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 Lower Back Pain Turned Out to Be Stage 4 Rectal Cancer

This Woman's Lower Back Pain Turned Out to Be Stage 4 Rectal Cancer
Colleen Farrell, now 40, thought she was dealing with a pulled muscle, but it turned out to be a condition she thought she had prevented.
This Woman's 'Gluten Intolerance' Turned Out to Be Uterine Cancer

This Woman's 'Gluten Intolerance' Turned Out to Be Uterine Cancer
Dafina Malovska, now 41, had to deal with extreme bloating for several months before seeing the specialist she needed in another country.
This 24-Year-Old Discovered She Had Pulsatile Tinnitus After Posting Her Symptoms in a Facebook Group

This 24-Year-Old Discovered She Had Pulsatile Tinnitus After Posting Her Symptoms in a Facebook Group
"There's nothing medically wrong with you" a neurosurgeon told Adina Martin after she'd been hearing her heartbeat whooshing in her ears for months. So she found a community of people who helped her get the right diagnosis.
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.
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More Misdiagnosed

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
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
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
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

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

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
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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