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Person Asks For The Craziest Stories Of When Mild Symptoms Proved To Be Serious, 30 People Deliver
Interview With Author
I think most of us at least once have googled symptoms when we felt something that we never had before or different than we are used to, such as intense headache, stomach ache or pain in the lower back. And after analyzing articles, we get scared, as almost everything leads to serious illness that may result in death. However, usually, when we visit the doctor, we get some relieved news that it’s nothing serious.
Well, unfortunately, sometimes these mild symptoms may turn into serious life or death situations. Speaking about that, one Reddit user recently started a thread asking doctors to share situations when patients came in with mild symptoms and thought that it was nothing serious, but turned out to be in near-death conditions.
Cases like this are rare, but it may be a reminder to visit doctors regularly, get checkups and take care of our health.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
NAD, but this story is about an "elderly but not ancient" relative.
Background: I had a hysterectomy due to general uterus shenanigans in 2019. My surgeon is awesome, I had a great surgery & easy peasy recovery.
So one day this relative calls me out of the blue and says "what was the name of the OBGYN who did your hysterectomy?" and I tell her, and ask why, knowing that this person has been through menopause for a long a*s time.
"Wouldn't you know it, I got my damn period this morning! I thought I was done with this s**t!"
Well my friends, that reaction of "oh hell no, I'm done with this s**t" turned out to be a life saver, because what she thought was just menopause being weird turned out to be endometrial cancer caught SUPER early. She had a hysterectomy, one round of radiation, and is cancer free 3 years on.
Bleeding after you've been through menopause is SUSPICIOUS AS HELL, yinz.
Libstak 2 years ago
Same, but I was spared the chemo as well. 10 years menopause and then bleeding is a huge red flag, not to be ignored. Also, insist on an internal ultrasound, my pap smear came back all clear, if my doctor had been less thorough I might have been alot worse off. She is a gem though, she assumes nothing and checks everything.
LH25 2 years ago
I had periods that were getting heavier, I was dismissed by more than one doctor. Told to lose weight and I'd be fine. Yeah, until one night the bleeding was so bad I was just on the toilet not knowing what to do. We finally called 911, went to the ER. An ultrasound found possible issues, a biopsy and hysterectomy later I was diagnosed with stage 3 uterine cancer. A slow-growing grade, it had been there a while. Had it been found earlier, I might have been able to avoid 6 rounds of chemo and 28 of radiation and the lingering effects on my health. And the pap smear taken at the ER was all clear as well. Hope you are OK now.
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Dogcat vet (retired) 2 years ago
Woke up and had a horrid odor under my sheets (thought the dogs had rolled in something). Turns out I had a bloody abscess in my belly button (umbilicus). Of course, right in the middle of COVID so I started on antibiotics from doctor. Got rid of odor, kept draining. After a couple of visits and then a cat scan, turns out I had ovarian cancer that spread to my omentum and the drainage was from a lymph node. Am not quite in official remission because on immuno drug yet, but at least Im nearly three years since end of chemo. BTW it took several weeks on chemo for the biopsy site to heal as I kept draining bloody fluid from the incision and had to go and sterile pack it daily. Good think Im a vet.
Libstak 2 years ago
OMG I'm glad you are on the home stretch, what an isolated way to have to deal with it. Thank God you had enough medical understanding to get you through. Come on remission, get it done.
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Tammy Kirks 2 years ago
I was going through perimenopause when I started bleeding for almost two weeks straight. Super unusual for me. OBGYN found a fast growing tumor (benign, thankfully) and was able to remove it with a hysterectomy. Listen to your body!
nancthetank@gmail.com 2 years ago
1 in 4 women who bleed after menopause has cancer. Get it checked!
DarkViolet 2 years ago
After 14 years of non-hemorrhaging bliss, my Aunt Flo returned, full force. In a short time, I was diagnosed with Stage III endometrial cancer. 24 rounds of chemo, radiation therapy, brachiatherapy (?), and I'm doing well. Good thing I took it seriously.
Lucy Dahlia 2 years ago
I had post-menopausal bleeding and my gynecologist booked me for a biopsy SO FAST! I only had benign uterine polyps, but still, bleeding after menopause is something to pay close attention to!
RELATED:
#2
Paramedic, not a doctor. A woman called 911 requesting an ambulance. When I and my brand new rookie EMT got there, she complained of just not feeling well and having a mild headache. I did my assessment and everything looked perfectly normal except it seemed she might have a cold with a headache. I didn't think she needed to be seen in an ER and told her so. She wavered back and forth and then finally agreed to sign a refusal. I sent my rookie partner out to get the clipboard but he pulled me aside and told me he thought she needed to go. I asked him why and the best he could do was "I just have a feeling." So I finally relented and told him, "Fine, your patient; I'm driving."
A few blocks down the road he leaned up front and asked me to make it hot (lights & sirens). I rolled my eyes but did what he asked.
At the ED the grumpy triage nurse came up to me a few minutes later and wanted to know why the hell we transported a perfectly healthy woman with a cold and headache. I just nodded toward my partner and said, "You'll have to ask him."
Anyway, we left, but a few hours later we were at the same ED and that same nurse came up to me and told me the news. Because of the headache the doc had ordered a CT scan, and lo and behold there was a dissecting aneurism right next to her brainstem. She had been shipped out to the trauma center by helicopter and was undergoing emergency surgery. I learned later that she survived without deficits.
Holy c**p. If I'd had a more experienced partner that day, she would have ended up dead and it would have been my fault.
Squirrelly Panda 2 years ago
Not the paramedic's fault. The headache may or may not have been related to the aneurysm. No way to really know with most aneurysms without scanning/testing.
Marcellus II 2 years ago
It wouldn't legally, morally or technically be their fault, but they wouldn't sleep through feeling it was their fault.
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Deborah B 2 years ago
Who calls an ambulance for a headache? There must have been something more to it. I know someone who died from a disecting aneurism. She got herself to the ER, and told them that she "felt very wrong" and thought she might be having a heart attack. It wasn't a heart attack, but an aortic aneurism, and she died before they could get her into surgery. A sense of impending doom is a sometimes a symptom.
RajunCajun 2 years ago
when I was in class to become an EMT they tell us to always go with your gut.
Mimi M 2 years ago
I am so sorry for the tragic loss of your mom. I hope you feel her presence in your life.
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Foxglove🇮🇪 2 years ago
In Ireland, if an ambulance is called they are required to take the patient to hospital even if it seems unnecessary. Unfortunately if the Ed is busy they might not be able to hand the patient over immediately and have to wait; sometimes other patients suffer the consequences of an ambulance not reaching them in time 😢
ShellsBells 2 years ago
I may have been an EMT years ago, but I was taught that since we are not doctors, we cannot diagnose people, therfore try to convince them not to go to the ER. I'm glad Ireland treats every situation with the patient in mind.
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Lesley Christie 2 years ago
No, not your fault. You have to go by symptoms and protocol. It could have easily just been a headache. You try your best but you're not going to catch everything and save everyone. Thank you for the job you do, most people, including me, couldn't do it.
Marnie 2 years ago
Isn't the fact that the woman called 911 indicative of something more serious than a mild cold?
Load More Replies...Moreover, Bored Panda got in touch with the author of this thread and she kindly agreed to shed light on the motivation behind the creation of this discussion.
“I posed this question because ironically enough, I have more anxiety about going to the doctor than is probably healthy,” she shared. “I avoid doctors like it's my job and ignore symptoms more than I should.”
The author emphasized that she needs to remind herself not to do that every so often and these stories are definitely a good motivation to visit doctors more often and pay attention to symptoms more.
#3
I was the patient. We had gone to India for a wedding (absolutely incredible!) And naturally, our north American digestive tracts, everyone suffered from "Delhi Belly". I was hit harder than most (almost didn't get on our flight home because I was worried about having to use the bathroom if the seatbelt sign was on or if there was a line up). Ultimately got home. Everyone in the group (about 12 people) were feeling better, but I was still having some minor gastro issues. Nothing crazy, still working and living normal life. Went to a walk in because my family doc couldn't see me for at least 2 weeks. Walk in doc ordered some tests and prescribed an antibiotic. I got a call the test came back negative, but if I was still feeling unwell, to come back (this was like 2 weeks after my first visit). I debated, but decided to go back, turns out they never ran the e coli test, so they run that again. Doc said she'll call me when the results were in.
I didn't hear back, but my now MIL (a doc) caught wind I was still dealing with gastro issues and asked if she could call the lab to get my results. I said "sure, that would be great".
In the meantime, a friend is visiting from out of town and I wanted to show her a good time, so we went out dancing. At some point in the evening my now MIL had called me something like 17 times, leaving voice mails and texts to get to the hospital asap. Don't go home to change, don't get public transit (IE cab because it'll be faster), just go STRAIGHT to the hospital.
The nurses were absolutely FLOORED the e coli hadn't gotten into my blood stream (this was about a month after our trip). Apparently my urine test came back absolutely overrun with an antibiotic resistant e coli.
Best part, the walk in doc fiiiiiiinally called me about a week after my hospital visit telling me she has the results and I should come see her. My MIL happened to be standing beside me when I received the call and asked to talk to the doc. As a teacher at the university here, the walk in doc knew who she was and had to walk my MIL through my case to identify ALL the ways she let me down as a patient (including asking me to come into the clinic instead of rushing to the hospital).
