Woman, 33, reveals symptoms she wishes weren't ignored before being diagnosed with deadly cancer
A TikToker has outlined all the symptoms she wished had been taken more seriously ahead of being diagnosed with cancer.
A woman from Sydney, Australia has taken to social media to speak about her difficulties dealing with a cancer diagnosis and hopes to encourage people to be vigilant against any changes in their health.
Tess, 33, who goes by the name @thegreenthumbmum said she now wants other women to take the symptoms seriously and insisted that catching things early is the best ‘cure’ against cancer.
In a viral TikTok, Tess explained what symptoms she was dealing with ahead of getting diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
Extreme stomach cramps
She said: “My symptoms were extreme stomach cramping, mine developed to be really extreme, it was probably more mild before then.
“This is about 10 months before diagnosis, to the point where I would be on the floor in the fetal position, it was so painful.
“Maybe similar to endometriosis kind of pains, very low in my abdomen, probably closer down to my pelvis where my colon was."
Blood test results
Tess said: “Number two was my blood test, I had no cancer in my blood however I had very low iron and I was also anemic.
“I’d go in and out of anemia so some blood tests would show anemia and others wouldn’t.
"I had always kind of had low iron so this wasn’t really something that was too worrisome because it was something I’ve been dealing with my whole adult life."
Blood in stool
Tess continued: “Next was blood in stool or blood in bowl or paper, people became very specific about where the blood was, it doesn't matter.
“Blood in stool or on paper is never normal and should always be investigated. Thin slim stool as well or changes in your bowel habits, if you are really constipated this could indicate a blockage in your colon.”
Tess explained that many of these symptoms were initially attributed to post-partum as she went to the doctors about these symptoms 18 months after giving birth.
However eventually experts were able to identify what she was dealing with was colon cancer that had spread to her liver.
Fortunately, medics have been able to remove all the cancer within her body in a complex operation and doctors have told Tess there is a 50 percent chance she will remain cancer free.
In her video, Tess reiterated the importance of taking these symptoms seriously and to check with healthcare professionals if you begin to experience them.
A woman has revealed the three crucial symptoms she turned a blind eye to before being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
Georgie Swallow, a content creator from London, UK, was just 28-years-old when she received the devastating news that she had stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma and was unable to conceive children after the cancer treatment triggered an early menopause.
However, she said she ignored many tell-tale signs for around a year and a half, assuming she was just tired and stressed.
It was only when doctors gave her the diagnosis that she realized just how sick and serious her condition was.
She explained: "After being off work for about two weeks with a serious bout of flu I went into the office and whilst at my desk discovered a peach sized lump in the side of my neck.
"Even then I wasn’t too worried because I just never even contemplated there would be anything serious wrong with me, naively."
Georgie said she was worried she was 'wasting everyone's time' in her trips to the doctor, and shrugged off her symptoms.
Now 32, Georgie has revealed the cancer and its gruelling treatment has taken its toll on her physical and mental health, and is exposing the main three signs of lymphoma she ignored in a bid to help others.
The three symptoms she struggled the most with were itchy legs, night sweats and generally feeling exhausted.
She explained: "I would itch until I broke the skin which would keep me up all night. I went to the doctor and they thought it could be stress, allergies or urticaria but no cream or lifestyle change would make it go.
"During this time I was losing weight, having night sweats, constantly exhausted and a never-ending stream of colds and flus but I just thought I was on the go too much and wearing myself out."
She added symptoms of lymphoma can be quite minor which is why the cancer is often detected so late, 'because you can brush the symptoms off so easily as other things', she added.
As an additional side effect, Georgie went into early menopause which she described as feeling like she'd been 'hit by a bus'.
She continued: "Cancer can take quite a lot away from you but having my fertility taken before I’d had a chance to have children was difficult.
"The menopause at any age can be difficult, but at 28 I didn’t have anyone my age to talk to about it.
"None of my friends understood what I was going through, and as supportive as they were, it’s hard to comfort and relate to something you don’t understand.”
Georgie is now working hard to raise awareness about the main lymphoma symptoms - and the mental health impact early menopause can have.
Georgie Swallow is working in partnership with Boots and Macmillan Cancer Support to raise awareness of early menopause caused by cancer treatment. For more information click here.
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