'I thought it was the menopause but I had cancer'

A woman who mistook her cancer symptoms for the menopause has urged other women to seek help if they notice changes in their health.

Michelle Griggs, from Folkestone, Kent, spoke to her GP after experiencing unusual bleeding, aching joints and night sweats.

Despite a recent negative smear test, a scan confirmed she had cervical cancer which was treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy , where small rods containing radiation were placed near her cervix.

Griggs was given the all-clear in September and will have regular check-ups to make sure the cancer has not returned.

She said: "My message to others would be get anything suspicious checked out straight away, or you may not be as lucky as I was, and don't be afraid to ask for help."

According to the NHS, each year, more than 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK leading to around 685 deaths from the disease.

Very early-stage cervical cancer might not cause symptoms and is usually found and treated through cervical screening tests.

Grimes said: "It must have developed really quickly, and I'm very lucky that it was stage one, so it was caught at a very early stage.

"When you look online, and see all your symptoms, it's really easy to assume it's nothing.

"I really thought it was the menopause, because everything matched what I had read online."

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