Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Lose Weight Quickly » My friends are talking about babies but Im 26 and going through menopause after bowel cancer spread to my o – The Sun

TURNING the hospital air conditioning up to full blast, Victoria Jackson sighed as the sweat poured from her skin.

Not many 26-year-olds have to deal with the menopause - but hot flushes and night sweats are something she has got used to.

8

8

Victoria, from Maghaberry, Co Antrim., was diagnosed with bowel cancer, which had spread to her ovaries and abdominal cavity last year.

Her only option was radical surgery to cut away a third of her bowel and a full hysterectomy - forcing her into early menopause.

Fewer than one in ten people survive bowel cancer if it's picked up at stage 4, but detected quickly, more than nine in ten patients will live five years or longer.

Early diagnosis is key, which is why The Sun launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign - to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of the disease, to empower everyone to check themselves.

The mum-of-one started suffering with bouts of diarrhoea and stomach cramps after every meal in summer 2018.

Initially she didnt want to bother her GP partly because she didntwant to waste the doctors time and partly because she felt embarrassedabout her toilet troubles.

Instead her unpredictable bowels became a running joke in herhousehold.

My eight-year-old son George would ask Wheres Mummy? So my hubby Simon would reply Where do you think? Shes on the loo again'.

We just didnt think it could be anything serious at my age.

I didnt want to sit in front of my male doctor and tell him I was pooing all the time

But as the months past, Victorias condition became more and moredebilitating.

It was affecting my whole life. Whenever we went anywhere I was always looking for the nearest loo," she said.

"I had a couple of near misses and had to run out of meetings at work a few times.

George plays football and the Portaloos at the side of the pitch can be pretty unpleasant, so Id deliberately not eat before his matches so I wouldnt get caught short.

At my worst, I was running to the loo up to 12 times a day.

After about six months Victoria made an appointment with her GP, but was told her problems were down to haemorrhoids and given some cream.

I didnt question it, I was just relieved to have an answer, says Victoria, now 27.

It had been hard enough to sit in front of a doctor and tell her I was pooing all the time.

I was a busy mum to George and Id just got married to my hubbySimon.

I was brushing my tummy troubles under the carpet. We all know the NHS is under pressure, I didnt want to bother them with something silly like my toilet habits.

8

8

But I was still in so much pain, sometimes I couldnt even zip up myjeans.

"As the symptoms persisted Simon and my mum Joan keptpushing me to go back.

Eventually, in March 2019, a locum GP referred Victoria to Belfasts Ulster Hospital for a sigmoidoscopy examination, where an endoscope camera is used to view the bowel.

By this time, she was finding large amounts of blood in her stools.

Her procedure was scheduled for Mothers Day, 2019.

What are the red-flag bowel cancer signs?

While screening is one way of ensuring early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.

Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and checking with your GP can prove a life-saver.

If you notice any of the signs, don't be embarrassed and don't ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of patients with bowel problems.

The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:

In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.

She said: After the scan, the doctor immediately asked if Simon could come in to join us.

Hed been sitting out in the waiting room. Thats when I knew it was bad news.

The doctor said hed need to do a biopsy to be sure, but hed found a huge mass almost completely blocking my bowel. He couldnt get the camera past it.

He said that in his opinion it was cancer.

I couldnt believe it, I was too young for bowel cancer."

8

8

The doctor told me it meant I couldnt have any more children

But an MRI and CT scans brought more bad news - the cancer had alreadyspread beyond the bowel to both of Victorias ovaries and lymph nodes.

Her only option was surgery to cut away a third of her bowel and give her a full hysterectomy.

The doctor told me it meant I couldnt have any more children, she says.

I think he expected me to freak out, but I just told him it was more important that I stay alive for the son I already have.

Simon is 40 and has other children from a previous relationship, sowed already talked about not having any more kids. My survival wasmuch more important.

Victoria underwent surgery on May 3, 2019, and surgeons found evidence of cancer cells in her peritoneum the fluid in her abdominal cavity.