I'm totally fine now and remain forever grateful to my now MIL!
Saphyre Fyre 2 years ago
Why wasn't the test run the first time??????? We are supposed to be able to trust medical professionals!!!!!!
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
Very lucky lady. Good contacts in any profession are a good thing to have.
Dread Pirate Roberts 2 years ago
Her MIL is freakin awesome. My dad has to deal with doctors like this all the time, unfortunately.
Mary Kelly 2 years ago
if you were having gastro issues, they should have checked your stool, not your urine.
Emerald Joanna 2 years ago
Actually if someone is having gastro issues, it depends on the clinical history and examination findings as to what is tested.
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#4
My dad woke up with severe back pain one morning after not doing anything strenuous the weeks/days leading up to it. My mom flipped her s**t and finally put her foot down that he had to go to the doctor after him putting off going to a doctor for years even for a routine check-up.
That appointment showed a broken rib from a huge tumor on his spine, along with tumors around his buttocks/pelvis and upper back. Diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. 5 years and 100 treatments later he’s still kicking it.
Colleen Glim 2 years ago
My FIL died of exactly this. But for reasons of his own he refused chemo. Can’t help but wonder if the outcome would have been different had he done the treatments
Louise Clarke 2 years ago
My Opa was diagnosed with lung cancer really really early, due to also having pneumonia, but he refused treatment and died
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Margie Ang 2 years ago
My dad also found out about his lung cancer from a persistent back pain, but unfortunately he didn't make it long afterwards... I'm so glad OP's dad is still kicking it!
#5
I don't know if it counts but I got bit by a bat and thought I should go get the rabies vaccine right away and my wife said "it's expensive, see if you even get sick" and I almost listened to her advice until I looked up what the first symptoms would be to know what to watch for and everything was pretty unanimous once symptoms start it has a 100% kill rate and if you get bit it's non negotiable you should go for the vaccine ASAP.
Hey! 2 years ago (edited)
Good for you. Sad you need to check a budget to get a shot to save your life (edit). It's free in Canada.
ShaZam 2 years ago
we can get bit by a bat for free in the US too ... just kidding 😁
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Ephemeral Mochi 2 years ago
rabies vaccines may be expensive, but I guarantee funerals are more expensive
g90814 2 years ago
I did the same when bitten by a (feral?) kitten. You think it's not worth the bother but then look up if you *might* have gotten Rabies. Cost me $1200 (with insurance, USA!) but would have been $18k without.
Hey! 2 years ago
So, basically, in the USA, you have to choose what you will die of. Unbelievable! (but I believe you, it's insane)
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Julie Schulz 2 years ago
Always go to the ER if you have been bitten. I hear the rabies shots are not fun (and expensive) but dying isn't fun either (and it's expensive). Glad you went with your gut.
g90814 2 years ago
first treatment is several HUGE shots in your butt. then a few follow up injections a few days apart.
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Silre (she/her) 2 years ago
Of all the things I wouldn't want to die of, I wouldn't want to die of rabies the most.
Biana Weatherford 2 years ago
My daughter came home to find a bat in her house. She said, "Assume all bats have rabies" and took the cats and herself to get medical help. The animal control guy said that insurance usually required the bat to be tested before they would pay for rabies treatment and took the bat. Yup. It had rabies. Now, no one got bit. But let's be safe/.
Now, speaking about whether sharing these stories can raise awareness about the importance of taking mild symptoms seriously, the author emphasizes that stories like this in fact can help to raise awareness to listen to your gut. “In a lot of the comments I read, patients were definitely aware something was ‘off’ but couldn't put their finger on what exactly ‘it’ was,” she adds.
#6
I don’t know about haunting me for life but here’s one I’ve never forgotten. I worked as a CNA in a dementia unit.We had a wheelchair bound gentleman who started pulling the fire alarm set into the wall of the hallway by his room. Because this was a nursing home, every time that alarm was set off the fire department responded… quickly. Our gentleman started pulling it several times a day and often a few times in the evening as well, all day, every day. It didn’t take long for the fire department to lose any sense of humor they might have had about the situation and start leveling fines on the facility. Progressively bigger ones as time passed and our friend continued his trick in spite of numerous attempts to stop him. The staff was written up and upper management was going apes**t.We just didn’t have enough staff to have someone constantly monitor a single patient. Finally, someone thought to ask this gentleman WHY he was pulling the fire alarm. His reply was astonishing… he pointed to the dammed thing and very reasonably explained “ it says PULL “. It did, in big red letters three inches high. A simple piece of masking tape over the instructive word solved a huge problem. People with dementia aren’t exactly themselves anymore but they’re certainly far from stupid.
#7
I’m a nurse, not a doctor, but we had a guy come in years ago asking for a medication to “help him stop sweating.” He said he had had a sore throat for about a week, went to a walk in clinic, was diagnosed with strep throat and put on antibiotics, but he was so sweaty and just wanted a break from it. He looked pale and was indeed sweaty, so we took him back and ran some blood tests. His white blood count was the highest I’ve ever seen and he was diagnosed with leukaemia. We sent him to another hospital for immediate treatment, but we were informed he died literally hours after arriving. Incredibly sad, I couldn’t believe it.
Mason Kronol 2 years ago
My father-in-law, 4 weeks. Sorry for your loss. It's tragic how fast it is.
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Brandi Delph 2 years ago
My cousin's 12 year old. Went from fine to a "cold" to "flu" to de*d in less than 2 week. Autopsy revealed it was sudden onset leukemia
Vaa10 2 years ago
Ok, I've being sweating a lot recently, sometimes I'm soaked in sweat for now reason, and now I'm very worried. I did a blood test recently and the doctor told me that I have more white blood cells than normal, but nothing severe, but now I'm starting to feel concerned again
Lucie Van Pelt 2 years ago
If you are not "sick", a white blood cell count of over 11,000 could indicate Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. My husband was diagnosed after a 2nd blood test. At the time his white count was 26,000. He gets blood work done twice a year, and is s still Stage 0 --- Watch and Wait. Today he was 12,200. No other symptoms and it's been 5years. Can't hurt to get another blood test.
Load More Replies...Finally, the author shares that she did not expect this post to blow up the way it did. She noted that the answers that she has read were intense. “The ones that stuck out the most are any of the ones that involved kids. It's always awful when something happens to children, but I especially can't imagine bringing your child in for something basic and routine and having your entire world flipped on you in an instant.”
#8
Hubby went to a&e with shoulder ache ( he had wrenched it a few days before) they sent him home with codiene & said to go back if it didn't improve. It didn't so 3 days later we returned this time they x-rayed showed nothing so they did an ECG, within seconds they were racing round inserting cannulas etc. Blue lighted him to another hospital straight into the cath lab where they removed 5 clots from one side of his heart & a massive clot ( widow maker ) from the other, inserted 2 stents. Cardiologist admitted he doesn't know how hubby survived said he probably had a minute or two to live. 12 years later he's still here ( after surviving another heart attack 4 years after the 1st- at Donington Monsters Of Rock Festival). One lucky man & one grateful wife
Big Chungus 2 years ago
My dad survived two widow maker heart attacks and another heart attack a couple months ago. The first two he stayed home until the pain passed, idk how but he did. The second time my mom and I were fed up and called 911.
Dennis Stanley 2 years ago
( after surviving another heart attack 4 years after the 1st- at Donington Monsters Of Rock Festival) Iron Maiden's gonna get you, no matter how far....\m/
#9
Veterinarian, not MD.
During my internship, a woman came in with her 6-year-old labrador around 1am.
Lab lady: "My dog needs an ultrasound."
Me: "Oh? What are you seeing that you're concerned about?"
Lab lady: "She left the house to go out on the porch this evening, and then she just laid down."
Me: "Is she eating and drinking ok? Any other issues?"
Lab lady: "Everything else is fine. But something is wrong with her."
Me "Well, how about we start with some x-rays?"
X-rays are taken - there's a very obvious splenic mass.
Me: "Ma'am, your dog needs an ultrasound."
Long story short, it was lymphoma in the spleen. They did everything they could and bought her another 10 months or so. Very good dog and devoted owner.
Tabitha 2 years ago
Just like our animals tune into we, we tune into out animals. If one of my pets suddenly does something way out of character, I know immediately that something is up—-not necessarily something wrong, but something unusual—-and it needs to be checked out. This Dog Mom just knew her dog needed help, long before the vet even had a clue.
🇳🇬 Asi Bassey 🇳🇬 2 years ago
Pretty much the same with mothers and kids who aren’t talking yet. Moms tend to pick up on things long before doctors do.
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Violet Jensen 2 years ago
I begged a vet for an X-ray they didn’t want to do. My pet duck had found a nail and eaten it (like, carpentry nail). She died that night.
Nicola Mawson 2 years ago
I once told a vet my dog had parvo because I knew the smell. Later, he called me to say she had parvo. It didn't show up in her bloods. This illness kills. Doggo came through
Tracy Wallick 2 years ago
It makes me happy that they actually believed her and acted on it. It's unfortunately VERY common for women's concerns to be blown off.
Meaghan Stewart 2 years ago
I lost my basset hound to lymphoma when he was just 2y8m. They gave him 6 weeks, he stuck around for 6 months. I miss my baby so much. What a fighter.
ravenhorse 2 years ago
Why don't doctors/veterinarians listen to the patient/patient's advocate without making them check other boxes first?
