10 Symptoms of Pancreatic Problems You Shouldn’t Ignore
If this headline is referring to pancreatic cancer, the word “SHOCK” is clickbait. Pancreatic cancer can cause few or no symptoms early on, and the symptoms below can also be caused by many much more common conditions.
10 possible warning signs
- Yellow skin or eyes (jaundice) — sometimes accompanied by itchy skin.
- Dark urine
- Pale or unusually light-colored stools
- Unexplained weight loss
- Persistent upper-abdominal pain, sometimes extending into the back.
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Persistent bloating or indigestion
- Changes in bowel movements, including diarrhea or constipation; greasy, oily or floating stools can occur when digestion of fat is impaired.
- Unusual or persistent fatigue.
One particularly important clue
New-onset diabetes or suddenly difficult-to-control diabetes, particularly in an older adult accompanied by unexplained weight loss, can sometimes be associated with pancreatic disease and deserves medical evaluation.
🚨 When to get checked
Yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes should be assessed promptly. Persistent unexplained weight loss, continuing abdominal/back pain, or significant changes in digestion also warrant medical evaluation.
Most importantly, having one or more of these symptoms does not mean you have pancreatic cancer. Gallstones, pancreatitis, ulcers, liver problems, digestive disorders and other conditions can produce similar symptoms.
