So as you can see my Duke Kaboom Handlebar Moustache is coming along gloriously, hopefully making people laugh at my face, for my moustache at least, but to make people think about Mens Health and just get checked out and if it saves one person, then JOB DONE.

November also acknowledges the Pancreatic Cancer society with the purple ribbon and as part of our commitment as a Trustee of Kicking Off Against Cancer we want to make you all aware of every Cancer.

Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer often doesn’t cause any signs or symptoms in the early stages. This can make it hard to diagnose early. As the cancer grows, it may start to cause symptoms. The symptoms and how bad they are can vary for each person.

It’s important to remember that symptoms described here can be caused by more common things. They can also be caused by conditions such as pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), gallstones, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of pancreatic cancer can be quite vague and may come and go to begin with. They may depend on where the cancer is in the pancreas, and you may not have all of these symptoms.

Common symptoms include:

tummy (abdominal) and back pain

unexplained weight loss

and indigestion.

Other symptoms include:

loss of appetite

changes to bowel habits – including steatorrhoea (pale, smelly poo that may float), diarrhoea (loose watery poo) or constipation (problems emptying your bowels)

jaundice (yellow skin and eyes, dark urine and itchy skin)

recently diagnosed diabetes

problems digesting food – such as feeling full quickly when eating, bloating, burping or lots of wind

feeling and being sick (nausea and vomiting)

and difficulty swallowing.

What should I do if I have symptoms?

If you have jaundice, go to your GP or accident and emergency (A&E) without delay. If you have any of the other symptoms, you don’t know why you have them, and they last four weeks or more, go to your GP.

These symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have pancreatic cancer, but you should get them checked out. Your GP should make a request for you (refer you) to have tests to find out what is causing these symptoms.

If your symptoms get worse or you develop any new symptoms suddenly, you should always see your GP. If your symptoms don’t improve, go back to your GP until you get a firm diagnosis, or a referral for tests to find out what’s causing them.

Read more about going to the GP if you have symptoms.

Information taken from the following association. https://www.pancreaticcancer.org.uk/information-and-support/facts-about-pancreatic-cancer/signs-and-symptoms-of-pancreatic-cancer/