A woman who had common symptoms alongside normal blood and stool tests has urged people to get a second opinion after she was diagnosed with cancer. The BBC Morning Live team spoke to Donna Taylor, whose stomach cancer was undiagnosed for 18 months. Alongside her, was Dr Ranj - an NHS Doctor and TV presenter - who said that whilst it can be difficult to see a GP, you should try and get an appointment and never ignore symptoms.
On a mission to raise awareness and to help others in their journey, Donna said she discovered she had cancer in November 2023 but first began to feel unwell 18 months prior. She recalled: "I started with really bad heartburn, indigestion and reflux and I couldn't work out why, it was a new thing that was happening to me. "I did seek help from the GP and I was prescribed omeprazole which is quite a common medication I believe to help tackle that kind of thing.
Never questioned at that time why I was having this and kind of felt that I've got a tablet, the GP prescribed this and it kind of helped with the symptoms." Donna said that she was busy with her job and children and "just got on with things" however up until November of last year, she started to develop more of, what she knows now, to be early warning signs of stomach cancer including "a feeling of fullness, bloating, difference in my stools." She added that whilst these were her early warning signs, these symptoms can also mimic other conditions.
She explained: "I've had IBS for over 20 years so.