Larissa C’s story

In February 2022, I gave birth to my baby boy. In July 2022 I had a blood test and got told ‘your iron is low but that is to be expected as you just gave birth. Take iron supplements and you will be fine.’

In July 2023, I had a blood test, and my levels had not changed. Again, I was told ‘you have just given birth take iron supplements and you will be fine.’

In May 2024, I went to the doctors because I was incredibly tired and was falling asleep at work. I was told ‘you are a solo boy mum and only gave birth recently, it’s to be expected to be so tired.’ I had a blood test, and my iron levels dropped below minimum levels. I had an iron infusion in June and did a stool sample.

The iron infusion did nothing to my iron levels and my stool came back positive for containing blood. (I had never seen blood in my stool). I was already booked in for an endoscopy to investigate reflux. My GP added a colonoscopy to my procedure.

Mid-October I had my first ever colonoscopy and I had one polyp burnt off and one cut off and sent for biopsy.

31 October 2024 I was told my polyp that was sent to biopsy contained cancer in the stem and it was likely that the cancer was in the bowel wall.

The next few weeks were full of blood tests, scans and medical appointments. Luckily all those tests showed that the cancer was isolated.

When I saw the colorectal surgeon, he said that I have probably had this growing for 2 to 3 years.
In December 2024, I had my sigmoid colon removed.

Five days before Christmas I was told that surgery was successful and the cancer was not detected in the lymph nodes.

Looking back now, my iron issues started after giving birth and that was my first symptom.
It took a while to get there, I kept going and having blood tests and we found the cancer.

I am forever grateful that things happened the way that it did and we found it early. Now I get many more years with my little boy.

My one piece of advice:

Push for GPs to investigate and be your own advocate. If something is not right keep testing.