A Lanarkshire new mum whose 'horrific' pain after childbirth was labelled 'scar tissue' then an 'abscess' went on to find out it was caused by stage three cervical cancer.
Nicola Cameron was put on 16 painkillers a day and rushed to A&E before a tumour was found in her cervix in May. The 29-year-old now faces 'the fight of her life' after she started experiencing health issues back in January 2021.
Then aged 27, Nicola noticed continual spotting and cramping and went on to endure 'significant' pain for 'several months'.
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Weeks later Nicola, from Hamilton, discovered she was expecting and her symptoms were put down to pregnancy. But after giving birth to a healthy baby girl in January of this year, she was still suffering from similar symptoms, including 'horrific' back and abdominal pain.
The Nando's worker says medics put her symptoms down to having a C-section.
She told Lanarkshire Live : "The pain was getting worse and worse by the day and I just knew it couldn't be down to the pregnancy as I had never heard of anyone feeling this way before, throughout and after the birth. It just didn't feel right at all.
"The doctors and health visitor then put it down to scar tissue after my daughter was born."
Weight loss sparked more fear in the new mum and she made another appointment with the doctor.
Nicola added: "When I started to lose weight rapidly I was beginning to get worried. I had been on about 16 painkillers a day since the middle of May.
"Eventually, I ended up in A&E one evening where they thought I had an abscess, but then discovered the tumour."
Heartbreakingly, health care professionals told Nicola the tumour had spread to the wall of her womb, her pelvis and possibly her lymph nodes. They said she would require months of treatment including chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Nicola added: "They think that my pregnancy hid the tumour for all those months. I had so many blood tests done and was in constant pain and on medication and it's hard to think that it was missed for all that time."
In a bid to keep her spirits up Nicola is 'embracing the process' and shaved her head before her hair started falling out from treatment. Colleagues has raised money for a cancer charity as she fights to survive 'for her daughter'.
"I feel positive and I'm embracing the whole process," she added.
"I even shaved off my hair before it started to fall out from the treatment. I've had lots of fantastic support from my partner and our families and my work colleagues at Hamilton Nando's have been amazing too.
"They've raised around £3000 for the Beatson Cancer charity who are supporting me, and its support like this that is helping me fight through this. Of course I have to fight this for my daughter too."
The doting mum is pleading with anyone who 'knows that something is not right' to 'push for answers' from medical professionals as 'it could be a matter of life and death'.
"I urge anyone who knows that something is not right with their body to listen to their gut instinct and keep pushing for answers, "Nicola said.
"I dread to think what would happen to me had I not gone to A&E that night back in May of this year.
"I just knew that it was more than scar tissue and pregnancy related and I'm now dealing with the biggest fight of my life so please if you recognise any of these symptoms, arrange a doctors appointment asap - it could be a matter of life and death."
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