A colon cancer survivor is warning others about the five signs and symptoms she ignored.
In 2012, at the age of 44, Cheryl (@just.cherl) was diagnosed with stage 3c colon cancer. Since then, she has been an advocate for awareness on TikTok.
Colon cancer has long been associated with the elderly, especially people over 65. However, colorectal cancer rates have risen steadily in adults under 50 since the 1990s.
Oncologists have partly blamed the alarming rise in cases and deaths among young people on obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, the Western diet, excessive sugar consumption and environmental factors such as pollutants in the air, soil and water.
Inspired by the troubling trend, the US Preventive Services Task Force changed its guidelines for colorectal cancer screening in 2021 to lower the recommended age to start screening from 50 to 45, but those experiencing symptoms and those with a history family members of colon cancer may qualify earlier. .
Colorectal cancer develops in the tissues of the colon or rectum – both are part of the large intestine in the digestive system.
It is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the US, with the American Cancer Society estimating that approximately 53,000 Americans will die of colorectal cancer this year.
Early detection can improve the chances of survival. Treatment often includes surgery to remove the tumor, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
To ensure early diagnosis and effective treatment, Cheryl shared the five telltale symptoms that developed in the years leading up to her diagnosis.
“Don’t be like me if you really have problems then go get checked,” she said. “Early detection is the key!! It’s okay to be nervous and scared, but not to the point where you don’t do anything!”
Stomach pain
Cherly noted that after eating, she would experience severe stomach pains that felt similar to a food allergy.
“Every time I ate something, I got sick. It would just make my stomach hurt. It got to the point where I became an introvert because I couldn’t go out,” she said.
“I couldn’t do that because who knows when I would have to excuse myself and go to the bathroom. If you have a stomach ache after two out of three meals, something is wrong.”
Changes in bowel movements
Occasional constipation isn’t a cause for concern, but if you’re normally regular — and then stop for weeks or months at a time — that’s not normal and could be a sign that cancer is blocking your bowels.
Very thin stools can also be a signn, how severe diarrhea can be.
Cheryl said that for years before her diagnosis, she experienced severe constipation followed by diarrhea.
“I would go three to four days without having a bowel movement and then diarrhea. “This was in the early stages when if I had gone to the doctor and they would have done a colonoscopy, they could have seen the precancerous polyps,” she said.
She stressed that people who regularly rely on OTC medications “to either go to the bathroom or not to go to the bathroom” should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
Low iron
Cheryl said she started having problems with low iron two decades before her diagnosis. She was unable to donate blood during a routine Red Cross blood drive at work.
Bleeding from colorectal tumors can, over time, lead to anemia, a condition that occurs when the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells.
Anemia is present in 30% to 75% of colorectal cancer patients, according to a 2023 study.
Chest pain
When Cheryl engaged in exercise or other cardiovascular activities, her heart rate would increase and she would feel extreme pain in her chest.
“I felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. And every time I stood up, I would feel faint.”
She explained that the combination of chest pain and dizziness was the result of a lack of blood in her system. “All my blood was going to my tumors.”
Blood in the stool
Recent research found that the most common red flag for colorectal cancer in young people was rectal bleeding, with nearly half of those diagnosed reporting blood on their toilet paper or in their toilet.
Cheryl, who experienced hemorrhoids in her teens and 20s, dismissed this critical sign.
“I just thought it was normal, and later, when the cancer progressed, the blood was really dark, almost black. The whole time I thought I had an ulcer,” she said.
While blood can be a symptom of colon cancer, other causes of rectal bleeding include IBD, anal fissures and hemorrhoids. In any case, this type of bleeding should be treated and evaluated by a medical professional.
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Image Source : nypost.com