That was the most worrying bit, she explains.

They couldnt remove that during the operation so we had to hope that the chemo would kill it.

She began 12 gruelling cycles of chemotherapy.

She was prescribed HRT, but warned that her menopause was on its way.

I didnt know what to expect, she says. My friends were all talkingabout babies no one my age has any clue about the menopause.

Soon I was waking up at night, and breaking into sweats for noreason.

I didnt know which of my symptoms were due to the chemotherapy and which to the menopause.

"Thankfully this particular chemo drug hasnt made me lose my hair, but it has brought me out in an acne rash all over my face and chest.

One day I was sat in my hospital room during a chemo session, withthe air con on full blast, and a nurse came in and said brrrrrrrr itsfreezing in here!

I was like Really? Im boiling! The sweats lashing off me!

The nurse said Oh, thatll be your menopause. Thats when the penny finally dropped.

8

8

Victoria, who works in community development for Lisburn andCastlereagh City Council, is now on targeted hormone therapy and isawaiting the results of her latest scan.

She and Simon have told George that there is a 'bug in mummystummy called cancer' and she is taking 'special medicine to fix it'.

Victoria is telling her story because she wants to raise awareness ofearly bowel cancer symptoms in younger patients.

Ive lost all my embarrassment now, she laughs. After everythingthats happened to me, I could talk about poo all day.

"If somethings not right with your toilet habits, get it checked out.

If Id caught my cancer earlier then it might not have spread and Imight not have needed a hysterectomy.

Also dont be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you have worryingsymptoms and your GP isnt taking you seriously.

Victorias mum Joan Brown, 60, said: Bowel cancer isnt talked about as much as some other cancers and we just assume it mainly affects older people.

If Victoria had been diagnosed sooner she might have had more treatment options.

There are two ways to ensure early diagnosis - screening and awareness.

In the UK, bowel cancer is one of three screening programmes, alongside breast and cervical cancers.

But, Brits are subjected to a bowel cancer screening postcode lottery.

In Scotland, screening starts at 50 - yet in England, Wales and Northern Ireland people have to wait until their 60th birthdays to be invited for screening.

DI-WHY?Mum redecorating her home finds funny tip left by previous owner

STEP UPWoman revamps porch step for just 9 using B&Q tester pots but vows never again

RAISING THE BARBritains biggest family the Radfords open their own epic outdoor bar

NOT ON BRANDShopper baffled after being 'sent PRIMARK skirt instead of 35 PLT blazer'

VIVA LA VANSVans announce up to half price sale on trainers

That's why The Sun launched the No Time 2 Lose campaign in April 2018 - to call on the Government to lower the screening age to 50.

Experts predict the move could save around 4,500 lives every year.

In the summer of 2018, health secretary Matt Hancock announced screening in England would be lowered to 50 - marking a victory for The Sun and campaigners, including Lauren Backler, who lost her mum Fiona to the disease aged just 53.

Genevieve Edwards, chief executive of Bowel Cancer UK, said: Were so grateful to Victoria for sharing her story and highlighting the importance of visiting a doctor with bowel cancer symptoms as soon as possible.

"Bowel cancer is the UKs second biggest cancer killer, but its treatable and curable, especially when diagnosed and treated early.

GPs see patients with bowel concerns every day, so you shouldnt be embarrassed to visit them if you have symptoms like bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo, a persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit, unexplained weight loss, extreme tiredness for no obvious reason and a pain or lump in your tummy.

Were concerned right now that the coronavirus pandemic has stopped many people with bowel cancer symptoms contacting their doctor, because they dont want to burden the NHS at this time of crisis, or are worried about catching coronavirus by leaving the house.

"But if you have any of the symptoms of bowel cancer please contact your GP as soon as possible.

Original post:
My friends are talking about babies but Im 26 and going through menopause after bowel cancer spread to my o - The Sun

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Lose Weight Quickly » My friends are talking about babies but Im 26 and going through menopause after bowel cancer spread to my o – The Sun