A woman has recalled being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer after noticing a bizarre symptom while eating out with friends.
While some cancers are more obvious to spot, there are some forms of the disease that can be mistaken for illnesses a lot less serious.
Erica, a navy veteran and single mom, spoke to The Patient Story recently about a cancer diagnosis that came completely out of the blue after not recognising the symptoms straight away.
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Recalling one particular moment, Erica said: "I went out for dinner with a friend and I was full instantly. I took a couple of bites and then I was kind of forcing it down and that was usual. Because as I said, I'd been working out and working out heavy, so my appetite was through the roof.."
On top of noticing subtle signs like monthly fatigue, bloating, and occasional sharp pain, Erica went for a hysterectomy - a surgical procedure where the uterus is removed.
Erica explained how a 'small inner voice' told her doctors would find something 'wrong' and once she had come round, the single mom was told by doctors the surgery hadn't even been done.
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The navy veteran was told she had cancer.
"The doctor there told me what they had found and it was quite a bit of cancer in my belly. There was a question as to where the cancer had originated from," Erica went on to explain to The Patient Story.
"It took about two weeks that I knew I had cancer but I didn't know exactly what it was."
Because the cancer 'had touched so many organs', doctors had to ensure they got the diagnosis right.
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Erica was diagnosed with appendiceal cancer, a type of cancer that grows from cells that make up the appendix.
Symptoms of such cancer include inflammation or infection of your appendix, aka appendicitis, bloating, increase in waist size, fluid buildup in your abdomen, pain in your abdomen or pelvis, nausea and vomiting, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Erica has gone through a whopping 12 rounds of chemotherapy since an initial diagnosis, while she has seen the cancer come back for a third time after receiving the all-clear on two separate occasions.
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While Erica has been through the mill in recent times, she expressed the importance of maintaining a positive outlook on things, explaining she has been saying 'yes' to a lot more opportunities.
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.
Callum Jones