuck in his throat and weight loss (he eventually lost 80 lbs.).  He was initially treated for GERD, but after endoscopy stage IV stomach cancer was discovered. 

Hope this helps.

Diane

My wife (43), diagnosed with Stage IV (one 2cm tumor in stomach and one 3cm tumor in liver) before we caught it - and we were LUCKY to catch it so early. 

She presented with ONLY acute pain right below her ribs in her upper abdomen.  She did not have any loss of appetite or any other symptoms.  These symptoms presented mid February of 07 and were originally dismissed as an ulcer or just GERD.  Thankfully we DEMANDED an endoscopy (even though we had to pay for it privately) and March 1, 2007 - stomach cancer.  Soon after we found that it had spread to the liver and was already Stage IV. 

Listen to your body and keep following up until YOU are satisfied.  Some advice, always ask your physician - what OTHER possible diagnosis could be made with the symptoms that I am presenting as they tend to just go to the most common diagnosis.  Press them for more and to think.

 Steve

Hartford

My mom, 65 treated for gastritis for 4yrs, endoscopy proven gastritis/esophagitis, multiple biopsies at each endoscopy, she probably had 5 or 6 endoscopies total.  Then sudden weight loss 5/07, CT showed thickened stomach wall.  PET scan negative.  Rpt endoscopy with biopsy still negative.  Options given for laporoscoy vs rpt CT.  Unfortunately she chose rpt CT.  Rpt CT and PET scan done, no change on CT, still negative PET.  Then final endoscopy with biopsy of stomach wall- not just the lining of the stomach- Adenoca.  Laporoscopy showing CA in the nodes, stomach encased, peritoneum, and omentum.  Linitis plastica.  I will always wonder if we would have just chosen the laporoscopy in May 07, what the difference would be.  Conclusion, linitis plastica- need very deep biopsies to make sure the cancer is not in the wall of the stomach.