Tag

Misdiagnosis

All articles tagged with #misdiagnosis

health20 hours ago•11 min saved

Amy Clifton’s 30-Year Narcolepsy Battle Ends in Diagnosis and Advocacy

Amy Clifton, a mother of three, endured nearly three decades of misdiagnosis before finally receiving a type 1 narcolepsy diagnosis at age 30. Her symptoms, including severe sleepiness, hallucinations, and cataplexy, were previously labeled as bipolar disorder or laziness, leading to suicidal thoughts and hospitalization. After insurance initially denied coverage for the expensive medication sodium oxybate, Clifton is now receiving the drug through a patient assistance program. She reports improved energy and fewer hallucinations but faces the ongoing challenge of managing a chronic, incurable condition. Clifton is now an advocate for faster diagnosis and better treatment access.

via CNN|

#health #mental-health #misdiagnosis

health2 days ago•5 min saved

Misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder as depression delays treatment for years, experts warn

Two individuals in Scotland were misdiagnosed with depression for over a decade before receiving correct diagnoses of bipolar disorder. Kimberley Atkinson was treated for depression for 14 years until a manic episode led to involuntary hospitalization, where she was diagnosed with bipolar I. Jacqui Armstrong, a former teacher, spent over 30 years being treated for depression, including undergoing electroconvulsive therapy, before being diagnosed with bipolar II. Experts state that bipolar disorder is significantly underdiagnosed, with the true prevalence potentially being double the official rate. They argue that current screening practices fail to identify manic symptoms, leading to inappropriate antidepressant prescriptions that can worsen bipolar conditions. Updated screening guidelines are urged to improve early detection and prevent long-term harm.

via BBC|

#bipolar-disorder #health #mental-health

health3 days ago•38 min saved

Misdiagnosis Alert: Why Women’s Anxiety Symptoms May Actually Be Hormonal

Women's Health reports that many women diagnosed with anxiety may actually be experiencing symptoms caused by hormonal imbalances. The article highlights the importance of distinguishing between psychological anxiety and physiological hormonal shifts to ensure proper treatment and care.

via Women's Health|

#anxiety #health #hormonal-health

health4 days ago•11 min saved

Amy Clifton’s 30-Year Journey to Type 1 Narcolepsy Diagnosis Ends in New Hope

Amy Clifton, a mother of three, suffered for nearly three decades with undiagnosed type 1 narcolepsy, a condition caused by a lack of the brain chemical orexin. Her symptoms, including severe daytime sleepiness, hallucinations, and cataplexy (sudden muscle weakness), were repeatedly misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder, hormonal issues, or laziness. The misdiagnoses led to inappropriate treatments and deep despair, including suicidal thoughts and hospitalization at age 29. At age 30, a specialist finally identified her condition. Although insurance initially denied coverage for the expensive medication sodium oxybate due to inconclusive test results, Clifton is now receiving the drug through a patient assistance program. She reports improved energy and fewer hallucinations, though she faces the ongoing challenge of managing a chronic, incurable condition. Clifton is now an advocate for faster diagnosis and better treatment access.

via CNN|

#chronic-illness #health #health-advocacy

health1 month ago•6 min saved

Misdiagnosed as food poisoning, woman battles stage 3 colorectal cancer and becomes an advocate

A 41-year-old woman in the UK was told her GI issues were hemorrhoids/food poisoning, but after a positive FIT test and a March 2022 colonoscopy she was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. She underwent chemoradiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery to remove the tumor, followed by an ileostomy and later its reversal. Three years cancer-free, she now works as a cancer rehabilitation specialist and urges others to self-advocate for timely diagnosis and treatment.

via New York Post|

#colorectal-cancer #fit-test #health

health1 month ago•416 min saved

Misdiagnosis to Marathon: How LADA Redefined a Diabetes Battle

Naomi Pineiro, 33, was misdiagnosed with Type 2 diabetes after elevated blood sugar and fatigue, leading to a hospital stay for hyperglycemia. A Mayo Clinic evaluation revealed latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA, or Type 1.5), with very low insulin production. She began insulin therapy and diabetes education, learned to manage glucose with a CGM, and, driven by determination, began running again, completing a Chicago Half Marathon and preparing for the Berlin Marathon as part of her recovery and renewed purpose.

