A 32-year-old woman shared the three key signs she overlooked before being diagnosed with cancer twice in her twenties.
Georgie Swallow, a British content creator, received devastating news multiple times in her young adult years.
Swallow later admitted that she had ignored some warning signs regarding her health, which led to her receiving upsetting news from the doctor when she finally sought medical attention.
Now, the Brit is encouraging others to get checked if they notice any of the primary cancer symptoms.
Before her diagnosis, Swallow explained the three main symptoms she dismissed, attributing them to simply being tired and stressed.
Reflecting on her experience, the Londoner emphasized what to watch for.
Exhaustion
She shared, “I was finding my feet with life and work and relationships and starting to feel like I was building my future. I was very active, social, and always on the go.”
However, this lifestyle led to her body breaking down, and she also faced other health problems.
Night Sweats
“During this time I was losing weight, having night sweats, constantly exhausted, and a never-ending stream of colds and flus but I just thought I was on the go too much and wearing myself out,” the 32-year-old explained.
Itchy Legs
The most annoying symptom, she said, was “The most prominent symptom that took me to the doctors multiple times was my incredibly itchy legs.”
“I would itch until I broke the skin, which would keep me up all night. I went to the doctor and they thought it could be stress, allergies, or urticaria but no cream or lifestyle change would make it go,” she concluded.
Reflecting on how she discovered her condition, she shared that it wasn’t until the doctor informed her she had stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma that she realized she needed to slow down.
“After being off work for about two weeks with a serious bout of flu, I went into the office and whilst at my desk discovered a peach-sized lump in the side of my neck,” she recalled.
The Brit confessed that she “naively” thought nothing serious was wrong with her.
Fearing that she was “wasting everyone’s time” and causing unnecessary concern, she shared that lymphoma symptoms are especially difficult to recognize.
“This is why lymphoma is diagnosed so late because you can brush the symptoms off so easily as other things.”
Due to her condition, she would enter early menopause, describing it as “being hit by a bus,” explaining that losing her fertility before having children was a particularly challenging experience.
She added: “The menopause at any age can be difficult but at 28 I didn’t have anyone my age to talk to about it. 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.”
Swallow also discussed the “42 recognised symptoms of menopause” and emphasized the importance of mental health, urging women to speak up and seek answers if they suspect they are going through early menopause.