Nightshade1972 2 years ago
When we first met, my wife's cat at the time was procured from her uncle, a backyard breeder of Siamese. From a fairly young age, he had all sorts of immune system issues. By the time we met, Kato was on a diet of "exotic proteins" because he was having such a hard time keeping anything else down. We took him to the major veterinary teaching hospital in our state, twice, for treatment. By the time his local vet diagnosed him with lymphoma, that's when my wife decided that Kato's quality of life at that point was pretty much shot, and she wasn't gonna force him to go through cancer treatment. He's been gone about 15 years, and we still miss him every day.
#10
Not a doctor but worked as a security supervisor at a hospital.
Man and his wife came in. Man is feeling unwell thinks he has like a flu or a cold or something. I can't remember exactly what. Nothing serious but they don't have a family doctor, so they came to ER.
Man gets in line for triage and his wife leaves to go park the car after dropping him off.
Like I said I'm not a doctor but how it was explained to me was part of this mans digestive tract just... exploded? Because he sits down and within 30 seconds he's slouched over and dead.
My guards respond, realize he's not responding or breathing and pull him onto the floor and start doing compressions. EMS and nurses quickly join us from the back and rush him to a triage room but whatever happened wasn't recoverable.
Wife got back into the ER just expecting him to be hanging out in line. Instead are met with my guards telling her that her husband is dead in the back with staff trying to bring him back.
Like I can't even imagine how that is from the wifes perspective. She leaves with her husband basically fine and wasn't gone for more than five minutes and comes back and he's just gone.
I was on break at the time and missed the situation but had to come back and deal with some shell shocked guards.
KnightOwl 2 years ago
My bf died 3 months ago and it was very similar. He came home from work, chatted to me and his mum and played with our kitten for about 10 minutes. He said he was tired so he made a cup of tea and went into the bedroom to play x-box for a while to de-stress (he was a carpenter so was often exhausted after work.) 15 minutes later his mum peeked her head round the door to ask if he was hungry and he was slumped over dead in his gaming chair. We still don't know what caused his death and likely never will. I've never experienced shock like that, and still can't quite believe it.
RaroaRaroa 2 years ago
This and the guy with leukemia. Some people avoid going to the doctor for various reasons. My main reason is to not look like a hypochondriac, but I still get things checked more than most probably. My husband took the p**s about the difference in the size of my insurance claims and his once. Well pardon me for wanting to live as long as I can and not be that person lying on their death bed saying "I wish I'd seen the Dr sooner".
Unaffected 2 years ago
I'm a nurse, working at a clinic. A patient literally came in today. I went to see the staff at the front desk and saw him sleeping. Asked him if he's ok, no answer. He was unconscious on the chair in the waiting room, no one noticed. Quickly yelled for the doctor, put him in recovery position. In and out of consciousness, ambulance took him to hospital, don't know what happened to him...
Ivy at Eve 2 years ago
A former colleague of my father went to his insurance agent. When admitted, he said he didn't feel well and had to sit for a moment. Famous last words. Aneurysm. I think of that agent sometimes and hope he got some help.
Kelly Scott 2 years ago (edited)
One of my supervisors had a girlfriend in the hospital over Thanksgiving. He went to pick her parents up at the airport and bring them back with him so they could see their daughter. She was perfectly fine but then something happened and she died. So all three of them showed back up at the hospital expecting to have a reunion, only to find out she was dead. My supervisor, naturally, was absolutely devastated and I'm not sure he ever got over it.
Spittnimage 2 years ago
Wow they let security guards tell a person something about their loved one instead of a doctor?
Jaya 2 years ago
If he was waiting in line, there was no doctor involved yet, so the doctor actually knows much less than the guards, because they were there when it happened and the doctor wasn't. So it doesn't make much sense to let the doctor tell them instead of the guard who was actually there.
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#11
Mom was constantly in and out of doctors' offices and ERs for many things such as extremely tired, extreme weight gain, periods lasting months, and a bad case of dehydration. Finally, an ER doctor took notice and sent her for a CT and found a grapefruit sized tumor in her vena cava. Later diagnosed with stage 4 Leiomyosarcoma. Gave her a few weeks to live but she battled for about 5 more years.
Edit: spelling
Bored something 2 years ago
How on earth wasn't periods lasting months not worth looking into way earlier?
Red PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
IF YOUR PERIODS LAST MONTHS, GET IT CHECKED OUT. Same with irregular periods.
Disgruntled Pelican 2 years ago
If only doctors would take those issues seriously 😭
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Bored Monkey 2 years ago
I posted a more detailed comment on another entry for this page, but long periods were one of the symptoms of my endometrial cancer. Diagnosed last year at age 41. My symptoms kept being blamed on my PCOS because my age didn’t fit the norm for endometrial cancer.
#12
I was the patient. Spent six months being told I had a bad cold and anemia so I should take iron pills. Turns out I had an autoimmune disease and my kidneys were failing. I eventually ended up on dialysis and with a transplant.
Lisa H 2 years ago
A cold that lasts six months? Hell, no. Healthcare workers LISTEN TO YOUR DAMN PATIENTS AND TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY
Linda R 2 years ago
Something like that happened to my son some years back with a sore throat. After about a year, they decided to check further, and he had throat cancer. He was on Medicaid at the time, and they didn't want to waste money doing more tests.
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#13
Patient’s wife called. Patient had a temperature of 98.6. No other symptoms.
I explained that was a normal temperature but the wife said “that’s a fever for him.” She said she felt like something was wrong, despite no other symptoms.
I told her that I respect that and that if she feels something is wrong she should get him checked out in the ER.
The ER doctor called four hours later and said they did all they could do for him but he died of sepsis. He appeared to be normal when he got there but rapidly declined.
That gave me a new appreciation that we truly can’t evaluate someone thoroughly over a telephone.
Hey! 2 years ago
I had a temp of around 37°C and I asked the nurse why I had a fever. She told me I didn't. I told her my regular temp was 35°C and the doctor knew that. I had just given birth and ended up with some kind of infection, hemorrhaged, and 3-day coma with 7 blood transfusions.
MarieL 2 years ago
My husband's normal heart rate is 42 beats per second - which is considered low, but that's what it's been for 20+ years. He needed a "procedure" and I told him to make sure all the staff know he has a slow HR. I also informed every staff that I saw of his slow HR. Fast forward - the recovery room nurse calls me, and says that "he's awake & doing well," but they "want to keep him a bit longer." I assume it's because he normally gets nauseous from the anesthetic. They call back a second time, and say, "OK, he's doing well enough, you can pick him up now - we had to give him a medication to GET HIS HEART RATE UP, because it was low. It's at 63, so we think it's safe for him to be released." I screamed into the phone, that his normal heart rate is 42, and to not give him anymore meds - and that I had told the MD and nurse that earlier in the day - did nobody bother to put that in his notes?! This is how people die in hospitals. The "experts" dismiss family input too often.
2x4b523p 2 years ago
I never get fever, even when really ill. I had fantastic doctor as a child who understood this, which saved me when I had pneumonia. As an adult I got dismissed so many times just because I did not have fever, I feel like broken record repeating over and over yeah I never get fever, can you just please consider my symptoms and imagine I also have fever. I’m sure it will be the end of me one day because doctors rarely listen to patients like me with non-standard reactions to illness/infection.
Dr Robert Neville 2 years ago
I had a temp of 40°C and was delirious, the non emergency no told my wife to call an ambulance, the ambulance crew told me off for calling an ambulance, stripped me down to my boxers in late November (near 0°C) weather and told me my temperature wasn't 40°C. Got to hospital, staff berate me for calling an ambulance, tell me to take aspirin and send me home (around 4am). 10am the junior doctor who saw me rings and tells me to come back as I've got a serious Campylobacter issue. I was in a private room (I was waking the other patients vomiting and s***ting every 10 minutes so they made me fly solo) for a week on an IV while they tried to get my temperature back under 40. The worst part, when you're delirious and running for the toilet you forget you have an IV, every single time.
Stephanie Barr 2 years ago
My son had a white blood cell count of 28K. No fever. Looked fine, but he wasn't.
Nightshade1972 2 years ago
Mildly curious what the cause of the poor guy's sepsis was, and how long he'd been sick before Wife called. Sepsis doesn't usually hit that fast unless there's a raging infection going on.
Dread Pirate Roberts 2 years ago
That is a good doctor. It's unfortunate that the patient came in too late :<
Courtney Christelle 2 years ago
Me and my son run about a degree lower than average. If we’re at 98.6, that’s fever for us.
#14
My husband went in for a routine checkup. His bloodwork was fine. Everything was fine. The only thing was him saying he just a little more tired than usual. His Dr noticed that he was due for a colonoscopy, and set one up for him. The DR who did the colonoscopy said everything looked good, but, he just felt there was something up. So, my husband went back to his regular Dr, and she did a complete look at him. Bloodwork showed a very slight increase of white blood cells. So, she decided what the hell, let's do an abdominal scan just to do a look-see since the colonoscopy Dr didn't feel quite right about things even tho there was nothing showing. Apparently his appendix was inflamed, and surgery was scheduled to take it out. Upon removal, not only was it inflamed, but infected, and cancerous as well. Turns out that: a) it was confined at that time to the appendix b) it was a particularly nasty little cancer that likes to spread c) the cancer was at the far part of the appendix, so when they removed the appendix the margins were clear. d) it led to the discovery of him actually having a genetic issue called Lynch Syndrome which they were able to figure out was thru the maternal line. Turns out that his mom's uterine cancers, his uncle's death of colon cancer, and his grandmother's various cancer issues were all related to this genetic abnormality. If he hadn't gone in for his checkup and procrastinated, his appendix would have gotten worse, and the cancer would have spread. There's a good chance the cancer would have gotten into his intestines and ended up with intestinal cancer of some sort if they hadn't gotten it. He is still very suspectable to getting cancers because of this genetic condition. He found out early enough to be able to be proactive enough for care and prevention. It's been almost 10 years since diagnosis and he has been healthy as a horse since then. He gets a colonoscopy every year because of it, but thats a small price to pay.
