Doctors told a woman who had recurring UTIs, bloating, and painful periods to lose weight. It turns out she had ovarian cancer.

• Hannah Catton told TODAY she was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer in October 2021.
• The 24-year-old said she had a history of UTIs, painful periods, and bloating, but doctors didn't catch it until her tumor ruptured.

After a day of horseback riding in Melbourne, Australia, 24-year-old Hannah Catton collapsed in excruciating pain.

The British expat had been experiencing painful periods, bloating, and frequent urinary tract infections for more than a year without a long-term solution, she told Today. She said doctors brushed off her symptoms as stress-related, prescribed her antibiotics for the UTIs, and sent her on her way.

She said one physician suggested that she keep an eye on her weight, since her BMI was in the overweight category.

"I was really rather angry as I'm reasonably (physically) fit. I'm a size 10 and had a bloated abdomen but otherwise didn't consider myself overweight," Catton told Today.

In October of 2021, she said her pain got so bad after riding that she was "almost to the point of vomiting," but she "didn't want to waste anyone's time" and tried to sleep it off.

However, after collapsing again when she tried to exercise the next day, Catton went to the emergency room. She said she was diagnosed with stage 1 ovarian cancer and was told her tumor had ruptured, causing the intense pain.

Doctors performed emergency surgery to remove the ruptured tumor, and Catton received a swift course of chemotherapy. She told Today her blood work is looking good now, but she said she should've been referred for testing earlier.

Bloating and pelvic pain can be signs of ovarian cancer

People with uteri have shared stories of going years or even decades without an explanation for debilitating pain or heavy periods. Pelvic pain often gets chalked up to PMS, since about half of people who menstruate experience cramps for at least a day out of the month.

Bloating before periods is also common, but a swollen belly can be a sign of ovarian cancer, according to Mayo Clinic. Other early ovarian cancer symptoms like constipation, stomach pain, and feeling full quickly when eating may be written off as normal gas, but can indicate a more serious problem.

For patients with ovarian cancer, early diagnosis can be life-saving. According to the American Cancer Society, only about 20% of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage, but those who do receive an early diagnosis have a 94% chance at surviving more than five years with the disease.