Misdiagnosed

Women are all too familiar with the struggle to get their symptoms taken seriously by doctors. These are their stories, plus pro tips for how you can take charge of that gut feeling that something's wrong.

It Happened to Me: Real talk from women who've been there

This Woman’s Searing Toothache Was Misdiagnosed by Doctors, Until It Turned Out to Be Cancer

This Woman’s Searing Toothache Was Misdiagnosed by Doctors, and It Turned Out to Be Cancer

As her toothache turned into constant debilitating jaw pain, Nicole Kowalski, 28, was treated for everything from a sinus infection to allergies.
This Woman Had Endometriosis Since She Was a Teen, but Doctors Insisted Her Symptoms Were All in Her Head

This Woman Had Endometriosis Since She Was a Teen, but Doctors Insisted Her Symptoms Were All in Her Head

The pain started when 22-year-old Madelyn Morneault got her first period at 13 and became unbearable by her sophomore year of college. Doctors blamed depression, anxiety, and grief—until surgery showed something different. 
Before She Was Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis, This Dancer and DJ Saw 14 Specialists

Before She Was Diagnosed With Multiple Sclerosis, This Dancer and DJ Saw 14 Specialists

It took three years and countless doctors and physical therapists for Diane Palaganas, 36, to find out what was really causing the leg tremors and weakness that made it increasingly difficult to continue her dancing career.
This Woman Had Burning Breast Pain, but 4 Doctors Told Her 'Breast Cancer Doesn't Hurt'

This Woman Had Burning Breast Pain, but 4 Doctors Told Her 'Breast Cancer Doesn't Hurt'

The burning pain in Sarah Dickinson's right breast started when she was pregnant, and doctors explained it as a side effect of her developing milk ducts. But an ultrasound after she gave birth showed something more serious.
Degenerative Disc Disease Was Causing My Crippling Back Pain, but Doctors Blamed My Posture, My Purse, Even MS

Degenerative Disc Disease Was Causing My Crippling Back Pain, but Doctors Blamed My Posture, My Purse, Even MS

This 38-year-old woman visited countless medical experts over 4 years—and came away with countless misdiagnoses. Finally, one specialist actually read her MRI and discovered the real cause of her debilitating pain.
My Constant Insomnia Turned Out to Be a Symptom of a Rare Disorder Called Hypophosphatasia

My Constant Insomnia Turned Out to Be a Symptom of a Rare Disorder Called Hypophosphatasia

After doctors couldn't figure out why she was suffering such terrible insomnia, Heather Barrow, 41, did her own research—and she learned she was born with a rare genetic disorder that also affected her mom and teenage daughter.

More Misdiagnosed

One in 10 People With Any of These 3 Serious Conditions Will Be Misdiagnosed, a New Study Says—Here's Why

One in 10 People With Any of These 3 Serious Conditions Will Be Misdiagnosed, a New Study Says—Here's Why

It's time to talk about why medical misdiagnosis of the so-called Big Three conditions are scarily high.
Before She Was Diagnosed With Small Fiber Polyneuropathy, Doctors Misdiagnosed This Woman's Pain for 18 Years

Before She Was Diagnosed With Small Fiber Polyneuropathy, Doctors Misdiagnosed This Woman's Pain for 18 Years

Have you ever wanted to escape your own body? Jenna Birch, 28, has—thanks to the crippling pain she's experienced since childhood, which doctors misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, along with irritable bowel syndrome and a menstrual disorder.
The Lump in My Breast Was Growing—but My Doctor Kept Dismissing the Possibility That It Was Cancer

The Lump in My Breast Was Growing—but My Doctor Kept Dismissing the Possibility That It Was Cancer

It Took 2 Years of Unexplained Symptoms Before Doctors Finally Diagnosed Me With Type 1 Diabetes

It Took 2 Years of Unexplained Symptoms Before Doctors Finally Diagnosed Me With Type 1 Diabetes

I Had Symptoms of Preeclampsia During My Pregnancy—but My Ob-Gyn Kept Shaming Me for My Weight Gain

I Had Symptoms of Preeclampsia During My Pregnancy—but My Ob-Gyn Kept Shaming Me for My Weight Gain

My Doctor Misdiagnosed Me With Seasonal Allergies—but I Actually Had Lung Cancer That Spread to My Brain

My Doctor Misdiagnosed Me With Seasonal Allergies—but I Actually Had Lung Cancer That Spread to My Brain

You Got This: How to be your own advocate

Diagnostic Errors Make Up One-Third of Serious Malpractice Claims, Study Shows

Misdiagnoses are the most common, costly, and dangerous medical errors.

