Receiving a stage 4 cancer diagnosis is not something anyone wishes for themselves or their family members. To avoid such a situation, it’s a good idea to get regular checkups.
Uncovering Three Overlooked Cancer Symptoms
In addition to regular health checkups, it’s also important to perform self-checks. This means being alert to signs that could be a warning signal.
Read on to learn about a few signs that should set off alarm bells in your head.
Georgie Swallow, a content creator from the United Kingdom, is raising awareness about Hodgkin lymphoma. The cancer attacks the lymphatic system, a part of the immune system. Swallow wants to discuss some concerning signs that she had discovered in herself.
She was diagnosed when she was 28 years old. Due to her cancer treatment, she entered early menopause before she could have children.
The symptoms she wants to highlight are symptoms she ignored in herself because she thought they were due to stress. And going to a doctor would only be “a waste of everyone’s time.”
She didn’t think it was serious, even when she noticed a lump in the side of her neck.
Swallow is now 32 years old and admitted that her cancer not only affected her physical health but also her mental health. The three symptoms she had and ignored were itchy legs, night sweats, and overall fatigue.
“I had itching until my skin broke and it kept me awake all night. I went to the doctor and he thought it could be stress, allergies, or hives, but no cream or lifestyle change would make it disappear,” she shared.
“During that time, I lost weight, suffered from night sweats, was constantly exhausted, and had a constant flow of colds and flus, but I just thought I was overdoing it and exhausting myself.”
The content creator wanted to emphasize these symptoms because people often dismiss them as irrelevant. However, these symptoms can lead to a delayed cancer diagnosis.
Her early menopause feels like being “hit by a bus.”
“Cancer can take a lot from you, but losing my fertility before I had the chance to have children was difficult,” she shared.
“Menopause can be difficult at any age, but at 28, I had no one my age to talk to about it,” she continued, “None of my friends understood what I was going through, and as supportive as they were, it’s hard to comfort and relate to something you don’t understand.”
She wants to raise awareness about these symptoms and hopefully help others recognize them and possibly get a diagnosis much earlier than she did.
Share this with others who may benefit from learning more about these symptoms. Let us know what you think in the comments.
