A 'healthy' 29-year-old woman diagnosed with stage three cancer has detailed the four common disorders that the disease can be mistaken for.
While many still assume cancer only impacts the older generation, there's no doubt the disease is also providing deadly consequences for the younger individuals.
Cancer has been on the rise in younger people for the past few years, and much research is going into uncovering why this worrying trend is happening.
One 29-year-old woman took to Reddit recently to share her colon cancer diagnosis, and the symptoms she experienced prior to being told she has cancer.
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Writing on the 'Ask me Anything' Reddit forum recently, she said: Colon cancer rates among young adults are increasing every year. I’m active and quite healthy. I ran a PR half marathon last year and workout 3-4 times a week. I eat relatively healthy compared to folks my age, but I’m not perfect.
“Tested, and I had no genetic predispositions. Found the tumor during a colonoscopy after suspecting UC (ulcerative colitis) or internal hemorrhoids.”
The unnamed woman went on to speak about some of the symptoms she's been experiencing in recent months, some of which can be mistaken for other conditions.
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"Starting in December of last year I had dark blood and mucus in my stool, my stools were thinner than normal, and I was going number 2 multiple times a day when I was usually a one and done," she began.
"I saw my PCP in January and he referred me for a colonoscopy, but then my symptoms improved so I put it off because my deductible had reset and I didn’t feel like paying for it.
“Finally scheduled it for early April, woke up from the colonoscopy to the doctor telling me they found a mass.”
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The woman urged those who are experiencing similar symptoms for peace of mind as symptoms of colon cancer can are very similar to that of 'extremely treatable' diseases.
"It’s normal to be scared, but you can eliminate all of that anxiety by going to see a doctor and ruling out anything serious. IBS, ulcerative colitis, celiac, and crohn’s all have similar symptoms to colon cancer and are all extremely treatable. It’s better to know what’s going on in your body," the woman penned.
Symptoms of colon cancer include:
- A change in bowel habits.
- Blood in or on your stool (bowel movement).
- Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty all the way.
- Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don't go away.
- Weight loss and you don't know why.
Topics: Cancer, Colon cancer, Health, Reddit
Callum Jones