A Cork GP and mum-of-two has shared five red flags that could mean cancer and women should never ignore.
Dr Doireann O’Leary uses her social media platforms to share helpful kids’ health tips and women’s health content, helping women gain the tools they need to advocate for their own health.
As women, it is so important to care for and monitor our health, but it can be difficult at times. There is a lack of education about women’s health in general, and we can often get mixed messages, even from professionals.
Dr O’Leary has warned women not to succumb to FOFO (fear of finding out), which is such a common feeling. Health problems are often overlooked or ignored due to fear of finding out what is wrong, or if you’re a busy mum, thinking ‘I’ll get around to it later’.
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5 cancer red flags women should always report
According to Dr O’Leary, women should always report the following red flags to a doctor because, while they may be nothing sinister, they could also be a sign of cancer.
- Bleeding between periods
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Bleeding after menopause
- Persistent, unexplained vaginal discharge
- Vulval skin changes
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She also added the BEAT signs of ovarian cancer to look out for. These symptoms should always be brought up with your doctor:
B: Bloating
E: Early satiety, i.e. feeling full soon after eating
A: Abdominal or pelvic pain
T: Toilet changes like constipation, diarrhoea, urinary urgency, frequency, i.e. peeing a lot.
Followers thanked Doireann for raising awareness of these symptoms, which are so important for women to be aware of. ‘Thank you for raising awareness of symptoms for ovarian cancer,’ one person said.
‘Thank you, Doireann…I love that u give advice on so many different topics,’ said someone else, while others said a simple ‘thank you’.
