I was told my back pain was fibromyalgia

A MOTHER with back pain diagnosed with fibromyalgia was shocked to learn it was indeed a deadly disease.

Fiona Williams, 46, of Wishaw, Scotland, was worried about her painful symptoms in 2019.

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She said: “I went to the doctor many times because of constant pain all over my body and in 2019 I was diagnosed with epilepsy. fibromyalgia. ”

Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that causes pain throughout the body, as well as bloating, fatigue, and memory problems.

The truth behind Fiona’s pain was not revealed until tests were carried out for another matter.

For most of her life, she endured periods of unusual weight and pain associated with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

She went to the doctor in January 2021 for an internal check-up, just to check on her health.

The GP suspects she is the mother of three children fibroids – common noncancerous tumors that develop in the womb.

One in three women develop them at some point in their lives, and Fiona says she’s had them before.

The doctor sent her to do a series of tests to confirm the presence of the growth in her uterus.

During the surgery to remove them, Fiona looked on the monitor next to her and said she could see “a large lump that was veined and looked quite fiery”.

After “uterine fibroids” were investigated, Fiona waited 9 weeks to find out the results.

Then, in June 2021, she was given a serious diagnosis.

Fiona was told she had endometrial cancer – likely due to some of the symptoms she had been experiencing for the past two years.

Endometrial cancer, which causes pain in the back, pevlis, and stomach, and irregular bleeding, can also be seen with fibroids. Women can also experience pain during sex.

Loss of appetite, fatigue, and nausea in people with endometrial cancer can also occur in people with fibromyalgia.

Endometrial cancer is the most common form of uterine cancer in the UK and grows in the lining of organs.

Around 9,700 women are told they have uterine cancer each year in the UK and it claims the lives of 2,400. Three-quarters live at least ten years after diagnosis.

Scientists don’t know what causes endometrial cancer, although there are several risk factors, including fluctuations in female hormones in the body.

Both PCOS and uterine fibroids are conditions associated with changes in hormones.

The road to recovery

Fiona was told that her cancer was stage 3 and had spread from the womb to her ovaries, mammary glands and mammary glands.

She underwent two surgeries, including a hysterectomy to remove the uterus and three rounds of chemotherapy.

Fiona, mother of Rhian (17 years old), Thomas (9 years old) and David (7 years old), said: “They said my outlook would be good if I could get the chemotherapy and surgery that I had done. “.

“Apart from the initial diagnosis and then the pathology results, I had to go to the hospital alone because of Covid.

“I am not allowed to visit after either of my activities. It was scary and very lonely.”

Fiona noticed the devastating side effects of chemotherapy after her first session.

“After the first round of chemotherapy, I noticed a lot of hair falling out – so I decided to shave it off,” says Fiona.

“I want to take back control. In this way, I got cancer and chemotherapy.

“I let my kids shave their heads so they can participate and it’s a fun and not so scary thing to see their mom without hair.

“My family has gathered around me a lot and I feel really supported – and I’ve discovered who my real friends are, too.

“The people I thought were my friends, the people I was there with through their mediocre dramas are gone and won’t even acknowledge my diagnosis so they’re no longer a part of the team. my life too.”

Fiona, who has chronicled her journey with cancer on her Instagram page @feebleeonasparklebutt, says she’s been receiving upsetting messages.

But on the other hand, she’s raising awareness about her cancer and finds it helps other women.

Fiona said: ‘I’ve received a few texts from anonymous people saying I look bulky and unattractive – but I’m not trying to impress anyone anyway so I don’t care. heart.

“I have a few friends because reading my story went to the doctor and three had to have a hysterectomy due to abnormal cells and cancer.

“Those are three lives that could have been lost if they hadn’t been checked.”

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