Joe Faratzis, who was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer, has opened up about the warning signs he ignored before learning of his illness. Speaking on TikTok, he revealed that his symptoms began in 2019, but he dismissed them for months, believing they weren’t serious.
At 28, after ignoring his doctor’s concerns and a CT scan, he finally underwent a colonoscopy, which led to his diagnosis. Faratzis now urges others to get early screenings, stressing that “early screening could save you and your family” and to not risk waiting to see a doctor. His aim is to raise awareness for those who may also be disregarding potential warning signs.
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Sweating and Night Sweats
Dr. Cathy Eng, a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, shared with Patient Power that “night sweats, weight loss, pain, chronic anemia, fatigue, shortness of breath, and loss of energy” are key signs of advanced colon cancer.
This suggests the cancer may have spread or reached a stage where treatment becomes more difficult.
Lower Right Abdominal Pain
Healthline explains that the specific location of pain in your colon can help identify where cancer may be. For example, the ascending colon, the first part of the colon attached to the small intestine, is located on the lower right side and is responsible for raising stool.
Frequent Trips to the Bathroom
“One thing that I should have paid more attention to is just noticing that I was going to the bathroom way more often than I should have, probably like a couple times a day,” he mentioned.
Abdominal Cramps When Bending Over
He revealed that every time he bent over, he felt intense pain. However, he dismissed the issue based on his CT scan and assumed it was just a minor condition.
Constipation and Cramps
According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, both constipation and diarrhea are clear signs of colorectal cancer, even though the NHS suggests that bowel habits can be affected by this disease.
Blood in Stool
A 34-year-old man initially ignored blood on his toilet paper, thinking it was from hemorrhoids. But months later, after passing gas and seeing blood in the toilet, he realized something was wrong.
He eventually discovered he had colorectal cancer, undergoing chemotherapy, surgery, and treatment for lesions on his liver and lungs. Thankfully, after treatment, his health improved, and by 2023, he had a clear CT scan, marking a year of health.
Reflecting on his experience, he wished he had sought a CT scan earlier, advocating for early detection of colorectal cancer, emphasizing the importance of a healthy colon for quality of life.
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