Julie Schulz 2 years ago (edited)
Reasons like this are why I make sure to take advantage of my insurance's preventative care. There is no history of breast cancer in my family (either side) that I know of but insurance started paying when I turned 40, so every year I go for a mammogram. I also make sure to tell my doctor every health issue I can think of in my family, even my Dad's prostate cancer. No, I'll never have that type of cancer but it might make me more susceptible to another type. Don't procrastinate on getting routine exams and be 100% honest with your doctor!
g90814 2 years ago (edited)
100%. I put off getting colonoscopy for a few years after it was recommended. When I finally did, they found a 4cm polyp that was pre-cancerous. Got it removed (basically same surgery as appendectomy) and I'm good. I was leery of the colonoscopy, but that part is EASY. The prep for it is the worst part (drinking the icky liquid, and the result). The procedure is easy peasy and a nice 45 min nap. 4+ yrs later, 2 more colonoscopies, and I'm good. Back on normal schedule for them now.
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Mochi 2 years ago
See this is why every doctor should ALWAYS ALWAYS ask for family history and PAY ATTENTION to it. My dad's side has breast cancer, colon cancer, and low blood pressure and my mom's side has rare liver cancer, high blood pressure, strokes, and widow maker heart attacks. I haven't had any problems yet, but the one time I did, I was immediately sent for a blood drawn and to a neurologist for what turned out to be presyncope. (Fainting spells stemming from blood issues) It was nothing bad, but it could've been and I'm glad that my doctor recognized that there was an issue. I have nothing against male doctors, but female doctors do seem to be more observant.
nancthetank@gmail.com 2 years ago
So lucky! I have lost 2 friends to appendix cancer & it is rare!
#15
Im a dentist. New pt came in with what he thought was a mild ache in his teeth. Thought it was a toothache. Hadnt seen a dentist in years.
Took a radiograph and the jaw bone around the teeth looked strange. Had him see an oral surgeon that day. Turned out was a very aggressive metastatic bone cancer and died a few weeks later
Hey! 2 years ago
I'm wondering if the hygienist could have seen that coming, if he had been visiting a dentist more frequently. This is sad.
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
Here in the UK, trying to locate a dentist - any dentist - that is willing to take on new patients, both privately and through the NHS is a bloody nightmare. My local dentist, with whom I'd been registered for 5 years, dropped me from their books shortly after the pandemic because I refused to come in for a routine appointment 2 days after leaving hospital having contracted Covid 19 and had just come out of a week's stay in a high dependency unit in hospital as I have a serious respiratory condition. Since then - 3 months ago, I have tried several practices weekly to try and find another dentist with no results. Bloody nightmare !!
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Marnie 2 years ago
This reminds me of a story my Mom told me when I was young. I don't know if it's something she read or someone she knew. This woman kept having a dream that the dentist pulled her tooth out. She had no pain, nothing wrong with the tooth that she knew about, but kept having the dream. Finally she went into the dentist and insisted he pull that seemingly healthy tooth out. (Somehow she talked him into it. The good ol' days.) He pulls it out and found something horrible - not cancer, can't remember what exactly. But something that could have eventually spread and easily killed her (raging infection perhaps)? Imagine, these days, probably no dentist would have pulled that tooth at her insistence.
Auntriarch 2 years ago
They would take X rays though, and infection shows up on them
Load More Replies... #16
I was the patient. My mom kept bringing me to the doctor because I was continuously complaining of tummy pain. I had just started school. The doctor said I was likely just trying to get out of school and stay home with my mom. I complained the whole school year. She even brought me to the ER a few times and they essentially said the same thing. They never did any imaging, sometimes blood work.
Finally one day I started peeing blood and she took me right to the children's hospital and I was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer, by then it had spread to both lungs, liver, lymph nodes and around the heart.
Brainmas 2 years ago
I get really demanding when it comes to my kid's medical care, ever since she was like 4 and was constantly coughing after having a cold, like way more than a usual lingering cough. I got the whole "kids just cough sometimes...blah blah blah" but my kid was not a boogery, drooly kid or chronic cougher. I finally got a doctor to do an xray, and there was pneumonia, but thankfully it was getting better on it's own already. I was pissed it took so long. Now I'm like just run the damn test, I'm the one paying for it.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago (edited)
I’m not a mother, but I hate how they also try to talk you away because you’re a mum overreacting or a first time mum etc. like you didn’t carry that baby for 9mnths and have no connection to it
Load More Replies... Dread Pirate Roberts 2 years ago
Those doctors need to get their teeth kicked in and their licenses taken away.
Nightshade1972 2 years ago
Curious how old OP was when this happened. I could almost see it if OP was, say, 5 and just starting school, the adults might think that OP's just "nervous." But if OP was, say, 10 yo by the time this happened, and they're going to the same school they've always gone to (so no "nerves" about new school/new class), then it's hard to imagine how a kid who's happily attended school every day for years would just suddenly decide they "didn't like" school anymore and just didn't want to go "for no reason." I hope OP's doing okay now!
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago
A child is constantly coming in because they aren't feeling well and that's the response?! WTF?! A doctor is supposed to CARE!
imjustexisting 2 years ago
UGGGGHHH I hate when peopIe say "the kid is just Iying", I once had Iike bad stomach pain -crying and aII that- and I was just given caIpoI- I never got it checked out
BrownTabby 2 years ago
This is a major, major lesson about LISTENING TO CHILDREN when they say something’s wrong.
#17
Probably not particularly crazy, it might happen all the time for all I know…. Not a doctor, but I went in to urgent care thinking I had a nasty uti but it turned out to be severe sepsis, got whisked away in an ambulance on oxygen.
That’s what I get for my mom teaching me it’s all in my head.
Bec 2 years ago
UTI can turn into kidney shutdown if you don't get it treated... Don't find out the hard way. You need antibiotics, cranberry juice doesn't work
Em 2 years ago
I once managed to get rid of one by drinking baking soda mixed into water. Didn't have health insurance, did some frantic googling, am still amazed it worked. Tasted absolutely foul, though.
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Display_Name 2 years ago
Same story for me. I was fine Sunday night before I went to bed. I always have nightmares that accompany fevers. I woke up in the middle of the night and decided I need to go to urgent care. I can't get to urgent care the next day, or the next. My symptoms didn't change. Wednesday I get up to go to work which was in the same parking lot as urgent care. I'm extremely dizzy, puking bile. I take uber to urgent care. After Dr takes my vitals she says I need to call an Uber and go to the hospital...then she says nevermind and she calls an ambulance. Sepsis with a vulnerable heart.
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
People with UTI’s can turn septic in a matter of minutes. Starts with a fever shooting up incredibly quickly, as in minutes. Very very high, like 104F. What we call rigours. Shivering like they’re going to make the bed start shaking. Blood pressure can drop very quickly. I’ve had to move incredibly quickly notifying the doctor and starting treatment like “yesterday”. A person can crash very quickly. NOTE PANDAS!! This is known to happen when elderly folks get a UTI. Please remember this when a normally with it elderly relative suddenly becomes confused. That is almost always the first symptom in what turns out to be a severe UTI.
Dorothy Reiser 2 years ago
I was told by many doctors over 20 years that the fullness in my ear and dizziness was "all in my head, there's nothing I can see that's wrong". Finally got the diagnosis of Meniere's disease by the last doctor.
#18
Still in school and I was not present for this patient’s initial admission but rather her clinic follow up; however..
Patient was healthy 50-something year old who had an extended nosebleed after a long hike. It wouldn’t stop so they went to ER to get it cauterized/impacted (happens all the time). Anyway, they did a CT scan as protocol and discovered she had a 20+ cm tumor on her uterus that was wrapping around her right kidney; she was immediately referred to a serious academic hospital and had a specialized oncology surgeon remove it.
Amazingly? They got it completely removed without even having to damage the kidney. She had an amazing outcome and about a half a foot scar running around her abdomen from the surgery.
Edit for clarification: I do not believe the CT scan was due to the nosebleed itself but rather I imagine as they looked further into her blood work and coagulation studies they found something that warranted further work up.
Jane Hower 2 years ago
Similar. Had an Ulra sound for a tummy ache that led to CatScan and MRI and found a sm lump of cancer on left kidney. It was only 2 centimeters and would NEVER have been found otherwise - not until I was in stage 4 or 5. Dr.s call a find like this an IncidentalLoma!!
#19
26 year old seemingly healthy male came to my office (eye doctor) with complaints of mild blurry vision. Usually a very routine complaint and very easy fix with glasses/contacts. After a few minutes of trying to get him see better with the refracting lenses, I wasn't able to improve his vision when it shouldn't take that long for someone that young. I decided to quit trying and quickly look in the back of his eyes. Hemorrhages everywhere, swollen optic nerves. He ended up having malignant hypertension causing his retinae to swell. His blood pressure was 270/170 in office which could have made him have a stroke at any minute. We physically drove him to the ER where he was admitted.
