A woman has shared her ordeal after mistaking swollen glands and “itchy” skin for glandular fever – with the symptoms actually turning out to be cancer.
Lindsey Parry, 46, from Scarborough, Yorkshire, started to notice that something wasn’t right in October 2016, after she discovered a few lumps on the side of her neck.
She visited a pharmacist, who assured her it was likely to be glandular fever, so she didn’t think much of it and the lumps soon went down.
By Christmas, she noticed the lumps appear again and found they were much bigger than before.
She also experienced intense itching on her chest and armpits but didn’t think the symptoms were linked – instead guessing her washing up liquid was the culprit.
Lindsey started to feel “lethargic” and thought the supposed-glandular fever was taking its toll on her body.
Finally, in December 2017, she consulted a doctor and was stunned when she was diagnosed a week later with stage four Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – a type of immune system cancer.
“I thought I had been given a death sentence,” Lindsey told Jam Press.
“I was surprised because I’m not in the usual category for that type of cancer.
“Even though my consultant told me how advanced the treatment had recently become, I was convinced he was saying that from a script and just felt sorry for me.
“I felt like a scared child. I just went home and cried.”
Lindsey started treatment shortly afterwards.
She said: “I had a series of scans on my neck, as well as biopsies to confirm their suspicions. I truly thought I was dying.
“I started chemotherapy and had treatment every two weeks for six months, which was one of the lowest times of my life.
“I was also living in a new town where I didn’t know anyone and didn’t have the opportunity to make friends. I never felt so alone.”
Lindsey recalls suffering from “horrendous” side effects, including constant nausea, vomiting, multiple abscesses and hair loss.
She said: “My mouth was so swollen and painful, I couldn’t take it.
“I couldn’t sleep, eat or concentrate on anything – until I went to a chemotherapy hairdresser.
“[She] told me about CBD and suggested it might help with some of the side effects from the chemotherapy.
“I went home, did lots of research and decided to give it a try as I was prepared to take anything at that point to feel better.”
She purchased 10 per cent full spectrum CBD oil from a company called Mindful Extracts, which provided her with instant relief.
Lindsey recalls “sleeping like a log” the first night and the side effects of the chemotherapy subsided, where she felt able to deal with everything.
She added: “I completed my course of chemo and the lumps had gone, as well as the itching.
“I’m currently in remission from lymphoma and although I’ve had a couple of scares, that’s all they’ve been.
“I’m a different person now, but I still use CBD to this day as it helps with pain relief, sleep and calms my anxiety.
“Now I know that whatever life throws at you, you can make it out the other side and find happiness again.”
