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A guy who received a stage 4 colorectal cancer diagnosis has opened up about the warning signs he saw before learning of his illness.
Joe Faratzis described the signs that he was dealing with a serious disease, acknowledging that he had “put these symptoms off for months.”
He revealed on TikTok that he had ignored the warning flags before ultimately choosing to have a colonoscopy to learn more.
He is now telling people that “early screening could save you and your family” and that they shouldn’t “risk your life by waiting to see a doctor.”
He revealed that his symptoms started in 2019 and that he was diagnosed five years ago at the age of 28.
The TMZ producer acknowledged that he dismissed his doctor’s worries and a CT scan because, at the time, he thought the symptoms weren’t serious.
According to Self Magazine, he believed he was “invincible.” That is, until he was unable to ignore the symptoms any longer and made the decision to share them in order to raise awareness among those who might be disregarding concerning symptoms as well.
@radiant14percent Live your life full of love and hope #colorectacancer #cancerfighter #cancer #rectalcancer #cancerjourney #stage4cancer #coloncancerawareness #coloncancer ♬ Runaway – Piano Rendition – The Blue Notes & L’Orchestra Cinematique
Sweating and sweating at night
Cathy Eng, MD, Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told Patient Power that “night sweats, weight loss, pain, chronic anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of energy” are all signs of advanced colon cancer.
This indicates that the cancer has either spread or reached a stage where treatment is more challenging.
Pain in the lower right abdomen
Healthline states that the location of cancer on your colon can be determined by the place where you experience pain.
For instance, the ascending colon, or “the first part of your colon that attaches to your small intestine,” is located in the lower right side. It raises the stool.
Frequently using the restroom
“I should have been more aware of the fact that I was using the restroom far more frequently than I should have, probably a few times a day,” he stated.
cramps in the abdomen when bending over
He disclosed that he felt agony everytime he leaned over, but he dismissed his CT scan and believed it to be a minor ailment.
Cramping and constipation
According to the MC Anderson Cancer Center, constipation and diarrhea are both obvious indicators of colorectal cancer, despite the NHS’s claim that the disease might alter your bowel habits.
Stool containing blood
When he saw blood on his toilet paper six months later, he thought it was from hemorrhoids, or piles, and brushed it off.
But the main clue that something wasn’t quite right was on the horizon.
The 34-year-old revealed: “A few months later, I had a major turning point that inspired me to treat my symptoms properly. I passed gas while seated on the couch, and as I looked down, I noticed blood.
There was around half a cup of blood in the toilet when I went to the restroom. I thought, “Holy f–k — obviously there’s some issue here,” even if it wasn’t unpleasant.
Faratzis revealed that throughout his tests, he had oral and intravenous chemotherapy, underwent surgery to remove cancerous pieces of his colon, and underwent operations to burn and freeze lesions that had formed on his liver and lungs.
Fortunately, his health started to improve when his treatments were implemented, and in 2023, he had his first clear CT scan.
He subsequently celebrated a full year of clear scans in April of this year, meaning that he can “kind of forget about this for another three months” until his next scan.
“If I got the CT scan back in 2019 when I had my earliest colorectal cancer symptoms — I might not have wound up in the position I’m in now,” he told Self, acknowledging that he could have avoided getting into such a serious scenario.
He has since turned into a proponent of early detection after his ordeal, telling viewers that “it turns out that having a functioning rectum is actually really important for your quality of life.”
