L’ESSENTIEL
- Gabrielle Altoft began experiencing severe back pain in November.
- Her doctor attributed the pain to an old injury and didn’t investigate abnormal blood test results.
- She was, in fact, suffering from an aggressive blood cancer called acute myeloid leukemia.
Gabrielle Altoft, 32, first noticed significant back pain in November. Initially, she believed the discomfort stemmed from a recent change in bedding. Yet, further examination, prompted by the persistence of the pain despite over-the-counter medication, revealed a far more serious diagnosis: leukemia.
She shared her story with the Daily Mail.
Back Pain and Recurring Infections: “I Had Never Been So Unwell”
“In November, I started getting pain in my upper shoulder and neck and really awful pain in my lower back. I just thought it was my mattress – we’d swapped beds with my son and changed the mattress, so I just assumed that was the problem,” she explained.
In addition to the persistent back pain, the Norfolk resident experienced extreme fatigue and shortness of breath. She consulted her general practitioner, and blood tests were conducted. However, Altoft says the doctor didn’t flag her very low white blood cell count, a key indicator of blood cancer, attributing her pain instead to a previous injury and prescribing physical therapy.
Despite this, the pain continued to worsen to the point where she was “unable to walk.” She also began experiencing various infections. “I went to the doctor and I sobbed and said I had never been so unwell. He told me it was viral.”
A blood test during a gynecological appointment with a different doctor ultimately led to a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The timeline following the discovery of her cancer was rapid. “The blood test was on December 16th, I was diagnosed the next day and by 11 p.m. On the 18th, I was admitted to hospital,” Altoft recalled.
In France, between 3,500 and 4,000 new cases of acute myeloid leukemia are diagnosed annually. Common symptoms include intense and unusual fatigue, shortness of breath with exertion, paleness, palpitations, frequent infections, unexplained fever, bleeding (nose, gums), abnormally heavy periods, and bone and joint pain. While AML primarily affects older adults, it can occur at any age, as demonstrated by Altoft’s case. Early detection is crucial for effective treatment and improved outcomes.
“Whether You’re 32 or 18, Your Symptoms Need to Be Taken Seriously”
The 32-year-old began intensive chemotherapy treatment on December 28th and is expected to undergo at least two cycles. She expressed being “disappointed” that it took so long to receive a diagnosis, and is now urging others to “push for answers.”
“I know that if someone had taken the time to look at all my blood results [at the beginning of November], it would have been very obvious that something wasn’t right with me,” she said. She added: “You have to push and push [if you feel like something is not right], you know your body. Whether you’re 32 or 18, your symptoms need to be taken seriously.”