Bec 2 years ago
Wow. Two cases. Kid I was in school with had a terrible headache and couldn't focus his eyes. His dad brought him to the eye doctor who told him to go straight to the ER. He had a baseball sized brain tumor which was removed and he recovered. More recent, a cousin, 17F, similarly went to eye doctor due to headaches double vision, had a brain tumor. Unfortunately also had a stroke during surgery but is working hard to overcome the issues. The pandemic slowed getting treatment
BrownTabby 2 years ago
This one is interesting to me because I got the back-of-eye scan in a ROUTINE optometrist exam and they were able to detect a potentially disabling illness before it became symptomatic.
Kat-Renee Kittel 2 years ago
This was years ago about 2020 that my mom felt like something was pushing the back of her eye out of place. Turned out she had a brain tumor. 🙏
Donna Sempek 2 years ago
If this was an optometrist vs an ophthalmologist excellent assessment skills and action.
#20
Not a doctor’s perspective but my dad went to his doctor because he suddenly didn’t like the taste of broccoli. Dad was otherwise healthy, late 60’s, fairly active guy. He was diagnosed with leukaemia.
glowworm2 2 years ago
While an absolutely serious story, I can't help but imagine a parent telling their picky eater of a child "No, you don't have leukaemia just because you don't like how broccoli tastes."
Tabitha 2 years ago (edited)
Now, if your picky eater has gladly eaten broccoli for 60 years, then suddenly doesn’t like the taste of it, even though nothing in the way it’s cooked has changed, then maybe they do.
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Upstaged75 2 years ago
Recently I went to what I thought was going to be a quick doctor's appointment and ended up in the hospital for 2 days. Turns out I was in a-fib and my heart rate was 160 at rest. I pretty much felt fine, although I'd had some palpitations, which is why I went to the doctor in the first place. I've never been seen so quickly in the ER before - it was kind of scary how fast they started treating me. I didn't like it when they brought in the crash cart either! I'm fine now and managing it with medication. Thankfully I didn't blow it off like I do with a lot of things. :)
Kat-Renee Kittel 2 years ago
Your comment reminds me that I need to get my heart checked. Sometimes I feel like it's not beating right. Thanks for posting. 🙏
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Mabelbabel 2 years ago
There's a well known symptom called dysgeusia-basically, a horrible taste in your mouth. For some smokers, the first symptom of having smoking related lung cancer isn't the typical coughing blood or getting short of breath, it's going off cigarettes because they've become foul tasting and make the smoker feel nauseated. If you're a smoker, and suddenly find yourself not liking the taste any more, that might be an early pointer for cancer.
AreYouGoingToEatThatPickle? 2 years ago
This happened to my dad - everything tasted funny. Turned out to be a major B12 deficiency that I had been nagging him to get checked because I have pernicious anemia, which is genetic and my Mom's family is all negative. He's adopted so we didn't know his family history.
#21
This is a story from my mother who was a sex therapist. She was treating a teenager who basically was masturbating so hard and often that he was rubbing his junk bloody and bleeding through his pants. The kid insisted it wasn't sexual, he was just really uncomfortable and his skin hurt. He got boners rubbing the skin. The doctors didn't believe him and sent him to my mother.
My mom, devil she was, had a saintly moment and listened to the kid. She suggested he see a dermatologist. Kid literally had d**k cancer. Something with an s- cell carcinoma. My mother never saw the patient after their parents called to cancel appointments because they found the cause and he was no longer in need of her services.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago
Poor guy will so be so weird about any sex subjects too :( made to feel like he was a dirty demon
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Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
That is awful. At least his parents seemed to take it seriously and tried to get him help. I can't imagine if this kid was from an ultra conservative family and got sent away to one of those horrible places in the midwest or some other terrible result. This must have been so horrible for him. When I was in the hospital for kidney disease, my legs would itch and burn ao bad I scratched them bloody. They became completely scabbed and I would scratch the scabs off until there were bloody rivers running down my legs. It hurt so good is the best way to describe and it must have been hell going through something similar in that area I honestly cannot imagine. That's as close as I can get to imagining it but it doesn't really compare
Sunny Day 2 years ago
I had poison ivy rash on my wrist. The itching was driving me crazy. Finally I scratched it bloody raw, and then poured straight bleach on it. It burned like fire, but at least it didn't itch!
Load More Replies... Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
Have cared for gentlemen, one in his early 40’s with penile cancer. Yes, often it needs to be removed to save their life. The urethra is rerouted to behind the testicles. It’s very sad.
#22
Saw a patient with minor cardiovascular symptoms and a slight pain in his upper back. The senior debated back and forth whether it would make sense to run a CT to rule out anything more serious. She finally decided to do it and it turned out he had a massive aortic dissection and was basically wheeled right into the OR
#23
I thought I pulled a calf muscle. I did the whole RICE protocol, but nothing helped. I was limping because of the pain. I ended up going to urgent care which was a waste of time because it could be a blood clot—so they sent me to the ER. The ER did an ultrasound of my leg and found nothing. So, they gave me muscle relaxers and sent me home. They noted I should follow up with my PCP, though, because my blood pressure was really high. I chalked it up to the anxiety of being evaluated for a blood clot. A few days later, I develop this little cough and an intermittent sharp pain between my shoulder blades on deep inhales. Being that this was September 2020, I thought that this was for sure Covid. But I also then remembered that I needed to follow up with my PCP about the blood pressure thing, so I called to talk about both items at once. The nurse was alarmed and told me in no uncertain terms to go straight to the ER to be evaluated for a pulmonary embolism. And that’s how I found out that I had multiple bilateral pulmonary embolisms.
cerinamroth 2 years ago
Can’t raise awareness enough about this. I had DVT that was treated successfully but I lost an otherwise healthy friend very suddenly to pulmonary embolism at the age of 35. Devastating.
Nikki Gross 2 years ago
My best friends first husband died due to a blood clot that triggered a massive heart attack at the age of 32. He had played basketball with friends and had fallen causing his calf to swell. My friend kept telling him to go to the doctor and he refused saying it was just a pulled muscle. 2 days after falling my friend Dana got up and took the kids to school and went on to work, her husband had the day off and slept in, he got out of bed and had just walked into the bathroom when the doctor said the clot broke loose and traveled to his heart causing a massive heart attack. Dana went home and found her husband dead in the bathroom, thankfully she stopped by their apartment first before picking the kids up from school that day so she was at least able to save the kids from seeing their father dead
Load More Replies... RaroaRaroa 2 years ago (edited)
I found I was getting short of breath too easily. Wasn't really sure if I was just unfit but went to the doc just in case. She sent me for a d-dimer blood test just in case. If it was over 500, I might have clots. Came back over 2000. Turned out I had multiple clots in both lungs. Had to inject myself with blood thinners for 5 days, then meds ever since just in case. Likely caused by the contraceptive pill but I've since wondered if it might have been the tranexamic acid a doc gave to take when my periods got too heavy from fibroids. And no calf symptoms or any other symptoms as an early warning either
#24
My local hospital sent me home twice after I went there for chest pains. I had a massive heart attack, and my son had to resuscitate me soon after arriving home the second time.
Sami-Jo Ross 2 years ago
What is it with hospitals deciding "you're fine" when it's very clear they aren't?
Tracy Wallick 2 years ago (edited)
There is unfortunately a trend (in US hospitals at least) where if you're a woman, person of color and/or overweight, you're likely to be dismissed as lying, hysterical, drug-seeking, etc. Normal weight, white men are treated as the default in medicine and everyone else is 'abnormal'.
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Xenia Harley 2 years ago
My former brother in-law had horrible pains and went to the ER three times, sent home twice. The doctor was going to send him home again, when my brother in-law grabbed the doctor by the lapel of his coat and told him he could not send him back home. Turns out his gallbladder was gangrene and he could have died. He had to have every organ carefully looked at during surgery and ended up with a massive scar. I forget what they were telling him it was as this happened some time ago.
Nice Beast Ludo 2 years ago
Happened to me with a blood clot in my leg while I was pregnant. Sent me home after they couldn't find anything. I came back the next day cause the pain was so excruciating and getting worse and my leg was swollen up. They did a more thorough ultrasound and finally found it on the back of my knee
LynzCatastrophe 2 years ago
Something similar happened to my dad many many years ago. He came to the ER, short of breath, chest pains, sweating, face turning red, but doctor wouldn't even see him, dismissed him straight out as faking and sent him away. Mom took him to the local clinic (we live in a small town, only have one small hospital) because she wasn't willing to give up. My dad turned blue and passed out in the doorway to the clinic. I was just a baby when this happened but I often imagine the look on the doctors face when the very patient he turned away arrived back at the hospital in an ambulance 10 minutes later. A basic check at my dad's history would have shown he has had asthma since he was a small child and 2 attacks prior.
The CareTaker 2 years ago
this happened with my aunt, she went in with a massive heart attack, they called 911 and got her fixed up by the time she got to the hospital so.... they kicked her out about an hour later, she took one step inside the house with her son holding her arm, and fell over with another mass heart attack and she died within seconds
The CareTaker 2 years ago
we think if they just kept her one more hour then she would have still been alive..., in all she was in the hospital for 20 mins after her heart attack, and this wasn't a log time ago, it was only in 2019
Load More Replies... Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
Sent him home? WTF?!! You always treat it like it’s a heart attack until proven differently.
