Woman
Never Stop Advocating For Yourself: Nicole’s Story
On December 11, 2024, I went to the emergency room because my entire right arm was swollen. My father told me not to go since I wasn’t in pain and already had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for the next day, but something told me to get it checked out. I truly believed nothing serious was…
I Was Repeatedly Misdiagnosed and my Symptoms Were Dismissed: Liz’s Story
After a dilation and curettage (D&C), my doctor tore my cervix. I was given medication to stop the bleeding, but I passed out in the hospital from blood loss five days later. My doctor gave me tranexamic acid (TXA) to control the hemorrhaging. Later that day, I started feeling a burning sensation in my chest.…
Always Pay Attention to Changes in Your Body: Kristian’s Story
In May of this year, I took a short flight, only about two and a half hours one way, and soon after, I noticed a cramping sensation in my right calf. I assumed it was just soreness or dehydration, so I ignored it for a couple of days. When the pain didn’t go away, I…
The Fear of Another PE Still Lives in my Body: Caitlyn’s Story
It was a couple of days after traveling when I first noticed something wasn’t right. I had switched birth control pills within the last several months. At my first conference talk after COVID, I realized mid-presentation that I couldn’t quite get through full sentences without pausing for breath. I told myself it was just nerves.…
Advocate For Yourself: Fallan’s Story
In February 2025, while at work, I started developing a terrible headache, fever, chills, and body aches. I assumed I was coming down with the flu. I spent a day in bed watching TV and resting. Two days later, the flu-like symptoms subsided, but I developed stiffness and pain in my neck. Within 24 hours,…
Blood Clots Can Happen to Anyone: Brenna’s Story
I’m 30 years old and have a complicated medical history. As a teenager, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and today I manage more than 20 different health conditions. On April 20, 2021, I felt severe pain in my left leg. It was swollen, purple, and hot to the touch. I called my…
I Learned to Love My Body Again: Andreea’s Story
Two weeks after a 68-mile bike ride, I couldn’t straighten my leg, and my veins bulged. “It’s just a bruise,” the ER doctor said, looking at my leg. He dismissed it the same way that the sports doctor and physical therapists did. But weeks later, my leg looked blue with spider veins. I sent a…
As a Physician, I’m More Aware of Looking for Blood Clots in my Patients: Lynette’s Story
In 2014, while in podiatry school, I went to the student health center because I was short of breath and was coughing up blood. The nurse practitioner diagnosed me with bronchitis. Less than two weeks later, I learned the truth — I had a saddle pulmonary embolism, which means a large blood clot was blocking…
This Could Have Ended Up Much Worse: Michelle’s Story
In February 2021, on a Friday, I noticed that my heart rate was getting high with very little activity. By Monday, I was having chest pains and severe shortness of breath. On Tuesday, I decided to go to the hospital because I was concerned about my heart. After almost passing out multiple times in the…
I Collapsed on an Airplane After a 15-Hour Flight: Enisa’s Story
On Christmas Day, 2017, I was on a flight home to Sydney. I sat in the window seat on the connecting flight from Dubai for 15 hours. A young couple sat beside me, lounging in their seats and sleeping with their legs stretched out. Luckily, I didn’t need the toilet. About 30 minutes before the…
