A woman who went from belching to burping “five to 10 times a day” has revealed how she was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer at the age of 24.
Bailey Mcbreen, 25, of Sarasota, Fla., never thought that something so ordinary could be a symptom of something so deadly.
During a vacation with her fiancé in 2021, the nurse knew something was wrong. The trip was marred by constant burping about “five to 10 times a day” – despite previously being unable to burp.
The couple joked about her sudden ability to release gas, and with one doctor putting it down to “fear,” she put her full focus on planning their dream wedding.
She recalled, “We used to joke that I had to burp on vacation because I’ve never been able to before.”
Bailey Mcbreen (pictured), 25, of Florida, who began belching “five to 10 times a day” was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer at age 24 (pictured: Bailey during her treatment)
During a vacation with her fiancé in 2021, the nurse first realized something was wrong. The trip was marred by constant burping about “five to 10 times a day.” She’s since transformed her lifestyle (Pictured: Bailey now, post her surgeries)
Bailey initially says a doctor suppressed her excessive belching due to an anxiety attack (Picture: One of Bailey’s post-surgery scars)
“We didn’t think it was a concern as burping is perfectly normal for everyone else.”
“On my next visit, I casually mentioned it to my doctor, but they thought nothing of it either and put it down to fear.”
“I had no further symptoms and eventually everything went back to normal by January of this year.”
What was once considered an awkward joke soon turned into something far more sinister.
Over time, her unusual belching was accompanied by a range of other worrying symptoms, including vomiting and nausea.
She explained, “I had my engagement party planned so I was very busy and distracted, but after the party I realized I hadn’t gone to the bathroom in a few days, which wasn’t normal for me.”
“As the week progressed, my symptoms started to increase. I had excruciating abdominal pain, cramps, and nausea, and could not keep my food down.
“As a nurse, I knew these were the symptoms of small bowel obstruction, so I tried to solve the problem myself.”
“But by the time the weekend came, I was in so much pain that my mother said I had to go to the hospital.”
During a vacation with her fiancé in 2021, the nurse knew something was wrong. The trip was marred by constant burping about “five to 10 times a day” – despite previously being unable to burp
The nurse, who had previously always lived a fit and healthy lifestyle, was stunned when she received the diagnosis
Over time, her unusual burping was accompanied by a host of other worrying symptoms, including vomiting and nausea – and her nursing instincts told her something was seriously wrong (Image: One of Bailey’s post-op scars)
The bride-to-be says she’s “praying” the cancer doesn’t come back and is looking forward to her dream wedding with her partner (pictured: Bailey showing her unnamed partner her engagement ring)
At her mother’s urging, the two went to a hospital, where Bailey underwent a CT scan. Moments later, she received a devastating diagnosis.
“Within 10 minutes I was told I had a mass on my colon and they believed it was colon cancer until proven otherwise,” Bailey added.
“I was immediately taken to the hospital. When my biopsy results came back, it was confirmed that I had stage 3 colon cancer.
“Hearing those words, I felt my head bleed and my whole body froze. I couldn’t believe what I heard.
“Then I just went into nurse mode and started asking a lot of questions. I thought about IVF, hair loss and chemotherapy.
Bailey was deeply shocked by the rapid turn of events. She remarked that she never thought of burping as a cancer symptom: “It’s something that can be so easily dismissed” (Picture: Bailey before her cancer diagnosis)
Bailey underwent another operation to remove part of her colon and some of her lymph nodes (pictured with her partner).
She has also completed 12 weeks of chemotherapy and is currently awaiting results to decide on her next steps
Bailey underwent another operation that removed part of her colon and some of her lymph nodes.
She has also completed 12 weeks of chemotherapy and is currently awaiting results to decide on her next steps.
She continued, “I’m on hold at the moment to see if I need any more surgeries.”
“The doctors couldn’t find a clear distance to remove the cancer the first time because it was also established in my spleen. Or I may need further treatment, such as radiation therapy.
Bailey was deeply shocked by the rapid turn of events. She noted that she never thought of burping as a symptom of cancer: “It’s something that’s so easy to dismiss.”
“But I’ve learned that anything that isn’t normal for you is abnormal. “Symptoms are our body’s way of telling us something is wrong.”
An oncologist told Bailey that belching is one of the most common symptoms in young adults with colon cancer.
The bride-to-be says she “prays” the cancer doesn’t come back, adding that she has felt “lost” since the grueling treatment.
After completing chemotherapy, Bailey was invited to visit the hospital – but she is currently awaiting results to decide on her next steps
Excessive belching as a sign of colon cancer
Burping, also called belching, is when your body expels excess air from the upper digestive tract.
A healthy person typically burps up to 30 times a day. However, some medical conditions can cause you to burp more frequently.
Belching alone is not a definitive symptom of cancer, but it can be a precursor to cancers in the digestive system.
Excessive burping along with other symptoms can be a sign of certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the stomach, esophagus, and colon.
In addition to constant belching, watch out for the following symptoms:
- Bad appetite
- Unintentional weight loss
- stomach pain
- Discomfort in the abdomen, mostly above the navel
- Fullness after just a small meal
- heartburn or indigestion
- nausea
- vomiting, with or without blood
- swelling or fluid buildup in the abdomen
Information compiled by Verywell Health
She said, “Ever since I finished chemotherapy, I’ve felt lost.” It’s weird just waiting and praying it doesn’t happen to me again.
“However, in the midst of all of this, I’ve been planning my wedding, which gives me something to focus on and keep my mind busy.”
“We’re having a small overseas wedding in November.” It was amazing to have something that sheds light on something very dark and sinister for me. I can’t wait to get married.
Bailey is wholeheartedly focused on transforming her life “holistically” so that she retains the energy she needs to fight for her life. This experience also taught her some important life lessons.
“My greatest benefit from all of this is that doctors don’t dismiss your symptoms.” “You know your body better than anyone and if you think something is wrong, don’t let modern medicine cover it.”