#25
Not a doctor but I had a massive head ache, fainting and extreme light sensitivity. Dr came and said it was sinusitis. I struggled on, saw another dr at same practice who confirmed sinusitis. Started slowly recovering but had extreme vertigo. Got a second opinion, confirmed sinusitis. Went private (was in the uk) and was seen by very dismissive dr. I insisted on further tests and he reluctantly ordered an mri. Turns out I had meningitis.
Dread Pirate Roberts 2 years ago
I'm not even in the medical field, and I could tell from the second they listed the symptoms that it was likely meningitis. What's with those doctors?
crazydogmama 2 years ago
I've had Sinusitis several times, never had light sensitivity. Why'd they think that was connected?!?
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#26
A man came to the hospital because his wife always complained about his bad breath. Long story short, I met him because they consulted my department when the tissue biopsy came back as esophageal cancer.
Tracy Wallick 2 years ago
We nag because we care and want our loved ones to make sure they're okay, not just say they are without proof.
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#27
Many years ago, when I was in my residence, a man entered ER with a hand in his forehead, walking by himself, asking for a doctor.
You can imagine my surprise when I said "yes?", to him removing his hand and showing his injury - a perforating hole from a bullet.
He was quickly moved to surgery after that. Later I found the bullet didn't reach the brain, it was well buried into the skull bone.
Midoribird Aoi 2 years ago
He was hiding it at first and walking unaided, and was conscious. Not common in a bullet to the head.
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Christopher Denney 2 years ago
Ow, thank goodness for small bullets? I remember a story in the '70s about a runner who had a sharp pain in his head while running a marathon, went to the doctor after, and had a bullet removed. (.22)
#28
Not a doctor but my husband suddenly lost 15lbs over a few days. No changes to diet or exercise. I told him it sound like diabetes and please go. He finally went after a week and by that time he was skin and bones. It was diabetes and his blood sugar level was dangerously high. The doc said if he had waited 1 more day, he might have gone into a coma
over it already 2 years ago
It can be a symptom but not always. Suddenly increased thirst is another good one to know.
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Sunny Day 2 years ago
An aunt lost a bunch of weight without trying. Then gained it back plus. Doctor couldn't figure it out. Her weight went up & down for 3 years. Finally she was down to around 85 pounds. They brought in hospice. She was waiting to die. Then started gaining weight again. Idk if her regular doctor finally pulled his head out of his a*s, or she saw another doctor but she was finally diagnosed with diabetes. Her doctor missed it for 3 YEARS. She survived and lived another 25 years, but she had a LOT of health issues. She actually maxed out her health insurance lifetime limit.
Virginie Michaud 2 years ago
For-profit health and private health insurance are the most vile invention ever. What happens when you max out your insurance? Are you left in palliative care to wither and die? It's utterly absurd and disgusting.
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William Bonner 2 years ago
I had a coworker tell me that he always felt so sleepy in the afternoon after lunch. I told him to see a doctor and get his blood sugar checked. He found out he was diabetic.
#29
Not a doctor (annoying, I know) But my mom kept having foot pain. Told her it was plantar fasciitis. Wouldn’t heal. Then told her it was a fracture. Wouldn’t heal. Then told her there was a growth. Did a biopsy and it was LUNG CANCER! Stage 4. So from foot pain to lung cancer. Totally wild. She has also never smoked a day in her life.
JB 2 years ago
Although the risk of lung cancer is greatly increased by smoking, please people, remember it isn’t a prerequisite! Anyone can develop lung cancer so don’t imagine that being a non-smoker means you won’t get it.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago
So true, I’ve met in life two people who’ve had it and both were non smokers. It’s was confusing as a kid at the time cos you’re constantly told (and by tv too cos it was the 90s) that smoking is the reason.
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Nikki Gross 2 years ago
My Mom's youngest sibling was my Uncle Elbert and he never smoked, drank, used ANY tobacco products, was a vegetarian and ran marathons. He was diagnosed with mouth, throat and esophageal cancer and had portions removed from all of those area as well as chemotherapy. The first thing he did when he was finally able to eat solid foods again was to ask my Mom to make him a bacon cheeseburger and fries. He told everyone that he did everything "healthy and right" and still got cancer so he said "f**k it" after he recovered.
Mabelbabel 2 years ago
There are several different types of lung cancer. They are divided onto two main groups-small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. 80-90% of lung cancers are due to smoking, and your risk of lung cancers is many times higher if you're a smoker, but one type, called adenocarcinoma, occurs in non-smokers, and more frequently in women. Adenocarcinoma arises from the glandular cells in the airways, the cells that make mucus. Squamous carcinoma arises from the cells lining the airways, and that's more common in smokers. Small cell carcinomas respond better to chemotherapy than the non-small cell cancers. Adenocarcinoma tend to be smaller in size and found in the periphery of the lung, but squamous cell cancers are more commonly found at the hilum of the lung (the bit where the main airways and blood vessels are found). So cell of origin, type of cancer, location and size are all important when it comes to deciding treatment options and prognosis.
Paul Brown 2 years ago
Yep, my Great Aunt Rose was a Catholic Nun, never smoked and she died of lung cancer too.
Tuesday 2 years ago
How long does plantar fasciitis take to heal? A family member’s had it since last year and still has pain which is only increasing. She says its inflamed, not torn, but since she hasn’t been to a doctor in the last 10 or so months I don’t know how she can know that. We can’t afford to see a podiatrist.
Mabelbabel 2 years ago
It can take a year or more, but it should improve gradually over time-if it's getting worse she should try and get a proper opinion. My husband had it-he improved with special insoles in his shoes to add more support, and did an exercise the physiotherapist taught him. You stand on a step in your bare feet as though you're going to go upstairs, but with your feet half-on, half-off. Your toes and balls of feet are on the step, and the back half of your feet hanging over the edge. Then you lift yourself up, like you're trying to stand on tip toes. Keep repeating that, up and down like you're bouncing on the spot. It helps to stretch all the muscle and connective tissue.
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alithenewmc 1 year ago
My grandmother has a rare lung cancer now as a side effect of taking methotrexate for temporal arteritis. She used to smoke but hasn't in about 45 years- the oncologist told her in no uncertain terms that it's not from her smoking, it's from the medicine
#30
Not a doctor but my dad went to his Dr because of a stuffy nose that had been going on for weeks. Dr looks into his nose and noted a deviated septum. Said that's not right and sent him for tests. My dad had a brain tumor size of a grapefruit with no symptoms other than a plugged up nose. So he went in with a cold and came out with cancer.
Tamra 2 years ago
Serious question: how does a brain tumor grow to the size of a grapefruit without seriously affecting brain function? I mean, there's just not that much room in the skull.
Shelby Moonheart 2 years ago
I had a brain tumor the size of a soft ball. I didn't have any symptoms. My ophthalmologist noticed my optic nerve was swollen. She sent me to get an MRI. The tumor was benign and successfully removed. My brain is doing well.
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Dread Pirate Roberts 2 years ago
The size of a GRAPEFRUIT?! With no other symptoms?! I'm surprised this is even medically possible O_O
#31
Not a doctor but my MIL tripped, broke her ankle, and they discovered she had bowel cancer really early because her blood work came up wonky.
#32
Not a doctor, just answering for myself. Also, I don’t really know if it can be considered a serious life or death situation…
Had post-concussion syndrome, and already had a MRI done. It was nothing out of the ordinary. Then one day about a month later, I got up and suddenly fainted. Consulted my doctors, and they all agreed it was likely a one-off and I was fine to go travel… but they still thought, to be on the safe side, I should do another MRI scan when I returned.
I had a great few weeks travelling, and that included lots of outdoors and sports stuff. Then I came back, and went for my scan, this time with contrast. By that point, I honestly felt like I was wasting time and money.
So imagine my shock when the results came out and I was told I had a brain tumour. I later found out that people with the type of brain tumour I am suspected to have tend to have it manifest through seizures. I just happened to have mine in a “dead area”, so I just never had any symptoms at all.
(I’ve since had it taken out, and we’re waiting on the histopathology to get back.)
#33
Neurologist here.
A healthy patient came in with a few month history of left hand numbness. My first thought was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But physical exam was not very convincing. I got CT head and found malignant metastatic lesions!
Patient and family were talking about expensive designer bags, were very happy. I had to break the news. They went from healthy to potentially a few months to live.
Sometimes I hate my job.
Edit: I am reading replies of people getting worried about their/loved one’s symptoms. Remember, cancer is incredibly rare. Everything else is much more likely to be the case.
Mario Strada 2 years ago
The last comment is why "when you hear hooves, don't think zebras, think horses".
Papa 2 years ago
I had not exactly numbness, but something between pain and the feeling you get in your hand if it "goes to sleep," in my left hand and running up my arm. A neurologist finally figured out that I had a pinched nerve in my neck. It was a relatively easy fix, but finding the problem wasn't so easy.
Awesome At Being Autistic 2 years ago
"Everything else is much more likely to be the case." Yeah, when you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras. Unless, of course, you and your family are zebras.
#34
wasnt life threatening but i fell and got a few stitches in my knee as a teen.
