Is Cancer Inevitable For Me?

[jasonD2]

with the constant burden of leaky gut, parasites, bacterial overgrowth and food allergies should i just accept the fact that I will be getting cancer at some point in the next 10-15 years? my problems cant be corrected because nothing is working...i may feel better for a few months but i then relapse and all my symptoms return in full force. is it juts a matter of time?

[bluebonnet]

unfortunately the "c" word can strike anyone. i battle with that thought daily. i hope it doesn't. harder to do than say but being positive and optimistic can help your physical health tremendously. prayer, meditation, faith and hope are important too. just keep staying away from what you *know* makes you sick. try to sleep, exercise and find people/things/hobbies that make you happy regularly. that's all anyone can do really. best wishes.

[India]

Nothing is inevitable - it's amazing what the human body can endure and survive and there are many people on this board who are a testament to that. From what I understand, there is a slightly elevated risk of cancer for celiacs but that's all. If you believe the worst will happen, you may miss out on the chance to make the most of all the time you have left, whether that's 15 years or 50. All you can do is take the best care of yourself that you can - and the rest is left to chance.

Sorry - this is a string of cliches! - but I'm sure other people will reassure you too.

[ravenwoodglass]

I went over 40 year mis- and undiagnosed. I am cancer free. Will it develop down the line either from being misdiagnosed, working with chemicals without gloves, smoking for so many years, a occasional drink or not drinking well who knows.

I will not spend time worrying about it. Now making a left hand turn in heavy traffic and getting broadsided that I will worry about.

I have a plaque in my kitchen that says:

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of it's troubles,

It empties today of it's strength."

A very wise saying, just wish I knew who to credit for it.

[scarlett77]

with the constant burden of leaky gut, parasites, bacterial overgrowth and food allergies should i just accept the fact that I will be getting cancer at some point in the next 10-15 years? my problems cant be corrected because nothing is working...i may feel better for a few months but i then relapse and all my symptoms return in full force. is it juts a matter of time?

Awe I just want to give you a great big hug. I wish there was a hugging emoticon.

[jasonD2]

is this risk elevated for celiacs who continue to consume gluten or people w/ celiac in general?

[Skylark]

For starters, no you are not guaranteed cancer. Celiac related cancer is very rare and I am not aware of any cancer risk associated with infections or allergies. Risk is only elevated in celiacs who continue to consume gluten.

That said, I am concerned about your state of mind. You sound very stressed out and very worried. Is there a possibility that your relapse has made you depressed? (Remember, our minds and bodies are linked and when one is not working right, the other often follows.)

You could try a test like the Hamilton Depression Scale. If you come up depressed, you might want to seek some help coping while you get through this round of GI trouble.

Open Original Shared Link

[burdee]

with the constant burden of leaky gut, parasites, bacterial overgrowth and food allergies should i just accept the fact that I will be getting cancer at some point in the next 10-15 years? my problems cant be corrected because nothing is working...i may feel better for a few months but i then relapse and all my symptoms return in full force. is it juts a matter of time?

I sure hope not! You were a lot younger than I was, when you were diagnosed with celiac and started the gluten free diet. However, I've had about as many gut bug infections as you had. I also have obvious leaky gut symptoms (very sensitive to sorbitol, 7 food allergies, etc.). Nevertheless, I focus on how much healthier I am and will be in the future, because I've dealt with all those problems, rather than accepting the 'ibs' misdiagnosis and letting those things go untreated.

I also get the same kind of symptoms (gastrointestinal pain, bloating and irregularity) whether I have a bacteria, parasite or fungus, whether I accidentally eat an allergen or whether I just react to one of my sensitivities (like sorbitol in prunes or other dried fruit). I consider myself lucky to have obvious though painful symptoms, rather than have other somatic symptoms like joint pain, headaches, fatigue, etc., which docs readily misdiagnose as autoimmune conditions, for which they quickly prescribe drugs to treat the symptoms, rather than eliminating the cause. I've also learned to only see my naturopath for gut problems, but leave the broken bones, ob/gyn exams, etc. to my traditional doc. Ultimately we can be our own health advocate with how we live as well as how we treat our symptoms.

[psawyer]

Jason, you asked, "Is cancer inevitable for me?"

I don't really know. How many packs a day do you smoke? Oh, wait, not every smoker develops lung cancer.

A celiac who continues to eat gluten is at a higher risk for certain types of cancer. Higher risk does not equate to a guarantee.

A celiac who follows a strict gluten-free diet is at no greater risk for cancer than a non-celiac in the long term.

[sandsurfgirl]

It's not inevitable for anyone and I think you are depressed if you're thinking this way. That's not a normal or healthy thought process to be going through.

The body just keeps on kicking against tremendous odds. My mother is diabetic but eats sugar like it's going out of style and weighs about 350 pounds. She's still going and has never had cancer. Lots and lots of other health issues and you'd think she wouldn't even be alive but here she is.

My old boyfriend's mother was a raging alcoholic and chain smoker. She put vodka in her coffee, I'm not kidding. She would then drink all day long, hard alcohol and smoke all those cigarettes. Every year when she went for her physical the doc would say how healthy she was. My boyfriend would get so mad because he hoped there would be something wrong to kick her in the butt and get her to stop all the drinking.

Of course it's not inevitable. Stop thinking about it and enjoy your new girlfriend.

[Wolicki]

OK Jason, it's time for an intervention. Now I say this with care and concern, but YOU HAVE GOT TO GET SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP NOW. This is interfering with every part of your life. You're in a place where you can't see the forest for the trees. People here are really trying to help, but you can only see why the advice won't work.

You've got to spend the energy you currently spend "awfulizing" everything into therapy. Please, don't come up with all the reasons you can't or won't go. Just do it. If you haven't realized by now that this endless worrying is affecting your health, consider yourself told.

Go. Get. Help. Now.

It's time to do this for yourself.

[Looking for answers]

Jason, even the CDC agress that 85% of diseases are based on emotion. Meaning negative thoughts and behaviors will lead to disease. I suggest you do whatever it is you need to do to get in a better frame of mind. That's one of the best ways to fight ever getting it.

[precious831]

I know it's very easy to be down and feel this way Jason but if I think of all the bad things, I'll miss out on the good things. I'm grateful for each day I get to live my life, despite the celiac and my other health problems. I think it's important to have a support system. It helps me also that I have a daughter who has multiple food allergies(though most of the time I'm sad about her as well). I tell myself that I have to be strong for her(and for me), that no one else is going to take care of her, she depends on me. I know my faith in God has helped me also. And most of all I believe in miracles.

Please try and talk to a counselor, get some help, nothing wrong with that. Sometimes we just need a little push. Please do what you need to find some joy in living again. I don't believe in reincarnation so for me, it's best to live this one life we've been given to the fullest, no matter what our lot in life is.

[India]

I'm no expert but I think I read that the risk returns to normal after five years gluten free - that is, it is untreated coeliac disease/eating gluten which carries the slightly higher risk.

That said, I would expect someone with coeliac disease who knowingly continues to eat gluten to also be neglecting their health and lifestyle in other ways which might also affect well-being.

[India]

Sorry Jason, I should've posted that further up. Another brain mush day. Sigh.

[oldmann1]

Awe I just want to give you a great big hug. I wish there was a hugging emoticon.

I have been told by doctors that I should not be alive but, I am still here. With all the seven disorders and illnesses I have, I was told most people do not make it to their 50th birday. I am 57 years old now and still here. Yes, my weight is way down low at the bottom but, I am still here and alive. I have beaten the odds and lived when the government doctors expected to me die.

All I can say is live each day until you die however long that takes.