'I thought symptoms were menopause, but I don't have long to live'

Get the latest Daily Record breaking news on WhatsApp

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info

Join us on WhatsApp

A mum has shared her distressing experience after mistaking what she believed were menopause symptoms for what turned out to be incurable cancer, leaving her with only a few years to live. Katy Stephenson was terrified when she began experiencing intense stomach bloating and "excruciating" pain while eating.

Her GP initially attributed the symptoms to the menopause. However, the situation escalated to such an extent that Katy was urgently admitted to hospital.

The 50 year old was thought to have appendicitis and underwent surgery, which led to the grim discovery of terminal ovarian cancer.

Katy, an estate agent from Bury St Edmunds, is now speaking out about her ordeal to raise awareness. She recalls the moment of diagnosis: "I was completely stunned when they told me; my whole body went cold," adding, "My first thought was my two teenage kids how would I tell them that I'm going to die?"

The thought of her children growing up without her was unbearable. "I couldn't bear the thought of them growing up without me. My whole world fell apart within seconds. Just a few months before, I thought it was simply the menopause easing its way in. And then, suddenly, I was on death row", reports Gloucestershire Live.

Her health began to decline six months after her initial doctor's visit. Following a series of blood tests, an ultrasound, and a CT scan, abnormal cells were found on her ovaries and Fallopian tubes, indicating a likely cancer diagnosis.

After undergoing a biopsy, the reality of her situation hit home. The cancer was detected early, allowing her to begin treatment in February 2021, which included five months of chemotherapy.

Katy also underwent a full hysterectomy, which triggered an early menopause.

She expressed: "I knew it had to be done to save my life, so there was no question as to whether I was going to go through with it or not. "But I did feel like a piece of me was being taken away far too soon. Everything then changed and I barely felt like me at all.

I had hot flushes, insomnia and brain fog to contend with all while going through chemotherapy. And there was no guarantee this would work.

Fortunately, despite the mental strain of not recognising herself, she received the all-clear in June 2021. Elated, she was ready to move forward with her life and plan for the future with her family, including husband Patrick, 57, and their two children, Jack, 19, and Tilly, 16.

However, in September 2022, the cancer returned, this time more aggressively, and it was now incurable. Katy said: "I remember breaking down in tears to my husband, Patrick, telling him the cancer was now life-limiting.

"That meant only a few more years of being a wife, mother and human experiencing the gift of life. It was so cruel. Once again, everything had been taken away from me in a second."

Since her diagnosis, she has undergone major abdominal surgery, additional chemotherapy and is now on maintenance drugs to halt the cancer's growth. The hope is that this will extend her life, but it's uncertain by how much - she suggests it could be as little as 18 months.

Katy is collaborating with The Lady Garden Foundation, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms, in order to share her story and help others. She's taking each day as it comes, learning to appreciate the smaller things in life.

She shared: "I obviously have ups and downs and at times struggle with the reality of my situation but I've got to find the positives. I'm getting to share my story and hopefully it'll help at least one person catch this disease before it's too late. I recently celebrated my 50th birthday, 20th wedding anniversary and have enjoyed three holidays this year.

"Right now, my family is my priority and spending as much time with them as possible is my focus. We're all benefitting from therapy to come to terms with this new normal.

"And while I've accepted I have incurable cancer, with only limited time left, I'm not going to let that define me. There is no guarantee when any of our last days on Earth will be so for now, I'm not dying with cancer, I'm simply living with it".

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.