The seemingly harmless manifestation of fatigue and slight body alterations turned into a life-changing and devastating cancer diagnosis in Courtney Nettleton.
However, she was dismissed; she was told she was a lazy teenager before doctors began to take her symptoms seriously.
The British TikToker and a thyroid cancer advocate turned 24 later this year, and she is now risking herself to help others understand the symptoms of the disease in a mercilessly honest and courageous manner.
Courtney explained in a moving TikTok video that doctors actually convinced her that she was simply fatigued due to being a lazy teenager, yet she felt within herself that it was not normal.
A War on Answers
When Courtney was only 19, she started to get strange and persistent symptoms. These were severe exhaustion, dyspnoea, hot flushes, pain in the chest, and even alteration in her voice.
Her description was that she has to sleep with an open window every night just to get a feeling that she could breathe. I had no idea that was a widespread indication of thyroid cancer.
Her health concerns have been met with dismissiveness by medical professionals, who have continued to attribute them to adolescence at the start of the film, to stress and a lack of motivation later in life.
“They dismissed me. They explained to me that I was simply fatigued. Just hormonal. Just overreacting.”
However, Courtney knew that there was more than that.
The Turning Point: A Swollen Neck
The last warning was the fact that she was able to see some swelling on her neck, and this was a physical indication that she could not do away with.
She said, That lump was what eventually gave me an urgent referral.
Following additional tests, in 2022 Courtney was diagnosed at the age of 20 with a follicular variant of papillary carcinoma, a type of thyroid cancer.
The diagnosis was frightening but to Courtney, it felt strangely relieving.
“It proved what I suspected: I had not been crazy. I was not lazy. There was something wrong with me,” she said.
It is Wondering in Pain
Courtney, like most young people, felt like she had to just be able to tough it out when no one in her family or friends believed her when it came to her symptoms.
As she started to drop in weight and feel the pressure in her chest, she internalised the concept that she was being dramatic.
I even felt I was developing early menopause at some time. She said that the hot flashes were unbearable. I would get them all day long, and it did not make any sense.
It is only when she was deep into the diagnostic process that things started to take shape, one symptom connected to another deeper problem within her thyroid gland, the small but mighty organ that controls heart rate, temperature, metabolism, etc.
Surviving, Healing and Advocacy
On December 22, 2022, Courtney was officially declared cancer-free after undergoing treatment and surgery — a day that she calls both frightening and life-changing. However, the emotional wounds of rejection over so many years have not healed.
I would like to make people realise that it is alright to demand answers. You know your body better than any individual out there,” she replied.
Courtney has since also used social media not only to recount her story but also to inform others of the less recognisable symptoms of thyroid cancer, such as hers, that young women can often easily overlook.
“These were my symptoms; please note, not all cancer diagnoses are the same. However, when you think something is not right, you should not be silenced by anyone,” she went on in her video.
A Voice of the Voiceless
Courtney is doing fine nowadays. She made pain her purpose and has used her platform to support other people who are dismissed, ignored, or overlooked in medical settings.
“It is awareness and more. It is a matter of voice,” she said in a recent posting. “You do not have to wait until you can see something before you take action. Symptoms that you can not see are real as well.”
Her message is easy and yet so strong: Believe in yourself. Continue to raise questions. And don’t ever make anyone tell you your pain is not real.
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