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Have Extreme Anxiety. Burps Worrying, Tastelessness. Conivced Of Ovarian Cancer. Can I Have It?

Posted on Sat, 30 Jun 2012

Question: I am a 49 yr old female and have extreme anxiety (always worrying). At the end of January, I tried Porzac for about 3 weeks. I have never felt so horrible in my life, everything excalated. I was sure I was dying of cancer. I am fortunate enough to have a Dr. that knows I am a "Freak". I had 3 bouts of watery stools in 2 weeks and was sure I had ovarian or colon cancer. She ran a CBC, CA125 and sent me for a colonoscopy, because she knew I wasn't going to be at ease until I was sure everything was normal. Everything was extremely normal, amazing as she put it. Even the GI Dr. said "perfect" he'd see me in 7 years. Let me mention that I had a normal pap in 12/11 and normal mammogram in 1/12. The GI Dr. told me to add Benefiber to may daily diet, that was about 2 weeks ago. My new concern is burping, not flatulence. I've burped 8 tmes in 4 hours and have only had a 1/2 bottle of water. Nothing comes up, and there is no taste. I have no bloating, ocassional upper middle stomach pain just between lower ribs, but am still convinced I have ovarian cancer. I don't want to bother my Dr. anymore. She wanted me to try Zoloft, but I am afraid of those side affects. My worrying has ceased a bit, but it's still there. Do you think I could have ovarian cancer? That really is my last big worry. I believe I am fine physically, and hope my problems are mostly mental. I really should stay off the internet, as I saw burping and stomach pain was a sign of ovarian cancer, and that's all it took for me to decide I had it.

Answered by Dr. Mahesh Koregol (11 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for your query.

First of all to begin with I would like to reassure you that YOU ARE NOT SUFFERING FROM ANY CANCER. There is absolutely no need to think of cancer.

Cancer is a very rare disease. Each symptoms you have described (eg. loose stools, burping etc...) occur to all of us during some days of our life. Every small symptom like this does not mean you have cancer.

Headache does not mean brain cancer; Cough does not mean lung cancer. In the same way burping or loose stool are problems which every one of us. Please don’t think everything in terms of cancer. These are simple and small problems your body is trying to cope up with. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT RELATED TO CANCER.

You have had all investigations to rule out cancers. The burping now you have is due to some air you might have ingested while having food or drinking water /soda. So dont give so much importance to this. IT IS NORMAL FOR MANY PEOPLE TO HAVE THIS.

I request you to think life beyond cancer. See the beauty of life. Go regularly for walk, see the flowers blooming around you. Exercise regularly. XXXXXXX your family / friends and spend quality time. Engage in some social work. Spending quality time will not make you take any antidepressant medicines which you described in your query.

I REASSURE YOU AGAIN THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE CANCER.

I wish you healthy physical and mental health.

I Hope I have answered your query. I will be available for any follow-up queries you have.

Regards,
Dr.Mahesh Koregol

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Mahesh Koregol (9 hours later)

Why do they say burping is a sign of Ovarian cancer. Would that be a later stage? Would you be so kind as to tell me what those symptoms are. I am trying to be less of a worried. It's just hard. Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Mahesh Koregol (3 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for reverting back.

There are small and insignificant symptoms. Please don't worry about all of them as everyday everybody will have some symptoms which are also seen in cancers, but that does not mean everyone has a cancer daily right? ( examples for such symptoms: cough, sneeze, headche, loose stools etc...). So burping is one of such symptom for which you should not attach so much cancer significance.

There are 2 reasons for burping in cancer:
1) Esophageal metastasis leading disturbed motility and burping.

2) In cancer, some people in chronic pain develop a nearly sub-conscious habit of swallowing air, almost as if the swallowing behavior was some kind of self-comforting action. They do not realize that they are doing it, but they can swallow several milliliters of air with each swallow, and they can swallow several times a minute. The result is a huge volume of "gas" which they then expel largely by "burping."

YOU DONT HAVE CANCER. Hence dont think about it. Above information is for your knowledge only.

I Hope I have answered your query. I will be available for any follow-up queries you have. If no more queries please accept my answer.

Wishing you good health always.

Regards,
Dr.Mahesh Koregol

Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D