We should always be well-tuned to our body and any changes within it because of how it can help tip us off to anything that might be awry in terms of our health.
This mother of six noticed four symptoms, which ended up leading her to getting a diagnosis of cancer. Now, she is sharing those symptoms with everyone.
Keep reading to learn more.
When Elaine Griffin of New Jersey was 44 years old, she was diagnosed with Stage 2b colon cancer. And now she is hoping to use her experience to help others.
Thankfully, Griffin was cleared of her cancer last September. But now she wants to make sure people are able to catch the symptoms early so they can also recover as she did.
Severe Intestine Pain
Initially, Griffin assumed the intestinal pain she was experiencing was because she had developed food intolerances. She attributed the intense bowel movements to her gluten allergy. She began to journal and keep track of what she was eating and how it made her feel.
“It was one of those things where I knew something was going on, but I didn’t see it was anything more than, ‘OK, maybe I’m just getting older’,” Griffin said. Then after a few breakfasts, she was experienced what felt like glass going through her intestines. She then decided to restrict her diet further and cut out dairy, bread, gains, and past.
Blood In Stool
Griffin shared her experience, “I experienced intense and sudden abdominal pain pretty frequently. My abdomen was bloated.”
She went on to say, “It was very hard to sit, stand and use the bathroom. I started noticing blood with each bowel movement.”
She described her bowel movements as being very narrow and that even after one she would not get any relief.
Drastic Weight Loss
“I was not exercising or consciously trying to lose weight,” she said in an interview. She lost about 20 pounds in a month.
“I did begin to associate food with pain,” she went on to say.
As her symptoms were progressing she decided to visit RWJBarnabas Health for answers.
Fatigue
Griffin, who was used to taking care of six children, was incredibly agile. But she noticed one more change in her physical health.
“I started to feel more exhausted doing very normal things — climbing a flight of stairs, walking down a hallway, things that would never, ever cause any kind of stress,” she said about her fatigue symptom.
Trouble With Colonoscopy
She decided to go for a colonoscopy to see what was going on with her body. But her fears were soon concerned.
Doctors were not able to carry out her colonoscopy because a large tumor was obstructing her colon.
In April 2024, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Thankfully, she was able to get the all-clear for cancer after she received her treatment.
These are helpful signs to look out for to make sure that you are in the best of health. Share this with others who should also know about these symptoms so they can look out for them.
