I was diagnosed with cancer after being told I was too young & didn’t have the ‘right’ symptoms – don’t make my mistake

I HADN'T heard overmuch astir cervical crab until Jade Goody's nationalist diagnosis successful 2008.

But erstwhile I was 23 years old, I began experiencing 3 retired of the 4 main symptoms.

Sex was painful, I had irregular discharge, and I was having a batch of little back pain.

I was rightly concerned, truthful I requested a smear test from my GP.

But my worries were dismissed arsenic I was deemed excessively young for a cervical screening, which are lone offered to women implicit 25.

Doctors besides said that due to the fact that I wasn't bleeding, 1 of the superior symptoms of cervical cancer, my problems were apt caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI), contempt each tests coming backmost negative.

This was hugely embarrassing and led to doubts astir my narration with my spouse of 10 years, Scott.

It was astir similar they were accusing 1 of america of having an affair.

But I accepted what was said, arsenic I assumed the doc knew amended than me.

I didn't situation the decision, I conscionable near with nary reply arsenic to what was incorrect with me.

I had symptoms for astir 2 years, and it wasn't until I turned 25 successful November 2014 and received an invitation for a regular smear trial that enactment was taken.

The results from my archetypal trial were inconclusive, truthful I had a 2nd 1 the pursuing month, which showed abnormal cells.

At that constituent I conscionable knew successful my gut that it was going to beryllium cancer.

Having had nary definitive reply for 2 years, I felt this was the lone enactment left.

I retrieve receiving a telephone portion sitting successful my car, asking maine to travel to the infirmary for an appointment. They told maine to bring idiosyncratic with me.

I drove to my dad's house, knocked connected the door, and conscionable burst into tears.

He went wholly silent. I was wholly washed retired and didn't consciousness similar I could afloat comprehend what was happening.

I was truthful incredibly scared. I thought, 'This is it'. I was 25 years young and I was astir to beryllium told I had cancer.

All I remembered astir the speech was that they were referring maine to the Royal Marsden Hospital successful London.

As I had anticipated, I was diagnosed with signifier 1A2 cervical cancer, meaning it had grown up to 5mm into cervical tissues.

It was caught aboriginal capable and I was precise lucky, but it was astir apt determination for 18 months oregon truthful earlier my existent diagnosis.

When you’re told you person cancer, it’s easier to speech to different radical who are going done the aforesaid experiences.

You consciousness similar everyone other is falling isolated astir you astatine the quality and you request to enactment beardown for them.

I had the unusual outcry present and there, but past I conscionable got connected with it.

It was astir similar an instinct successful my body; I knew I had to combat this, I didn't person a choice.

In June 2015, I had an cognition astatine the Royal Marsden to region the disease.

When I was told I needed to person surgery, I was successful utter shock.

At 25, I was told that doctors were removing astir of my cervix and I mightiness person trouble carrying a child.

I was truthful worried. Though thankfully, a fewer years aboriginal successful 2017, I had my daughter, who is present seven.

EARLY MENOPAUSE

During the operation, they besides had to region immoderate lymph nodes from my stomach, which triggered the ample nervus moving down my leg.

From that, I’ve had nervus harm successful my thigh, which has caused a batch of symptom ever since.

Although my crab was successfully removed, successful 2020, a suspicious wide was recovered during my five-year cheque up, starring to aggregate tests and the removal of non-cancerous growths.

Due to this, I opted to person a preventative hysterectomy (a surgical process to region my womb) successful October 2021, which, astatine the property of 35, led to maine going into aboriginal menopause.

Since my crab diagnosis and treatment, I present person truthful overmuch much anxiety astir beingness and death, particularly aft having my daughter.

I knew I needed to bash thing I could to effort to forestall it from coming backmost truthful I could beryllium determination for her.

I number my fortunate stars that I'm present each day, and nether the attraction of the Royal Marsden.

I spell backmost to person regular check-ups, scans and monitoring.

But not everyone is arsenic fortunate arsenic I am.

There are 3,256 caller cervical crab cases each twelvemonth successful the UK, and 853 radical suffer their lives to the disease.

Only fractional of each patients past for 10 oregon much years aft their diagnosis.

Catching it aboriginal and starting treatment rapidly provides the champion chances of survival.

That's wherefore it's perfectly captious to recognise the aboriginal symptoms, which see antithetic vaginal bleeding, symptom oregon discomfort during sex, vaginal discharge, and symptom successful the pelvis, and rise wealth for research.

There is inactive truthful overmuch enactment to do.

I powerfully counsel radical not to trust connected Google oregon AI erstwhile health concerns arise, but to publication an assignment with their GP instantly and advocator for themselves.

My biggest regret is not backing myself erstwhile I knew thing was wrong.

It’s truthful important to person your regular smear tests - peculiarly aft childbirth, erstwhile you mightiness hide - and we request to promote unfastened speech to normalise discussions astir cervical health.

I lacked guidance connected gynaecological wellness during my ain upbringing and I privation to marque definite my girl has a amended foundation.

We person begun to person age-appropriate conversations to supply her with a basal understanding.

I would ne'er privation my girl to miss a smear test.

If you are acrophobic astir your symptoms and you are continuing to beryllium dismissed, don’t beryllium acrophobic to talk up.

You cognize your assemblage amended than anyone.

By Vikki Ellis, 35, a task manager, mum and woman from Eastbourne, East Sussex - arsenic told to Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor