When Tina Ramzi started to notice her tummy was getting bloated she just put it down to Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
But when it grew bigger and she was getting more uncomfortable, the mum-of-three from Leven knew something was wrong.
“There was one night it got so bad that it looked as if I was six or seven months pregnant,” Tina, 41, says.
“I showed my tummy to a friend who works in a maternity ward and her reaction gave me a fright.
“She was like: ‘Oh my goodness, can I feel it?’ And then when she did she said: ‘Are you sure you aren’t pregnant?’
“I said absolutely not.
“Then she said ‘please go to the doctor’s and get that checked out. That’s not right’.”
A few months earlier Tina had seen her GP after experiencing some blood spotting after bowel movements.
This resulted in her having an operation to have haemorrhoids removed.
But this time, as well as having some spotting again, she was also feeling very tired and experiencing unusual bloating.
She went back to her GP again who gave her a stool sample test to do at home.
After further tests, Tina was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
Now Tina is keen to share her story to raise awareness of the symptoms during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month – as catching the disease early significantly increases the chances of treating it successfully.
When did Tina first show symptoms?
In February 2023 Tina first went to her GP after noticing blood spotting after going to the toilet.
“My doctor did an examination and saw I had haemorrhoids,” Tina explains.
“Since having kids they have always just came and gone but I asked her if I could get them removed.”
So that April she had an operation at Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline.
But then a few months later, she started having spotting again.
So her GP referred her back to the same surgeon at Queen Margaret Hospital to remove more haemorrhoids.
After that she was kept busy after launching new respite service Inspired Breaks for adults with disabilities in September 2023.
Tina started experiencing extreme fatigue and bloating
However, early the following year, in February 2024 the former social worker went back to her GP.
And this time it was because she had been struggling with extreme fatigue.
“Initially I just put the tiredness down to running a business and being a single mum with three kids,” Tina says.
“But I thought I might be anaemic so wanted to get my GP to check my bloods.
“They came back ok so I thought maybe I just needed to slow down for a while.”
Then two months later Tina noticed changes in her tummy.
“It started to become bloated really quickly – my tummy was like a football,” she says.
“I just diagnosed myself as having IBS.
“I didn’t have any pain though it was just uncomfortable.
“But I looked as if I was six or seven months pregnant.”
When was Tina given a stool sample test?
In June 2024 Tina made another appointment with her GP.
“I told her I was still feeling very tired, bloated and I had some spotting again.
“So she gave me a stool sample test to do at home.”
Tina was called back in to get the results.
Due to her numbers being very high from the test, her GP wanted to refer her and said she would get an appointment within four weeks.
“But I didn’t want to wait.
“I have private healthcare so I asked her to refer me privately instead to the Spire Hospital in Edinburgh.”
Leven’s Tina diagnosed with bowel cancer
In August last year Tina had a meeting with a consultant at the Spire Hospital.
But the week before the meeting the Leven mum noticed a change in her symptoms.
“I started to get more bleeding from my back passage – it wasn’t even spotting anymore, the toilet was full of blood.
“My stools had also changed. They were darker and the shape was different.”
Her consultant sent her for a scan and she also had a colonoscopy.
She was then invited back for the results and went with a friend.
“My consultant had the results up on a screen when we went in. I just knew something wasn’t right,” Tina continues.
“He moved down to the bowel area on the scan and said: ‘That bit there isn’t good. I believe that’s a tumour.
“I asked him if it was cancer and he said: ‘I believe it is bowel cancer you have got’.
“You could have knocked me down with a feather. It was a shock.
“But my first question was – what do we do and how do we fix it?
“When we left the hospital and got back to the car I phoned my sister Tamara, who lives in Australia, and my partner Mark.
“I was crying and had an emotional meltdown. I just couldn’t believe I had bowel cancer.”
What treatment did the Leven mum have for bowel cancer?
A few days later Tina had a biopsy done which confirmed her bowel cancer diagnosis.
It was then decided she would have an operation to remove the tumour.
“As soon as I got the date I phoned my sister. She came over two days before the surgery.
“The worst bit was the waiting – knowing what I had and then waiting to get it removed.
“All in all it was seven weeks between getting diagnosed and having the operation.
“It felt like a lifetime.”
Tina had her operation at the Spire Hospital in November last year.
It involved the tumour being removed along with 19 surrounding lymph nodes.
“When I woke up I remember seeing my sister’s face. She was smiling and said it had gone really well.
“I was just glad they caught it as early as they did.”
No further cancer treatment
Due to a complication after surgery, Tina developed sepsis which was treated with antibiotics.
This meant she needed to spend a few more days in hospital.
But during this time she was given good news.
“My consultant told me no cancer cells had been detected in my lymph nodes.
“So I didn’t need further cancer treatment which I was really pleased about.”
Support from friends and family
Since her operation Tina has been recovering at home with her three children Alee, 17, Ameer, 14, Amira, 10.
And she has been grateful to her friends, sister Tamara and partner Mark who have all rallied round to offer support.
“When I got home from hospital I couldn’t do anything. I had no energy.
“Both my parents have passed away and my sister lives in Australia so my friends are my family.
“For weeks they helped by cooking meals, doing shopping and cleaning for me and taking the kids to activities.
“They have been amazing.”
Importance of raising awareness
Tina is passionate about raising awareness of bowel cancer symptoms.
“It is important to make health a priority. You can never be too busy to make time for your health.
“People might feel embarrassed talking about their bowel movements but there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
“I would encourage anyone who notices any changes in their body to get it checked out straight away.
“If my story can help just one other person it will be a positive thing. It could save a life.”
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