Yoga bunny, 26, thought tight hips were causing her back pain…but it was two grapefruit-sized ovarian cancers

A yoga fanatic identified with ovarian most cancers has advised of her horror after mistakenly believing her agonising again ache was brought on by tight hips. 

Alex Macgillivray, from Wrexham in Wales, took up the versatile pastime in January in a bid to alleviate the strain on her again. 

However by June it had intensified and he or she started experiencing fixed bloating and constipation that made her ‘look pregnant’. 

It was solely after visiting the GP, who referred her to hospital considering it was appendicitis, that exams confirmed she had two ovarian tumours measuring 12cm and 8cm — roughly the scale of grapefruits. 

 Now the 26-year-old bride-to-be is present process gruelling chemotherapy to blast the tumours, within the hope she will be able to maintain her ovaries and fertility. 

Recalling her terrifying ordeal, Ms Macgillivray stated: ‘I’ve all the time recognized my hips are tight so I get decrease again ache.

‘It was an ache in my decrease again, then I might randomly get a stabbing ache in my decrease groin on the proper aspect.

‘Once I acquired to June I began to expertise extreme bloating, which is actually odd for me. My abdomen was distended, I seemed and felt pregnant.

‘Everybody was saying to me “oh I get bloating, it might be IBS” however I stated “no it is actually bizarre”.

‘I used to be additionally constipated, which I by no means am. 

Germ cell tumours are a uncommon type of the illness that develops within the ovaries, the feminine organs that produce eggs. It’s typically known as a ‘silent killer’, as signs do not current till late phases of the illness. 

 ‘I hadn’t modified something I often eat, together with Sunday dinners on the pub, so by day two of being constipated I went to the physician.’ 

Assessments, together with CT scans and ultrasounds, at Wrexham Maelor Hospital later uncovered the 2 large ovarian germ cell tumours — measuring 12cm x 13cm and 7cm x 8cm. 

Germ cell tumours, a uncommon kind of ovarian most cancers, are extra frequent amongst girls beneath 30. 

They develop from germ cells, which create human eggs. Ovarian most cancers is the sixth most typical most cancers within the UK. 

The illness kills round 11 girls on daily basis in Britain, on common, or 4,000 a yr.

It additionally kills 3 times as many ladies within the US yearly, figures present.

The illness is usually identified late as a result of signs are obscure and may embrace indigestion, pelvic or stomach ache, lack of urge for food, constipation, and needing to urinate extra typically.

Alex Macgillivray, from Wrexham in Wales, took up yoga in January in a bid to alleviate the strain on her again

 Round 93 per cent of ladies identified reside 5 years or extra if it is noticed on the earliest stage, in contrast with simply 13 per cent identified at stage 4.

A few fifth of ladies with the most cancers are additionally identified in A&E, typically when it’s too late for any therapy.

Earlier than starting chemotherapy therapy, Ms Macgillivray who’s engaged to 27-year-old recruiter James Ingleby-Jones, final month shaved her head for The Robin Most cancers Belief.

She donated 14 inches of her blonde locks to Little Princess Belief.

She stated: ‘It has been a little bit of a roller-coaster, from the enjoyment of getting engaged to the heartbreak of being identified with ovarian most cancers.

‘Truthful play to them, [the hospital staff] they did all of the scans and located it, they did not simply ship me dwelling with laxatives.

‘James proposed after my exploratory surgical procedure, he had all of it deliberate out earlier than I acquired sick, I had no thought it was coming.

‘It has been one thing to essentially stay up for and a light-weight on the finish of a tunnel.

Now, Ms Macgillivray is urging anybody experiencing uncommon signs to get them checked out right away

‘The hope is the chemo will blast it out with out the necessity for an operation.

‘The kind of most cancers I’ve is extraordinarily uncommon in females, it is extra typical in males with testicular most cancers. If you are going to have it you often have it earlier than you are 30.’

Now, Ms Macgillivray is urging anybody experiencing uncommon signs to get them checked out right away.

She added: ‘Bloating and a change in bathroom habits might simply be linked to month-to-month cycles, however I might stated to anybody to get something uncommon to them checked out.

‘I have been fortunate, I’ve acquired the “finest” ovarian most cancers you’ll be able to have because it’s often silent and folks do not get identified till in a while.

‘However I’d push as quickly as you expertise any unusual signs to get them checked out.’