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A woman has spoken up about her four minor symptoms that preceded her diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer.
One in 17 men and one in 20 women will receive a bowel cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives, and 54% of these cases are preventable, according to Cancer Research UK.
The cancer type can be especially difficult to diagnose because its symptoms can mimic those of other disorders, such IBS.
Ellie Wilcock might have received a diagnosis sooner if she had identified the symptoms she was having, particularly one of them.
In a TikTok video, Pain Ellie described her problems.
She discounted the discomfort as perhaps being caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI) that had migrated to her kidneys because it was affecting both her front and back.
She clarified: “The first was pain in my pelvic and left side of my stomach.
“But all of my infection markers were coming back clear, so I didn’t have an infection in my body, which is why I went for further tests.”
In a TikTok video, Pain Ellie described her problems.
She discounted the discomfort as perhaps being caused by a urinary tract infection (UTI) that had migrated to her kidneys because it was affecting both her front and back.
She clarified: “The first was pain in my pelvic and left side of my stomach.
“But all of my infection markers were coming back clear, so I didn’t have an infection in my body, which is why I went for further tests.”
Modifications to toileting habits
Although Ellie wasn’t sure what she was looking for, it was a significant clue that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
She revealed: “I probably had number three, which was a shift in my bowel habits and blood in my poop, but I didn’t notice it at the time. Thus, this is one to closely monitor.”
She advised others not to take blood in their stool lightly, saying she wishes she had recognized this as a problem sooner.
According to the NHS, the symptoms include “changes in your poop, such as having softer poop, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you, needing to poop more or less frequently than usual for you, blood in your poop, which may look red or black, bleeding from your bottom, and often feeling like you need to poop, even if you’ve just been to the toilet.”
Other symptoms of the illness include “bloating,” “tummy pain,” and “a lump in your stomach.”
The woman clarified that she might have received a diagnosis before stage 4 if she had been aware that this was an indication.
Among the symptoms she recommended for the NHS to watch out for include diarrhea, constipation, softer stools, blood in the stool, and frequent urination.
Ellie said: “Look at your feces. I strongly believe in that.
Loss of weight and/or changes in appetite
Ellie continued by stating that “lack of appetite” was her fourth symptom.
“On official symptoms, this goes down as an unexplained weight loss,” she clarified. Since I didn’t experience the lack of hunger very often, I wasn’t really losing weight. My appetite was good most of the time.
“But in hindsight I remember having, like, nausea and not wanting to eat as much, because my bowel obviously wasn’t normal.”
Consult your general practitioner (GP) if you have been suffering any of the aforementioned symptoms or think they may apply to you.