via TODAY.com|

#diabetes-education #health #lada

health1 month ago•39 min saved

Toothache misdiagnosis uncovers life-saving brain abscess

In Maryland, ER doctors misdiagnosed great-grandmother Lynda Bush with terminal cancer after a brain scan; neurosurgeon Dr. Jugal Shah later suspected infection and found an odontogenic brain abscess caused by oral bacteria from recent dental work. Bush underwent surgery, recovered over two weeks in hospital and rehab, and credits her family's advocacy for saving her life, highlighting how infections can mimic tumors and the importance of seeking second opinions.

via Yahoo News Canada|

#brain-abscess #health #misdiagnosis

health1 month ago•56 min saved

Flight ear trouble uncovers rare cancer in a 22-year-old California mom

A Hemet, California, 22-year-old mother named Aida Burkins was told her hearing issues and throat bleeding were altitude sickness after a flight; months later she was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a rare head-and-neck cancer, and is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. With two young children aged 1 and 3, she remains hopeful the cancer will shrink and she’ll be cancer-free, underscoring the importance of accurate diagnosis.

via Yahoo|

#california #cancer #health

health1 month ago•19 min saved

EMPD: When an itchy rash hides a rare skin cancer

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare skin cancer that often presents as an itchy, eczema-like rash, leading to years of misdiagnosis—particularly in women aged 50–80. Early biopsy and awareness are crucial for correct diagnosis, as shown by a patient who endured a decades-long struggle before EMPD was identified.

via The Washington Post|

#empd #extramammary-paget-disease #health

health1 month ago•40 min saved

Teen Speaks Out After Doctors Said She Was Too Young for Endometriosis

Grace, a 14-year-old from Yorkshire, began experiencing monthly, stabbing abdominal pain at 13 that doctors dismissed as being too young to have endometriosis; after repeated emergency visits and a private second opinion, she underwent a laparoscopy in June which found endometriosis on the back of the uterus and uterosacral ligaments with bowel involvement. While she faces a risk of recurrence, she’s on hormonal treatment to slow growth and has spoken out on TikTok to raise awareness and encourage other young people to advocate for themselves.

via Yahoo|

#endometriosis #health #misdiagnosis

health1 month ago•65 min saved

When Doctors Say the Quiet Part Out Loud: Women Share Their Wildest Medical Moments

A BuzzFeed/Yahoo Life piece rounds up stories from women about doctors saying astonishing, offhand, or harmful things—ranging from misdiagnoses (like an appendix burst dismissed as period cramps) to dismissive attitudes and sexist remarks—highlighting ongoing gender bias and communication gaps in healthcare, with readers invited to share more experiences.

via Yahoo|

#anecdotes #doctor-patient-relationship #health

health1 month ago•12 min saved

Redefining autism spectrum: a contentious clash over diagnosis and support

A BBC InDepth feature on the debate over what autism really is, highlighting a surge in diagnoses and questions about misdiagnosis—especially among women and people with learning disabilities—while Dame Uta Frith argues the spectrum is too broad and may fail those needing support, and others push for nuanced subtypes and sharper criteria to protect services and reflect lived experience.

via BBC|

#autism #autism-spectrum #health

health1 month ago•5 min saved

15 years of pain finally explained: endometriosis diagnosed after organ removal

A London woman endured 15 years of crippling, misattributed pain—believed to be just periods—leading to the removal of her appendix and gallbladder before doctors finally diagnosed extensive endometriosis and adenomyosis in July this year; the delays left her in chronic pain and potentially affected fertility, fueling advocacy for listening to women's health concerns.

via New York Post|

#adenomyosis #chronic-pain #endometriosis

health-and-families1 month ago•16 min saved

When the brain mispredicts: the reality of functional neurological disorder

Functional neurological disorder (formerly hysteria/conversion disorder) causes real, disabling symptoms despite normal brain tests. Neuroscience links symptoms to brain networks that predict movement and sensation, with mismatches driving the disturbance. Though common—millions affected in the US—care access is limited and stigma persists, but multidisciplinary treatments and clinician belief can improve outcomes.

via The Independent|

#brain-networks #conversion-disorder #functional-neurological-disorder

health1 month ago•51 min saved

UK Sisters’ Pain Finally Leads to Endometriosis Diagnosis After Years of Dismissal

Liv and Molly Smith, sisters from Leamington Spa, endured years of crippling menstrual pain dismissed by doctors as “bad periods” before both ultimately received endometriosis diagnoses following laparoscopic surgery. The experience disrupted schooling, jobs, and intimate relationships, and the sisters emphasize the need for doctors to listen and for more education about the condition. UK experts note noninvasive diagnostic advances under consideration by NICE, but early diagnosis hinges on awareness and proper clinical attention to patients’ symptoms.

via Yahoo|

#endometriosis #health #misdiagnosis