'i was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer after dismissing four symptoms'

ONE WOMAN HAS TAKEN TO TIKTOK TO SHARE HER EXPERIENCE OF OVERLOOKING FOUR INNOCUOUS SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE, WHILE URGING OTHER PEOPLE TO REMAIN MORE VIGILANT 15:59, 28 Feb 2025 A woman who

was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer has urged people to spot these easy-to-miss warning signs of the disease after overlooking them herself. Heather Beth, who chronicles her cancer

journey on the TikTok page heyheatherbeth, is also raising awareness for anyone worried they could be diagnosed with something serious. In a recent video, she discussed the four primary

symptoms she exhibited prior to her diagnosis, urging viewers to be vigilant about their health. The first symptom to watch out for are changes in bowel movements. Heather noted this could

be anything from having diarrhoea to constipation or going to the toilet more often. "If this happens for longer than a period of, like, three weeks, that's something to perhaps go

to your GP about," she added. "I can't say I noticed a change [in bowel habits] at all, to be honest. It just was... normal." The second major warning sign Heather

revealed was fatigue, which she said she "definitely" had. In a heart-to-heart about her struggles with exhaustion, she opened up on the unexpected "wave of tiredness"

that would often hit her after meals, linking it partly to her battle with anaemia. Article continues below "I was absolutely exhausted for about five to six months before I ended up in

A&E. I would do shifts at work and I would just be absolutely knackered. It would take me the whole next day to recover," she recalled. The third common symptom is unexpected

weight loss, particular when people have "not changed your activity level, or you're not on a particular diet intended to lose weight". Heather explained: "I had lost

about a stone in weight but, again, this was over a period of about five or six months so it was noticeable, but it wasn't drastic. So, again, I sort of didn't really put the two

and two together and think this might be a symptom of colon cancer." She finally said that bloating, particularly after eating, was the fourth common sign – one that she occasionally

experienced but initially dismissed as a normal occurrence. "I mean, who doesn't get bloating sometimes after a big meal?" she quizzed. Her candid video has been watched more

than 8,500 times since it went live this month and has resonated with viewers who were quick to thank her for shedding light on such crucial health insights. BOWEL CANCER SYMPTOMS TO SPOT

The NHS says there are a number of signs to be vigilant about for bowel cancer. However, it is important to mention that experiencing these symptoms doesn't automatically point to bowel

cancer. Article continues below * Changes in your poo, like having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is unusual for you * Feeling the need to poo more or less often than usual for

you * Blood in your poo, which may look red or black * Bleeding from your bottom * Often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet * Tummy pain * A lump in

your tummy * Bloating * Losing weight without trying * Feeling very tired for no reason If you worried at any point about these symptoms, call your GP immediately.