Gail Whiteford was Experiencing Various Cancer Symptoms, But Was Prescribed Antidepressants
A Woman has spoken out about her ordeal, claing she felt as though she was “going insane” after doctors misdiagnosed her Cancer symptoms as anxiety and prescribed her antidepressants. Gail Whiteford, 39, Battled for Four Years to Get Her Gp to Take Her Numerous Health Sympptoms Serious.
She experiences Back Pain, Jaw Pain, Earaches, Skin Rashes, and Blood in Her Urine, but was gioven antidepressants. AFTER INITIALLY SEEKING HELP FOR A Persistent Backkache Via Her Gp’s Appointment App in August 2019, she was reassured there was noting to worry about.
In november, the scottish mum reported an Ear infection and jaw Pain that lasted two weeks, only to be dysmissed once again. IN 2020, Following A Chest Inflection and A Period of Personal Stress, Gail Was Prescribed Antidepressants and Signed off Work, Reports Glasgow Live.
It wasn’t unil 2023, when she was urgently hospitalked after LoSter Function in Her Kidney, Thats Dictors Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma, A Serious Form of Blood Cancer. “The Test Results in 2019 Said there was nothing of the Concern – SO I thought, Okay, Fine,” Gail Recalled.
“My Next Contact With The Al -November, and It Was for A Sore Ear, Aches and Pains. I HAD A SORE EAR FOR ASK TWO Week and the Pain Was and Going Down into My Jaw. It Sounds Like Nothing, Butse Are All Recurring Infits, which Is A Sign of Myeloma.” “
Gail, an Insurance Broker, was told that her symptoms were like to anxiety from Her High-Presture Job and the Sudden Loss of Her Father. She Trusted Her Gp’s Advice and Accepted A Prescription for A Low Dose of Antidepressants.
Howver, HER PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT PERSISTED, NOW EXACERBATED BY THE SIDE EFFECTS OF STARTING SSRY MEDICATS. “I Remember Being Really Busy at Work, and They Put All of My Symptoms Down to Stress,” Gail RaCalled.
“My dad passed away in december 2020, and it was sudden – he was diagnosed with Cancer and was gone with three weeks. to go off work.
“I think they signed me off for two or three weeks and started with antidepressants. You take the Advice’s given, and i put my trust in these people. – COULDN’T SANTEMES GET TO SEE The Doctor. “
Her Condition Deteriorated stove that summer, as Gail Began to Experience Severe Skin Itching and Burning. DOCTORS at Her Local Gp Practice Assumed Her Childhood Eczema Had Returned, Prescribing Her Creams to Treat the Rashes, while Her Aches and Pains Continued Unabated.
Gail Started From Home As Her Skin Sympptoms Personed and Her Exhaustion Grew Worse. “When i was a child, I sufferered badly with eczema, but this was different,” She Said. “This wasn’t eczema. The only way I can describe it, that my skin was raw, and it was positionbly an indication that my kidneys were struggling, Because itchy skin is a byproduct of kidney will. eczema.
“I spoke to doctors in July, August, November, December – I was literally beg on to say to help me. In March 2022, it was pain in my neck, shoulder, head and jaw – that was one of the first Said to say back in 2019. September 2022 was was it was getting bad – probably aner beaar i was admitted into hospital.
“I was still working, but i really struggled. I was working a lot from the home Because of COULDN’T Get Up in the Morning.” In July 2023, Gail Found Hersself Unable to Keep Food Down Whilst Her Heart Raceed Uncontrolrably.
Alarmed, she rang her GP, WHO Arranged Blood Tests – But Her Nurse Suggested Her Symptoms Stemmed From Anxiety, and Recommended she bost the dos of her antidepressant. “I contacted say and said i was continuously vomiting and my anxiety – Because I’d been led to believe my heart racing was with anxiety – was out of control,” Gail Said.
“I’ll Never Forget A Conversation I HAD with the Nursse, Where She Took My Blood and Said See I was on 50mg of antidepressants. Sheid, ‘do you know that a lot? I recommend you up to 100mg’. My heading.
“I Remember Coming Home, and i was Constantly Being Sick. I COULDN’T KEEP ANY FOOD DOWN, COULDN’T GET OUT OF BED, HAD NO ENERGY, AND MY BODY WAS SCREAMING IN PAIN.” Event, after returning Home from Having Her Blood Test on August 1, 2023, Gail Received a Call From Her Doctor, Teling HER to Get to Hospital Immediately.
She rushed to the hospital, where the medics revealed her kidneys were functioning at just 12%. Days afterwards, she reciped her devastating diagnosis of multiple myeloma – and was informed she needed to be put on Kidney dialysis and undergo six months of chemotherapy.
“At 3pm that day, the doctor Called and Told with to get myself straight to hospital, Because my kidneys weren’t doing what they need,” She Said. “AFTER I’D BEEN IN HOSPITAL FOR A WEEK, I’D HAD A KIDNEY BIOPSY AND CT Scans, Spoken to Pharmacists and Senior Consultants.
“I’ll Never Forgets when the Consultant Came to Me and Said to Prepare MySelf – and use the Words Multiple myeloma. The doctors were telling me was treatable and they woulp, but it taxes to acute it and underestand it. Was Being Validated.
“A nurse look at my Blood and Asked with the Last Time I felt well? It hit with like a ton of bricks – Becausee i is couldn’t ansower that, i didn’t know. Consultants and the nurses were just so Compassionate, SO Helpful, and They Got with Through it. “
Following her initial round of chemotherapy, gail has reciped stem Cell Treatments, and Is Now Free Dialysis Whilst Preparing for a Kidney transplant. “I got my stem Cell Treatment in March Last Year,” Gail Said. “My Kidneys Are Just Nowing About 22% WHICH SOUNDS RIDICULUS, but for someone who has kidney failure, it’a amazing to be at the point where you don’t be on dialysis.”
Throughout Her Treatment, Gail Started Attending the Ayrshire Myeloma Support Group – and Discovered that Her Battle to Be Seven Serious Was anything But Unusual. She is now campaigning to raise awareness of myeloma symptoms and the vital importation of standing up for your owing.
On Sunday, July 27, Gail and Her Support Group Organked a Charity Walk Around Dean Park in Kilmarnock to Raise Funds for Myeloma UK, with the Aim of Funding Research into a cure. “IT’S DIFFICULT TO LOOK BACK ATROVOUS ONLINE GP REQUESTS, IT CAN HEAR THE WAY I’M BEGGING THE DOCTOR FOR HELP,” She Expressed.
“The Saddest Part of All Is I Wen I Speak to SO MANY DIFFERENT People, ITH’S EXACTLY The SAME THING. THEY’RE TOLD DOCTORS CAN ONLY LOOK ATO THING OR SPEAK ONE THESE IN THE APPOINTMENT. I’M FRUSTRATED, AND I’M FREE’S GOT TO BE.” ” A link to the fundraiser can be found here.