'I was diagnosed with stage four cancer in my 20s after ignoring three symptoms for months'
Georgie Swallow was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma in June 2017 after she ignored her symptoms for months believing she was just tired and run down
A woman in her 20s has recounted how she brushed off persistent symptoms as just fatigue and stress, before a crushing cancer diagnosis made her confront reality.
Speaking to Surrey Live, Georgie Swallow recalled the relentless itching that would leave her skin raw, saying: "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 continued to downplay the severity of her condition despite troubling signs: "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."
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It wasn't until a grim revelation from her doctor that the gravity of her situation hit home: "Honestly, it took the doctor telling me 'you have stage 4 Hodgkin lymphoma' for me to realise how serious it was.
"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. Even then I wasn't too worried because I just never even contemplated there would be anything serious wrong with me, naively!"
She confided that even after finding a sizeable lump in her neck at work, she felt overly anxious about being a bother.
Georgie admitted her fear of "wasting everyone's time" and highlighted how the subtle symptoms can mask the severity of lymphoma: "This is why lymphoma is diagnosed so late because you can brush the symptoms off so easily as other things."
Georgie faced an early onset of menopause, admitting it was tough handling such a change so young. "Physically, it was like being hit by a bus. Cancer can take quite a lot away from you but having my fertility taken before I'd had a chance to have children was difficult."
Finding it challenging at 28, she felt isolated, with no one her age who could relate to her struggle, reports the Mirror.
"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."
Now 32, Georgie is passionate about raising awareness and reassures others in similar positions that support is available. "There are 42 recognised symptoms of menopause and I think we all talk about the hot flashes and loss of periods but the most important one for me would be mental health. I have spoken to so many women who felt like they were having a nervous breakdown, myself included, because they didn't realise what they were experiencing was menopause."
Mental wellbeing during this time is crucial to Georgie, who believes acknowledging the issue can alleviate some stress.
"Your mood changes and you can suffer with low moments and I think the minute you recognise what it is, the less stressful it becomes."
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