Hello everyone. I'm a 23 year old male, and I'm worried that about cancer; stomach cancer to be precise. On both sides of my family, cancer runs through-out it. My grandmother had a rare form of cancer that doctors were unable to treat. I can't remember what it was right off the top of my head, but it had to do with the head/brain. One of my aunts was diagnosed with rectal cancer, and has been getting treatments with that. My uncle was also diagnosed with lung cancer and they had to remove either part of one of his lungs, or one of them. I can't remember the details exactly.
Anyways. I've just been worried lately. Back in February/March, I got this horrendous migraine that last for nearly 2 months. It never went away, even when I took medication for it. I went to the doctor, and it turned out I had h pylori and bacteria in the blood so I was put on antibiotics for a week, and some other medications. They also told me to take Protonix, which I was taking up until around 2 months ago. I found out that medication has been known to cause stomach cancer, among other things. Anyways, I've still been having weird symptoms. I found blood in my stool, which I went to the same doctor and they did a fecal occult blood test and it came back negative for blood. I didn't trust them, and wanted a second opinion so I asked for a referral to a gastroenterologist. He gave me a fecal occult blood test, and I turned it back in. That one came back positive for blood in it. I know it could be hemmoroids, but I don't think it is.
Other symptoms I've had is that..my bowel movements have changed quite alot. Now I can rarely go twice a week. Sometimes there's a foul smell, and the stool is black and tarry. Sometimes when I do go, I feel weak, tired, and light-headed after it. I even feel fatique and weak at other times. My sleeping habits went from around 6 hours a day to..I can sleep 10 hours, and still be tired. My apetite has also come and gone. At times I could eat a horse, otherwise..I can go a day or two, or more without even feeling hungry. I've also lost ten lbs within the past month, without really trying to lose weight (I went from around 170 to 160). My stomach is constantly hurting/discomfort, nearly on a daily basis. Sometimes it's right at the top of the stomach, around the center of the ribcage while othertimes it can be around my naval area, and abdominal area. I get nausea which also comes and goes, and on top of that I have heartburn/indigestion like crazy.
I was scheduled to go back to the gastroenterologist this past Thursday, but they wanted 186 bucks up front, which I couldn't afford at the time.
I guess I'm just worried that it could be something. Has anyone else had symptoms like this and it turned out to be nothing or possibly an ulcer or stomach cancer? Should I try to find another gastroenterologist or a doctor that's willing to work with me? I have no insurance at the time, and just recently got a new job, so yeh.
Btw, sorry for writing so much! And if it was somewhat grotesque. Just concerned, and felt like getting opinions and what not from others.