All Misdiagnosed

I Had an Eating Disorder for 21 Years—but Doctors Wouldn't Diagnose Me With Anorexia Because of My Weight

I Had an Eating Disorder for 21 Years—but Doctors Wouldn't Diagnose Me With Anorexia Because of My Weight

Doctors Dismissed the Lump on My Neck as a ‘Swollen Lymph Node’ for 5 Years—but It Turned Out to Be Cancer

Doctors Dismissed the Lump on My Neck as a ‘Swollen Lymph Node’ for 5 Years—but It Turned Out to Be Cancer

Doctors Completely Missed My Brain Swelling and Sent Me to a Mental Health Facility for Schizophrenia Instead

Doctors Completely Missed My Brain Swelling and Sent Me to a Mental Health Facility for Schizophrenia Instead

My Doctor Dismissed My MS Symptoms as 'Stress'—Even Though My Body Was Going Numb

My Doctor Dismissed My MS Symptoms as 'Stress'—Even Though My Body Was Going Numb

A Doctor Told This New Mom to Lose Weight—but It Turned Out She Had Cancer

A Doctor Told This New Mom to Lose Weight—but It Turned Out She Had Cancer

For 6 Years, Doctors Kept Telling Me I Had PMS—but It Turned Out to Be Brain Cancer

For 6 Years, Doctors Kept Telling Me I Had PMS—but It Turned Out to Be Brain Cancer

This Woman Saw 13 Different Doctors and Took 3 Blood Tests Before She Was Finally Diagnosed With Lyme Disease

When This Woman Went to Her Doctor With Lyme Disease Symptoms, She Was Told She Should “Try Meditation”

This Woman Had to Have Emergency Surgery After Doctors Thought Her Terrible Pelvic Pain Was a Harmless Cyst

This Woman Refused to Leave the Hospital Until Doctors Properly Diagnosed Her Terrible Pelvic Pain

My Vagina Felt Like It Was on Fire for a Year—but Doctors Kept Telling Me It Was Just a Yeast Infection

My Vagina Felt Like It Was on Fire for a Year—but Doctors Kept Telling Me It Was Just a Yeast Infection

Doctors Kept Dismissing My Back Pain—Until I Was Finally Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer

Doctors Kept Dismissing My Back Pain—Until I Was Finally Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer

This Woman's Terrible Pain Was Misdiagnosed for 7 Years Before She Found Out She Had Endometriosis

When I Told My Doctor I Thought I Had Endometriosis, He Said, 'Stop Practicing Google Medicine'

I Thought I Had the Flu—but It Turned Out to Be Sepsis

I Thought I Had the Flu—but It Turned Out to Be Sepsis

After a Decade of Skin, Hair, and Weight Issues, I Was Finally Diagnosed With PCOS

After a Decade of Skin, Hair, and Weight Issues, I Was Finally Diagnosed With PCOS

This 30-Year-Old Personal Trainer Has Stage 4 Lung Cancer. You Wouldn't Know It by Looking at Her

This 30-Year-Old Personal Trainer Has Stage 4 Lung Cancer. You Wouldn't Know It by Looking at Her

Doctors Thought I Had MS, Chronic Fatigue, and a Heart Condition Before I Got the Right Diagnosis: Anxiety

Doctors Thought I Had MS, Chronic Fatigue, and a Heart Condition Before I Got the Right Diagnosis: Anxiety

One Woman's IBS Struggle: "It Took Me 7 Years to Be Diagnosed"

One Woman's IBS Struggle: "It Took Me 7 Years to Be Diagnosed"

Still Pregnant: My Miscarriage Was Misdiagnosed

Still Pregnant: My Miscarriage Was Misdiagnosed

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