An intensive care nurse who believed spicy food was causing her nausea and abdominal pain was later diagnosed with incurable cancer.
Nikki Gray dismissed the symptoms as being caused by a change in her diet, but four weeks later scans showed the devastating news that the 52-year-old had developed a tumour.
The NHS worker, who before her diagnosis used to be an avid gym-goer and advanced scuba diver, says she's finding her treatment 'really hard'.
She was originally diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2016.
But after completing her chemotherapy, the Wavertree woman was given the all clear, and for a couple of years was able to carry on with her life.
However, last autumn signs cropped up that it might have returned.
The 52-year-old said: “I had gone back to work part-time and was getting on with my life.
"I’d changed to a vegan diet and felt really well, but I started to get acid reflux, nausea, intermittent abdominal pain and feeling full.”
The nurse thought that the spicy food might be causing her the issue.
Nikki said: “I thought maybe it was because I was eating a spicy diet, but after four weeks of changing what I ate it made no difference”
She then returned to her oncologist who had discharged her two and a half years before.
A blood test and CT scan revealed that her ovarian cancer had returned and she re-started chemotherapy in January, which she is responding well to.
The NHS worker will now have to undergo three cycles of chemotherapy, followed by a clinical trial to keep the cancer under control.
She said: “I’ve found it really hard this time, suffering the cumulative effects of treatment.
“I’ve been told that I’m treatable but not curable, and so I plan to move into my mum’s extension so that she can look after me when I feel unwell or have no energy."
She said 'lots of ladies' think that the cervical smear test will pick up ovarian cancer, which it won’t.
"Others confuse symptoms with irritable bowel syndrome or the menopause," she said.
"Being forewarned is forearmed so women can be their own advocate in getting help."
When ovarian cancer is caught early it can be easier to treat, so ovarian cancer support charity Ovacome came up with an acronym of the most common symptoms which should be checked out if they're persistent.
The most common symptoms of ovarian cancer (BEAT):
B is for bloating that does not come and go;
E is for eating difficulty and feeling full more quickly;
A is for abdominal and pelvic pain felt most days;
T is for toilet changes in urination or bowel habits.
Nikki hopes that women will take on the message to get themselves checked out.
She said: “I used to be very active, a gym-goer, an advanced scuba diver who enjoyed rambling and travelling to far-flung places.
“This has changed now that I don’t have much energy, but I am so pleased that my treatment is working and that I can help to raise awareness of this disease which affects women of all ages."
