NHS GP shares ‘unexpected’ gut health symptom that could signal cancer

Dr Nighat Arif, who has more than 15 years of experience across both NHS and private practice and specialises in women’s health, shared the warning with her 320,300 TikTok followers. In a recent video, she said: “Can we talk about the unexpected menopause symptom that nobody talks about? I don’t talk about this enough either.”

Speaking about the gut, the expert warns: “If you’ve suddenly gone from fine to being bloated, gassy, constipated or running to the toilet with zero warning, you’re not imagining it. There is a huge link with the gut-brain access, and our hormones don’t just affect our periods – they do so much and affect how your gut moves and how it reacts and even what it can tolerate.”

She encourages women and men to pay close attention to any changes, noting that symptoms commonly linked to menopause or perimenopause can sometimes overlap with those of cancer.

She explains that one day you may be constipated, the next it’s diarrhoea and you’re thinking ‘what is going on with my body?’. This is very common and something she sees in the clinic quite often.

Noting it can be a symptom of perimenopause and menopause, she says that patients going through this are “not alone”, admitting, “I don’t think I’d realised how common it was.

“I know bloating can happen. But every now and then, even as a clinician, I’m dumbfounded by how common it is. And we overlook the symptoms because it’s embarrassing.”

She advises anyone experiencing persistent bloating, blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss or sudden, severe abdominal pain to seek medical attention, as these symptoms can sometimes indicate serious conditions, such as cancer.

She stresses that if you have any of these symptoms, you should “not ignore it and get that checked because they could be red flags for something else, like bowel cancer or ovarian cancer. I’m not saying this to panic you, but I need you to be aware that we should always be ruling out other things alongside menopause or per menopause.”

To help those experiencing bloating, gas, and similar symptoms caused by benign conditions, she encourages people to consult their doctor, get properly tested and try the following:

• Eat smaller meals at regular intervals throughout the day
• Stay well hydrated by drinking enough fluids
• Include plenty of fibre-rich foods in your diet
• Identify and avoid foods that trigger your symptoms – common triggers can include alcohol, high-fat foods, spicy foods, gluten, red meat, and dairy, although these vary from person to person
• Manage stress levels, as stress can have a significant impact on gut health – “your gut feels that,” she says

Other conditions that could cause bloating include: