Most of us tend to brush off small health issues, things like night sweats, fatigue, or random aches, thinking they're nothing serious. But sometimes, these subtle symptoms can be warning signs of something much bigger. Health coach Dilan shares in his April 8 Instagram post the early signs of cancer he ignored and the symptoms everyone should watch for. (Also read: Health coach shares 10 shocking signs your body is addicted to sugar: From weight gain to tooth decay )
What were the signs?
"It started with night sweats, not just feeling hot, but waking up with my sheets completely drenched," recalls Dilan. "I'd change clothes in the middle of the night, only to wake up soaked again."
Then came the itching. "An unbearable itch that no amount of scratching could satisfy," he says. "I scratched until my skin bled." Next was the fatigue. “A bone-deep exhaustion that sleep couldn't fix. My body was trying desperately to tell me something was wrong.”
When Dilan began experiencing chest pain, he finally went to a doctor. "They told me it was probably just muscular strain from my workouts," he explains. He was prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and sent home. "For another 12 months, I lived with a body that was fighting a battle I didn't know about."
{{/usCountry}}When Dilan began experiencing chest pain, he finally went to a doctor. "They told me it was probably just muscular strain from my workouts," he explains. He was prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and sent home. "For another 12 months, I lived with a body that was fighting a battle I didn't know about."
{{/usCountry}}It wasn't until lumps appeared on his neck and underarm that Dilan knew something was seriously wrong. This time, his doctor ordered tests. "The diagnosis came back: Stage 4B Hodgkin's Lymphoma."
"The cancer had been growing inside me for approximately two years," he says. "There was even a tumour in my lung, the reason for the chest pain I'd reported a year earlier. Every emotion imaginable crashed over me, fear, anger, disbelief, anxiety."
How could he have cancer at 25?
"Looking back, I wish I'd trusted my instincts. I wish I'd pushed harder and hadn't accepted 'it's probably nothing' when my body was screaming that something was wrong," says Dilan.
"If you're reading this and something doesn't feel right in your body, please listen to that feeling. Don't let anyone dismiss your concerns, even medical professionals. Your health is too precious to take for granted."
"Cancer taught me that our bodies speak to us in whispers before they start to shout. Mine whispered for two years before anyone heard it. Don't wait for the shout."
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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