When someone has a bloated stomach, most people attribute it to a good, hearty meal.

Although it should go away within a few hours, if your "food belly" persists, it may be wise to visit your doctor, as it could be a symptom of trapped gas, constipation, or something much more severe.  

Despite thinking she was suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), one woman from Newcastle, England trusted her instincts that something was amiss and went to her physician, who diagnosed her with ovarian cancer.

"I had symptoms which could have been of things less serious, like irritable bowel syndrome."

It was revealed that Sarah Nicholson, who was 25 at the time, had two large tumors inside of her, with one the size of a four pound orange and the other of a 10 pound rugby ball.

She was told she had stage three cancer.

Although ovarian cancer typically affects women over the age of 50, Nicholson experienced symptoms such as "abdominal pain, constant tiredness, feeling full quickly and a change in her toilet habits."

"I had symptoms which could have been of things less serious, like irritable bowel syndrome," Nicholson told Metro.

"But I had a round bloated stomach, which looked as if I was pregnant, and I knew it was just not right."

"I had prepared myself for bad news," she added. "But it does not take away from the fact that I was absolutely devastated. Part of me crumbled inside."

While Nicholson was crushed by the diagnosis, she said she was relieved to finally discover what the cause of her distress was.

"They said I was at stage three - that's one stage away from being terminal. This was really serious and I knew it was going to affect my future," she said.  

It was then she made the decision that along with removing the tumors, to undergo a full hysterectomy as well.

"I had meetings to discuss what I could do next and to talk about my fertility, I was asked if I wanted to have a hysterectomy," Nicholson explained.

"For me it was a no brainer and I decided to have it. I did not want the risk. It was a difficult decision to make and it was upsetting because it would mean I would never have children of my own."

"But it was to give me a better chance of life. It was the right thing for me to do."

"You know your body best and if you think something is not right, get it checked out."

Now, the 26-year-old is urging other young women to become aware of the signs of ovarian cancer.

"This is something that normally affects people aged over 50," Nicholson said.

"But it clearly can happen to younger people which is why I feel so strongly about getting the message out to younger women. There's not enough known about it."

"I would ask people to listen to your body, You know your body best and if you think something is not right, get it checked out."

"Ovarian cancer is known as the 'silent killer' because the symptoms are often put down to less severe medical issues."

According to the American Cancer Society, about 22,240 people in the United States are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, with 14,070 individuals dying from it.

Fortunately, the rate of women being diagnosed with ovarian cancer has slowly decreased in the past 20 years.

Share this with your family and friends so they'll be aware of this lesser known symptom of ovarian cancer!

[H/T: Metro]