Featured Image Credit: SWNS
Topics: Health, Food and Drink, Alcohol, Cancer
Lucy Devine
A man who was diagnosed with a deadly form of skin cancer has revealed the bizarre symptom he experienced after drinking just one glass of wine.
Tennis coach, Simon Bowler, from the UK, explained that he first noticed the little-known symptom back in October 2023.
It came before he was given a devastating skin cancer diagnosis by medics, with a lump in his neck initially being dismissed by doctors as a harmless cyst.
Sadly, Simon's cancer ended up spreading to his brain and the sports coach had to start a course of targeted radiotherapy in order to 'zap it out'.
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But there was a little-known sign of the deadly illness months before, and Simon only noticed it while he was drinking a glass of wine.
Simon, 50, explained he felt tipsy much more quickly than ever before after drinking the wine, while he also started noticing other symptoms, too.
"I can usually drink a bottle of wine and not feel anything," he explained.
On one occasion, Simon started experiencing a strange 'head fuzz' sensation, as well as blurry vision. He also noticed a concerning lump in his neck.
Although the lump was initially thought to be a cyst, Simon decided to push for more tests.
Days later and he received a call from his doctor while on his way to work.
“He asked if I was sitting down. I told him I was driving, and he asked me to pull over,” said Simon.
“I knew it was bad news. He said they suspected cancer.”
Further tests determined that the cyst was in fact melanoma, which is a form of skin cancer.
The American Cancer Society explains that melanoma is a type of skin cancer that develops when melanocytes grow out of control.
It is less common than some other types of skin cancer but it's more dangerous as it's more likely to spread if not treated.
In February 2024, Simon had surgery to remove the tumors and began immunotherapy.
However, nine months later, he started experiencing similar symptoms.
“To be honest, I didn't feel right in my head. I started having blurred vision again, and I couldn't switch off at night," he said.
Simon discovered that the cancer had spread to his brain, and began a targeted form of radiotherapy.
However, he suffered with gastrointestinal symptoms and was not able to use the toilet. Simon ended up being hospitalised, explaining he felt as though he'd been 'hit by a truck' after a high dose of steroids left him with nerve damage in his arms and legs.
"I felt numb, battered. It was like I'd been hit by a truck," he said.
"I've got wobbly legs now and a right hand that can barely grip a racket, let alone type. But I'm still trying.
"That hospital stay nearly broke me. When I got home, I'd just burst into tears for days. It stripped away everything that felt like me."
Simon has paused treatment and is currently working with his oncology team to work out the next steps.
A GoFundMe has also been set up to help Simon rebuild his life. He also plans on donating a percentage of what's raised to charity.
"It's OK to cry," he said. 'It's OK to admit you're not OK," he said.
"I've been stripped of a lot of my identity—but I haven't lost my will to keep going.
"I just want to get back to helping people, mentoring young players, and showing them what resilience looks like."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.