A MUM was asked by medics if she was expecting triplets – before she had life-saving surgery to remove an eight-pound cyst.
Sharon-Phillipson Reed, 47, was horrified to discover she had a cancerous tumour on her ovary, measuring almost half a metre wide.
The mum-of-one, from Ulverston, Cumbria, had spent months begging doctors to take her symptoms seriously.
One had even told her she was too fat and simply needed to lose weight.
But Sharon was in so much pain, and struggling to breathe, that doctors eventually performed life-saving surgery and the cyst, measuring 44cm, was removed.
It is so important to listen to your own body… I am one of the lucky ones
Sharon, who is mum to Nathan, 16, is now fully recovered and last week was given the all clear from the disease.
She says: “I just want other women to be aware of the symptoms.
"It is so important to listen to your own body. I am one of the lucky ones.”
Misdiagnoses
Sharon’s problems began in July 2016 with stomach pain, and her doctors assured her she had a bug.
But she continued to feel unwell, and a GP told her she needed to lose weight.
Another asked if she was pregnant, and another suggested she may be suffering from bloating and IBS.
But Sharon had an instinct that something was not right.
She was referred for a scan, which showed a cyst measuring 15cms on her ovary.
She says: “I was warned to prepare myself for cancer. My son was only 12 at the time and it was traumatic for the whole family.”
Meanwhile, as she waited for a surgery date at home, Sharon’s symptoms worsened.
Further tests appeared to show that the cyst was not cancerous, and her operation was again put on hold.
In pain
She says: “I was becoming really breathless and I was in so much pain and I was tanked up on morphine all day.
"I felt so full that all I could manage every day was a single chocolate from the Advent calendar.
“Christmas 2016 completely passed me by.”
But by December 27, her husband, Daniel, was so concerned that he called an ambulance.
The 7 ovarian cancer warning signs to know
Ovarian Cancer is the fifth most common cancer in women with around 7,000 new cases diagnosed in the UK each year.
But millions of women are putting themselves at risk because they don't know the key symptoms. These include:
1. Bloating
Loads of us suffer from bloating on a regular basis but here, we're talking about chronic bloating that doesn't go away after you've had a poo or a few hours after eating.
2. Pain in your belly or pelvic area
Again, belly aches aren't uncommon but if you feel pain every day then that's an indication that something's up.
If you have tension in your stomach or pelvis which goes after passing wind or going to the loo, you might have something like IBS.
With ovarian cancer, however, there's no physical release.
3. Feeling full quickly when eating
Changes in appetite are always worth getting checked out. If you normally demolish three good meals a day and suddenly find yourself struggling to eat half of your breakfast, something's not right.
4. Needing to pee more often
Drinking more water might make you run to the loo but when you're peeing more frequently for no apparent reason, it's worth getting checked out.
Needing to pee usually isn't a sign of ovarian cancer but could be a symptom of something else going on in the area.
5. Back pain
Like needing to pee more, there are any number of reasons why you might get lower back pain.
But if you have any of these other signs then you absolutely must go to see your GP as soon as you can.
6. Change in poo habits
Our poo tells us a lot about our health.
To know if anything changes, you have to be aware of what's natural for you. If you normally go for a poo once or twice a day and suddenly find yourself running to the loo five or six times, that's a sign that something is off.
The same applies if you struggle to go at all.
7. Unexplained weight loss
If you haven't been actively trying to lose weight and find that a couple of stone have suddenly fallen off, that's not a good sign.
Losing weight when you are not trying to is a very common symptom in people with cancer. It may be one of the reasons you first go to the doctor.
An unexplained weight loss of 10lbs or more may be the first sign of cancer.
She was admitted to Furness General Hospital, Cumbria, by now barely able to breathe.
She says: “One of the nurses said to me: ‘When are you due? It looks like triplets!’ My stomach was that swollen and big that everyone just assumed I was pregnant.
“You could actually see the cyst growing at a daily rate, it was like a scene from Alien.”
On January 2 2017, Sharon had life-saving surgery to remove the 8lbs 3ozs cyst which measured 44cm x 22cm x 10cm. She also had a full hysterectomy.
She says: “It was a strange feeling waking up from the op.
"I was in a lot of pain, but I also felt so much lighter – I felt empty inside.”
Sharon believed her ordeal was behind her. But six weeks on, tests showed that the tumour was in fact cancerous after all.
I was in a lot of pain, but I also felt so much lighter – I felt empty inside
Sharon says: “I was in total shock. I had to cope with the effects of major surgery, plus a cancer diagnosis, and I was also in an early menopause because of the hysterectomy.
“My husband and son were wonderful, but it was a tough time for us all.
"I had a whole year of antibiotics whilst I struggled with infections.”
Sharon eventually made a full recovery and last week was given the all-clear from cancer.
She says: “I’d like to make people aware of the symptoms and signs of ovarian cancer.
"It is so important to trust your instincts and to listen to what your body is telling you.
“The death of Diane Oxberry from the BBC was so tragic and made me realise how lucky I have been, despite everything.
"I want to make sure I use this second chance to educate others.”
Sharon hopes to set up a support group for survivors of ovarian cancer this year.
Source: Read Full Article