A young woman has shared the symptoms she experienced before receiving a cancer diagnosis, including the 'number one sign' to immediately book a doctor's appointment.
Bowel cancer is shockingly common in the UK, and the outcome can be improved greatly by catching it early.
Paige Seifert was diagnosed at the age of just 24, and has been sharing her story on TikTok in a bid to raise awareness.
She revealed she suffered from three symptoms which caused her to go to a doctor as she feared something was wrong, and she was right to be worried.
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It was fortunate that she went and was listened to, as she was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer last year.
When cancer reaches stage three, it means it has spread to nearby tissue and lymph nodes, however it hasn't reached other organs (stage four).
Paige did add a caveat saying: "I want to preface this by saying that just because you have all three of these symptoms does not mean you have colon cancer."
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She reassured viewers: "In fact, statistically speaking, you probably don't. These symptoms are linked to things like IBS, coeliac, and a number of other things. So don't freak out, I'm just explaining my personal story."
These are three symptoms she noticed, which made her realise something might be wrong.
However, she did add it took her seeing four different doctors and insisting something was wrong before she was diagnosed, so stressed the importance of 'advocating' for yourself.
Blood
One of the most common warning signs in people with bowel cancer is noticing blood when you go to the toilet.
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It could be in your poo itself, in the toilet, or on the tissue when you wipe.
Paige says this was the main thing she noticed that raised alarm.
She said: "A lot of people ask what it looked like, the frequency, all that jazz.
"If you're seeing blood in your stool [at all], that's your number one [sign to] go see a doctor.
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"Of course, it can be chalked up to [something like] haemorrhoids, and that's what the first four doctors I saw told me that it was, but it's better to have a doctor confirm that."
Tiredness and fatigue
There's a whole lot going on in the world, which can lead to tiredness or feeling exhausted.
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It can be anything from stress, emotional overload, vitamin deficiencies or insomnia.
However, it can also be linked to more serious things like cancer.
Paige revealed: "I know everyone in this day and age is fatigued, but cancer fatigue is a whole other level.
"I'm not the kind of person who can fall asleep in the middle of the day or take naps, but my eyes were slamming shut all the time.
"It didn't matter if I got 12 hours of sleep; I was just exhausted."
Upset stomach
Stomach problems are common with bowel cancers, seeing as it impacts the digestive system.
Like tiredness, it can also have many causes, so it's important not to panic.
Paige said: "I'm not going to go into depth here, as I honestly can't remember exactly what it felt like, and as a woman, this can be chalked up to a million different things, just like the rest of these symptoms.
"But all of these combined just made me feel like something had to be wrong."
Other symptoms
According to the NHS, these are the symptoms you should be mindful of, and seek medical advice if needed.
- Changes in your poo, whether that's constipation, diarrhoea or a change in consistency that is unusual
- Needing to go to the toilet a lot more, or a lot less
- Blood in your poo. This isn't always bright red, it may also look black or tar-like in consistency
- Bleeding from your bottom, either into the water or on the paper when you wipe
- Feeling like you still need to go, even if you've just been
- Tummy pain, bloating, or a lump in your stomach
- Losing weight without trying
- Feeling very tired or short of breath can be signs of anaemia, which can be caused by bowel cancer
Topics: NHS, Bowel cancer, Cancer, TikTok, Health
Jen Thomas