'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. "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.