A man is imploring the public to pay heed to their toilet habits, after five seemingly normal symptoms he was experiencing turned out to be warning signs of colon cancer.
Chris Kirt was just 31 years old when he was diagnosed with colon cancer, but obtaining the diagnosis wasn’t straightforward. He has previously voiced his frustrations over delays in having his health concerns acknowledged and investigated. This led him to arrange a private healthcare screening, following hold-ups in receiving results from the NHS after a stool test. During the screening, doctors discovered a five-centimetre tumour in his descending colon.
Two months later, he underwent surgery to excise the tumour. He then endured a further four-week wait before receiving the news that he was officially free of cancer, just days before Christmas, which he celebrated at home with his fiancée and their baby daughter.
Chris is now actively promoting awareness of colono cancer amassing thousands of followers on TikTok by sharing his experience of the disease and urging others to take any symptoms seriously. In one of his videos, he proceeded to share the symptoms of colon cancer he’d experienced prior to his diagnosis.
“Colon cancer warning signs I had at just 31,” he captioned the video, before proceeding to share five signs of colon cancer he’d experienced before his diagnosis.
Falling asleep unexpectedly
Chris first noticed that he was frequently falling asleep on the sofa after returning from work, a habit he hadn’t previously had.
Bowel Cancer UK states that one of the potential signs of colon cancer is an unexplained persistent feeling of tiredness.
This can often be due to iron-deficiency anaemia resulting from blood loss in the bowel, which reduces the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. However, fatigue and tiredness are not exclusive symptoms of colon cancer and could have several other causes.
Night sweats
Chris also experienced night sweats, episodes of excessive sweating during sleep that left him soaked.
Night sweats can be a symptom of colon cancer, especially in its advanced stages, often appearing alongside other symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, chronic fatigue, abdominal pain, and changes in bowel habits, according to the NHS.
While night sweats alone do not definitively indicate cancer, persistent and soaking night sweats combined with other warning signs should prompt a visit to the doctor for evaluation.
Unsatisfactory toilet visits
Next, Chris mentioned that he often didn’t feel empty after using the toilet, which could also be a sign of colon cancer.
Bowel Cancer UK has advised that any alteration in your bowel movements could warrant a visit to the doctor. This could include changes in frequency, experiencing diarrhoea or constipation intermittently.
Another symptom to be aware of is persistent abdominal pain or a lump that doesn’t disappear, which could indicate colon cancer.
Sudden urged to use the toilet
Chris also noticed a sudden urge to use the toilet, a symptom that may not seem serious but is considered by the NHS as another potential sign of colon cancer, particularly if accompanied by other symptoms.
This constant or sudden need for a bowel movement, or feeling like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels, can often be attributed to a tumour in the rectum or colon.
Bloody stool
Lastly, Chris emphasised the importance of taking bloody stools seriously, as this was another symptom he experienced with colon cancer. The blood may appear bright red or as dark, tarry streaks.
Bright red blood in the stool usually suggests bleeding in the rectum or colon. While it’s not exclusively a sign of colon cancer, it’s certainly something you should discuss with your doctor.
It’s crucial to note that having any of these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have bowel cancer, as there could be numerous other explanations. Nevertheless, the NHS strongly advises getting in touch with your GP if you notice any of these signs.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