The hospital wasnt the best, and I wasnt even fully numb when they stitched me. I was screaming in pain from the needle and sutures and two nurses were holding me down as they finished.
However the first week or two i noticed i couldnt walk right. My knee obv couldnt bend due to the stitches, so didnt think much of it. When they finally came out, i still couldnt bend my knee but figured it was just weak and stiff from being straight for 2 weeks.
It still hurt alot over the following week, and found I was literally dragging my leg behind me as i still could not bend it.
My dad was the type "put some dirt in it son, dont be a baby" and he is the one who took me to the doctor on why im dragging my leg like a sack of potatoes.
Doctor took one look at it and exclaimed i need to go to the hospital right away! Even threatened that if i didnt go they would have to cut off my leg (tbh i think she was embellishing, but the scary part not by much)
This hospital was really good compared to the one i initially got the stitches at. Turned out I had an infection in the knee that needed several days iv antibiotics. They did proper scans of my knee and found i not only blew my patellar tendon (primarily why i couldnt bend my knee) I also mildly fractured the bone itself (which was impressive to do)
#35
I'm not a doctor, but I have 2:
I had a doctor appointment, just a 6 month checkup for my diabetes. My heart rate was up, so my doctor sent me to the ER for blood work. Turns out I was having a weird version of diabetic ketoacidosis where my blood sugar wasn't elevated (anion gap). They kept me in ICU for a week.
My mom went to her doctor for shortness of breath. He told her she was old and overweight. We took her to the ER, where they drained a couple of liters of fluid off her lungs. Her breast cancer from 5 years earlier had returned, metastasized, and invaded every bone in her body, her lungs, and her brain. She died 5 weeks later.
Hey! 2 years ago
I hate it when doctors tell an overweight patient that it's all because of their weight, without even checking for something else.
LH25 2 years ago
ME TOO! Yes, being overweight is a risk factor for a lot of things. And losing weight does make you healthier. But in my case, losing weight would not have "cured" my stage 3 uterine cancer nor spinal stenosis. Both of which were dismissed for far to long as just effects of being overweight.
Load More Replies... Mary Kelly 2 years ago
so sad...women are viewed as hysterical, people who are overweight are viewed as having only problems related to obesity....
#36
Obligatory not a doctor: had a 38 week pregnant woman with twins come in with a primary complaint of “shortness of breath with exertion”. She was 4’10. I’m thinking, “of course you’re SOB, as short as you are with term twins”. I was pretty sure we’d do an NST and send her home.
Her BP was 170/110, so we did bloodwork, and she was in HELLP syndrome. Platelets were 42,000. We were lucky she came in when she did.
Honcho Chorcoran 2 years ago
SOB - Shortness of breath NST - Non stress test HELLP - Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzyme levels, and Low Platelets
imjustexisting 2 years ago
I'm assuming heIIp is an accurate representation to what you shouId do if you have it
Load More Replies...
Julie Schulz 2 years ago
A rare form of preeclampsia according to a Google search.
Load More Replies...
#37
Not a doctor, I work in the cat scan department. Had a patient who came to the ER because she thought she was pregnant and wanted a test (happens so often, idk why they just don’t get a test at CVS). Pregnancy test was negative and they sent her to me for a scan. Patient tells me she was having symptoms from her last pregnancy. Turns out she was having right sided heart failure.
#38
I did, among my other jobs, administrative physical exams for my employer for decades. This happened over 2 decades ago. Patients had a chest xray and some basic labs before they were seen. I got an xray report that said the patient's mediastinum appeared a bit wide and I should consider a CT scan to evaluate for an aneurysm of the aorta. Woops. I called the patient, whom I had never seen. He was not having any chest pain and felt like his usual self but agreed to have the chest CT done. For whatever reason radiology did not do a 'full' chest CT as I had ordered, but did one limited to the aortic arch and below. The aorta and mediastinum were normal, but the CT report mentioned some minor 'stranding' extending from the left hilum of the lung extending towards the left upper lobe - which was not shown on the CT because they did a limited exam. OK. I called the patient back, whom I still had never seen, and told him what the CT scan showed. Upon questioning he said he had some minor pain in his left scapular area (behind the shoulder) a year before, and he had seen a clinic at a different hospital which had done a series of xrays and "nothing was wrong". The upper back/shoulder pain had not really changed over the intervening year and he had grown used to it - the vicissitudes of ageing. So I re-ordered a chest CT and asked radiology to do it as ordered - which a few days later they did. Double oops. The full CT scan showed a pancoast tumor, at the apex/top of the left lung, that had extended into the chest wall and destroyed segments of several posterior ribs - which explained the pain the patient was having. This is a "very bad" thing. I called the patient back again, his appointment to see me was not for several weeks and he needed to know. He took the very bad news surprisingly well, got copies of the CT scan, and went to a local cancer hospital for further evaluation and treatment. I never actually saw him.
#39
Had a friend who had back pain in her lower back. Put it off because it was the beginning of covid. By the time she finally went they found out she had tumors all over her spine.
PeepPeep the duck 2 years ago
When I had covid that was the only thing I got, a sore lower back like when it’s ‘that time of the month’ but worse
Red PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
When I had covid, my throat hurt so bad that I went to go get tested for strep throat lmao. So weird how diverse the symptoms can be for different people
Load More Replies... SparkleFarts 2 years ago
So many people die of cancerous tumors in their back because doctors blow them off as drug seekers
#40
As a resident, I had someone come to clinic to resume routine care for routine screenings after an older sibling had passed (reason for visit/CC: "i want to take better care of my health"). I noticed they had a little bit of blood on their napkin and asked to examine their mouth... a few missing teeth and a massive mass on their gums. Immediately sent them to ENT, where they learned that it was oral cancer They'd eventually get the whole enchilada of mandibulectomy (jaw resection), glossectomy (tongue removal), and I think even neck dissection and laryngectomy.
I followed them peripherally on a consulting service until they ultimately passed away in the hospital about a year later. The cruel irony of the whole thing is even worse when I wonder if he would have had better quality end of life if I'd never bothered looking and it had just taken its natural course.
Just more reasons to avoid tobacco and alcohol (80% of oral cancers attributable to their consumption) and eat plants.
Mary Kelly 2 years ago
also get your kids the hpv vaccine...it protects against certain oral, a**l, and cervical cancers
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
When I was in high school we all got the (three) HPV vaccines. Only one I got in school rather than at the GP.
Load More Replies... #41
Obligatory not the doctor. I had a cough that wouldn’t go away. Chest x-ray found a spot on my thyroid. Ended up having it removed as it was cancerous. Cough ended up being asthma.
#42
NAD but I had a migrating headache (kept moving from base of skull to top) for over a week. Nonstop just kept on there. I ignored it and chalked it off to being in front of a computer all day. Started getting a pain behind my right eye. Still thought it was the computer. Everyone kept telling me I should probably go to the hospital and I kept saying no because I didn't wanna deal with waiting in the er for them to say I need to sleep more. Well I went and they took me back thinking I had bacterial meningitis. Got a horrible spinal tap and came back negative. The only conclusion was my immune system was attacking itself and that if I had waited any longer (than the week I already did) my immune system wouldn't have responded to any medication and just killed me thinking I was sick. Fun times. Fun fun times.
#43
Not a doctor but work in health. Had a patient that went to her GP thinking she had arthritis in the knee from an old surgery and came back with a diagnosis of motor neurone disease.
Tabitha 2 years ago (edited)
Since not all of us are doctors or nurses: Stephen Hawking had it. Motor neurone disease (MND) is an uncommon condition that affects the brain and nerves. It causes weakness that gets worse over time. There's no cure for MND, but there are treatments to help reduce the impact it has on a person's daily life. Some people live with the condition for many years. MND can significantly shorten life expectancy and, unfortunately, eventually leads to death.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
It's what the Americans call ALS or Lou Gehrig's
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
Ephemeral Mochi 2 years ago
It's sad how many of these involve being brushed off or ignored by medical professionals.
XenoMurph 2 years ago (edited)
If you see a thousand patients 999 people will present with something weird that'll be just some insignificant anomoly. Nothing to worry about. When you've done 998 ct scans and MRIs that reveal that a normal temp but "feelign a bit hot" is just some weird thing about getting older, of course you are going to go with the statistics. What you see here are the 1 in 1000 cases. Some people would be having MRI scans every week. No health service can sustain that.
Load More Replies... Papa 2 years ago
I have one all you ladies need to see, just in case. My mother-in-law noticed redness on her chest. Her doctor told her it was a rash, and gave her an ointment to put on it. The ointment didn't help. She finally went to another doctor, who diagnosed her with inflammatory breast cancer (which I had never heard of). She fought it, but she didn't last long. Her chances for survival would have been much better if it was properly diagnosed earlier.
Sarah Kathrin Matsoukis 2 years ago
My mom had a tumor in her uterus so big you could feel it from outside, almost the size of me when I was born, they failed to see it as cancer until she found a better doctor who took out her whole uterus immediately and some chemo later she was fine. He also called her prior doctor and ripped him a new one.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
I would have loved to have been there for THAT conversation!
Load More Replies...
