Misdiagnosed
I Spent 18 Months on Supplemental Oxygen: Maresa’s Story
I had been having what I considered typical cold symptoms for about a month. Ongoing negative COVID tests gave little clarity. The doctors initially diagnosed me with a sinus infection then and pneumonia when the symptoms didn’t subside. I woke up Valentines Day 2022 with total numbness on my right side. I could not make…
Being Diagnosed with a PE was a Traumatic Experience: Lauren’s Story
In early April 2023, I underwent a complete hysterectomy. My recovery was complicated by uncontrolled pain and urinary retention, which required a Foley catheter for a week. I then started experiencing a UTI, which required hospitalization. I was finally improving by the end of April, but on May 5, 2023, I suddenly started to experience…
I Knew Nothing About Blood Clots: Shawna’s Story
During Covid, I was teaching from home and not as active as I once was. I began feeling short of breath at the start of the week, but attributed it to the bad air quality from fires in the area. On Thursday evening, I began feeling a pain in the right side of my back…
I Begged Them to Look at my Lungs for Clots: Renee’s Story
I had two episodes where I was walking through my house and felt something in my chest. I felt clammy like I was about to pass out. After the second episode in March 2020, I went to the doctor I told her I thought I had blood clots. I felt something dragging through my chest…
Blood Clots Are Often Misdiagnosed as Pneumonia: Taylor’s Story
My 14-year-old son died. I took him to the doctors twice the same week of his death. They diagnosed him with light pneumonia in his left lung. He died less than a week later and when the autopsy came back, it showed he had blood clot in his left lung and no pneumonia. I’ve done…
My Diagnosis Took Away the Excitement of My Pregnancy: Emmy’s Story
I was 13 weeks pregnant when I experienced an awful headache while at work. I went home and spent the evening in a dark room. When I awoke, my head still ached, but it was manageable. Over the next week, I began having headaches and nausea throughout the day, so I contacted my midwife. She…
Every Day Since My Diagnosis Has Been Challenging: Mymoena’s Story
I was working in the chemistry lab when suddenly I experienced a sharp, stabbing pain in my lower back that caused me to fall to the ground. I was rushed to the nearest hospital and, after some tests, I was sent home with the diagnosis of muscle spasms. From that day onwards, the pain in…
I Was Misdiagnosed as Having a Heart Attack: Julie’s Story
In November of 2022, I was driving home from work when out of nowhere, my heart started hammering and went out of rhythm. I made it home and told my partner that I wasn’t okay and needed to go to the ER immediately. We got as far as the local urgent care where I told…
If You Know Something Isn’t Right, Get a Second Opinion: Matt’s Story
I was at the Walmart self-checkout. I had been feeling sore and had a hard time catching my breath all day, and I collapsed in the self-checkout. I came to, and people were standing over me. I say I’m all right, but my pain is getting progressively worse. I ended up driving myself to the…
We Were Dismissed: Kaylie’s Story
As told by her mother, Tina. My daughter Kaylie passed away at the age of 21 from bilateral pulmonary emboli that had gone undiagnosed even though she had been to the doctor just three weeks prior to her death. Her symptoms were severe upper back pain near her shoulder, shortness of breath, and rapid heart…