'I ignored tiredness symptoms for a year – then found out it was deadly disease'

Alicia Ortstad found out she'd been suffering for a year with cancer, unaware what her symptoms meant (stock)
-Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited


It's just as easy to dismiss symptoms we're suffering from just as it is to self-diagnose using Google. One woman who found that to her peril in December after learning the signs she had previously ignored, were in fact as a result of cancer.

Alicia Ortstad took to TikTok to reveal she has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer), which had developed a year ago. "Now I have realised that my body was telling me all along and I ignored it," she cursed in a caption.

In a bid to help others, Alicia then provided a list of her symptoms to encourage people to get checked out if they're concerned for their own health. "I always felt tired no matter how much sleep I got," she said in her first point. Adding that she also suffered from fatigue. Alicia revealed that she also found herself being sick more than usual. "I also had a high fever very often and also strep throat many times," she said.

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Alicia also found it hard to concentrate in school, adding that she was forced to take naps during breaks and lessons. She continued: "I could no longer drink alcohol without the worst hangovers. Even from the smallest drinks."

Alongside a snap of herself in hospital, she explained that she suffered "great pain", even whilst relaxing, strangely more so than when she had been active. "The pain started small and got worse with time," she said. "No painkillers or even morphine worked. The pain was worst at night and affected my sleeping."

Alicia also said she had a "big and hard" lump in her knee, which like her pain began small and increased over time. She closed with some stern advice: "Listen to your body, you know deep down when something isn't right. Be hard on the doctors - they can be ignorant - and in my case, not informed about this type of cancer. Know your rights and fight for them."

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"How did you test for it?" one of Alicia's followers queried. "Is it easily detectable?" She responded: "I did an MRI and they found it, the problem was if took them almost half a year to give me a scan which is why they found it when it was almost too late."

A second gratefully penned: "Thank you, now I will keep thinking about this for the next few weeks or so." Whilst a third TikTok user encouraged: "Stay strong, fight the fight, you shouldn’t have to... but keeping you in my thoughts and prayers."

What are the symptoms of bone cancer?

According to the NHS, bone cancer can affect any bones, and the symptoms include:

  • persistent bone pain that gets worse over time

  • swelling and redness over a bone

  • a lump over a bone

  • a weak bone that breaks more easily than normal

  • problems moving around

If you or your child is experiencing persistent, severe or worsening bone pain, you should visit your GP. Even though it's unlikely to be bone cancer, it's important to investigate.