Noname 2 years ago
So I developed an allergy to crustaceans which exhibits as severe gastrointestinal distress in my 20s. So I avoid crustaceans. 30 odd years later, I suddenly have a different kind of allergic reaction to joels (sand smelts) with hives and projectile vomiting ensuing. OK, noted, don't eat. But then I tried marinated anchovies (broke out in hives), razor clams (gastro-intestinal distress), and now I'm not sure if I can tolerate any kind of fish or bivalves.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
Sounds like seafood should be permanently on your "avoid at all costs" list. I just developed an allergy to shrimp, but I'm not willing to risk a double-Mount St. Helens with anything related.
Load More Replies... Alex Helm 2 years ago
I had chronic upper leg pain. Went years and years being told it was sciatica, or neural damage in my back. Had loads of scans of my back, all fine. Tried various neural medications that did nothing at all. Meanwhile, the pain got worse and worse and I could barely walk. It was only when I moved to Germany that someone said let’s do a scan of the area that actually hurts. Turned out I had grade 3 osteoarthritis and needed an immediate hip replacement. The consultant said the degradation was so bad that one bad fall and my hip structure would have collapsed. I was only 40, which is why they didn’t consider it.
Destiny Kruse-Brainard 2 years ago
My coworker went to the doctor with reoccurring back pain. She had stage IV lung cancer. She had never smoked and lived a healthy and active lifestyle.
Marnie 2 years ago
I have a related story, but it wasn't that serious. In my 20s, I just found myself unable to stop crying. I wasn't upset about anything. I finally called my Mom. I rarely "bothered" her as my family would call it, but I didn't know what else to do. She told me when I was little, I would always cry before any other symptoms when I was getting sick, so I should see the doctor. So I did (physicians assistant actually). She didn't poo-poo me. She said, "I don't know what else to do, but let's do a strep test." Turns out I had strep, and a pretty bad case of it. Never did get a sore throat. Never had it before (even as a kid) or since, but who knows? Maybe asymptomatic other times. I appreciated that assistant, especially as opposed to the other one at that clinic who poo-pooed and even joked about a very severe reaction to sulfa that I later think was really close to killing me.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
"Poo-pooed and even joked about a very severe reaction to sulfa"?! Was his last name Mengele, by chance?
Load More Replies...
OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago
This summer my dad went to do his annual blood analysis (he's a tough one to get to go to a doctor, hence the annual) and it came back terrible. No surprise there, he's diabetic, jas high blood pressure and an array of other issues he doesn't really keep a tab on. As a BSc in Biochem, I got curious and read the entire report, and his blood cells were off. Really off, an indication of an infection. I told my mother, she said he has no symptoms whatsoever, I spoke to him and he shrugged it off saying he's feeling fine, just like always. His doctor received the results and said he's fine, the sugar levels and cholesterol being her primary concern. He developed a fever and collapsed days later, mom called an ambulance and he was taken in immediately. Stayed in hospital for a good month in ICU. Something on his lungs, but his state was so bad that to this day he hasn't done the necessary analysis since all previous ones were inconclusive. To be continued...
OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago
He developed a UTI from his stay from incompetent nurses who never changed his catheter, he will probably have one for life now since he cannot use the restroom without one (they tried, he ended up in the hospital again), he can barely walk from the lung infection that was only partially treated (it could even have been COVID but doctor's are hesitant to throw around that diagnosis for whatever reason) so he uses a walker now and all of this because a doctor couldn't or wouldn't see something that could have been treated before it got worse. Hell, even I who have no medicinal knowledge whatsoever caught it early... I'm still mad how things came out and wonder if I could have done something, been more insistent or something
Load More Replies...
LoveMyJordy 2 years ago
I'm not a doctor but I also understand that most of the time a headache is just a headache and not necessarily a brain tumor or stage 4 cancer. Similarly to many other indicators such as a stomach ache or sore muscles - most of the time these are benign so I would imagine that the people charged with diagnosing do not have the time/resources to investigate every ailment for the slight chance that it could be something more serious.
nini 2 years ago
That's why we tell people to come back if it persists or gets worse/other symptoms appear. We only get a "freeze frame" of their symptoms, and sometimes it needs another visit after something changed to properly find those cases where something's off...
Load More Replies... Ephemeral Mochi 2 years ago
It's sad how many of these involve being brushed off or ignored by medical professionals.
XenoMurph 2 years ago (edited)
If you see a thousand patients 999 people will present with something weird that'll be just some insignificant anomoly. Nothing to worry about. When you've done 998 ct scans and MRIs that reveal that a normal temp but "feelign a bit hot" is just some weird thing about getting older, of course you are going to go with the statistics. What you see here are the 1 in 1000 cases. Some people would be having MRI scans every week. No health service can sustain that.
Load More Replies... Papa 2 years ago
I have one all you ladies need to see, just in case. My mother-in-law noticed redness on her chest. Her doctor told her it was a rash, and gave her an ointment to put on it. The ointment didn't help. She finally went to another doctor, who diagnosed her with inflammatory breast cancer (which I had never heard of). She fought it, but she didn't last long. Her chances for survival would have been much better if it was properly diagnosed earlier.
Sarah Kathrin Matsoukis 2 years ago
My mom had a tumor in her uterus so big you could feel it from outside, almost the size of me when I was born, they failed to see it as cancer until she found a better doctor who took out her whole uterus immediately and some chemo later she was fine. He also called her prior doctor and ripped him a new one.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
I would have loved to have been there for THAT conversation!
Load More Replies... Noname 2 years ago
So I developed an allergy to crustaceans which exhibits as severe gastrointestinal distress in my 20s. So I avoid crustaceans. 30 odd years later, I suddenly have a different kind of allergic reaction to joels (sand smelts) with hives and projectile vomiting ensuing. OK, noted, don't eat. But then I tried marinated anchovies (broke out in hives), razor clams (gastro-intestinal distress), and now I'm not sure if I can tolerate any kind of fish or bivalves.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
Sounds like seafood should be permanently on your "avoid at all costs" list. I just developed an allergy to shrimp, but I'm not willing to risk a double-Mount St. Helens with anything related.
Load More Replies... Alex Helm 2 years ago
I had chronic upper leg pain. Went years and years being told it was sciatica, or neural damage in my back. Had loads of scans of my back, all fine. Tried various neural medications that did nothing at all. Meanwhile, the pain got worse and worse and I could barely walk. It was only when I moved to Germany that someone said let’s do a scan of the area that actually hurts. Turned out I had grade 3 osteoarthritis and needed an immediate hip replacement. The consultant said the degradation was so bad that one bad fall and my hip structure would have collapsed. I was only 40, which is why they didn’t consider it.
Destiny Kruse-Brainard 2 years ago
My coworker went to the doctor with reoccurring back pain. She had stage IV lung cancer. She had never smoked and lived a healthy and active lifestyle.
Marnie 2 years ago
I have a related story, but it wasn't that serious. In my 20s, I just found myself unable to stop crying. I wasn't upset about anything. I finally called my Mom. I rarely "bothered" her as my family would call it, but I didn't know what else to do. She told me when I was little, I would always cry before any other symptoms when I was getting sick, so I should see the doctor. So I did (physicians assistant actually). She didn't poo-poo me. She said, "I don't know what else to do, but let's do a strep test." Turns out I had strep, and a pretty bad case of it. Never did get a sore throat. Never had it before (even as a kid) or since, but who knows? Maybe asymptomatic other times. I appreciated that assistant, especially as opposed to the other one at that clinic who poo-pooed and even joked about a very severe reaction to sulfa that I later think was really close to killing me.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
"Poo-pooed and even joked about a very severe reaction to sulfa"?! Was his last name Mengele, by chance?
Load More Replies... OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago
This summer my dad went to do his annual blood analysis (he's a tough one to get to go to a doctor, hence the annual) and it came back terrible. No surprise there, he's diabetic, jas high blood pressure and an array of other issues he doesn't really keep a tab on. As a BSc in Biochem, I got curious and read the entire report, and his blood cells were off. Really off, an indication of an infection. I told my mother, she said he has no symptoms whatsoever, I spoke to him and he shrugged it off saying he's feeling fine, just like always. His doctor received the results and said he's fine, the sugar levels and cholesterol being her primary concern. He developed a fever and collapsed days later, mom called an ambulance and he was taken in immediately. Stayed in hospital for a good month in ICU. Something on his lungs, but his state was so bad that to this day he hasn't done the necessary analysis since all previous ones were inconclusive. To be continued...
OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago
He developed a UTI from his stay from incompetent nurses who never changed his catheter, he will probably have one for life now since he cannot use the restroom without one (they tried, he ended up in the hospital again), he can barely walk from the lung infection that was only partially treated (it could even have been COVID but doctor's are hesitant to throw around that diagnosis for whatever reason) so he uses a walker now and all of this because a doctor couldn't or wouldn't see something that could have been treated before it got worse. Hell, even I who have no medicinal knowledge whatsoever caught it early... I'm still mad how things came out and wonder if I could have done something, been more insistent or something
Load More Replies... LoveMyJordy 2 years ago
I'm not a doctor but I also understand that most of the time a headache is just a headache and not necessarily a brain tumor or stage 4 cancer. Similarly to many other indicators such as a stomach ache or sore muscles - most of the time these are benign so I would imagine that the people charged with diagnosing do not have the time/resources to investigate every ailment for the slight chance that it could be something more serious.
nini 2 years ago
That's why we tell people to come back if it persists or gets worse/other symptoms appear. We only get a "freeze frame" of their symptoms, and sometimes it needs another visit after something changed to properly find those cases where something's off...
Load More Replies...
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