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Leg Pain Dismissed as Period Pain, Leukemia Found
8 Dec
Summary
- Pain initially diagnosed as period cramps, but later revealed to be leukemia.
- Multiple symptoms including fatigue and weight loss were initially overlooked.
- The patient became her own advocate, seeking further medical opinions.
A young woman's severe leg pain was initially dismissed as menstrual cramps, leading to a critical delay in her diagnosis. Megan Jones, then 24, endured escalating pain and other concerning symptoms like fatigue and weight loss before a blood test uncovered B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This diagnosis required immediate chemotherapy, forcing her to confront potential fertility loss.
Following initial treatment and achieving remission, Jones faced a devastating relapse three months later. The return of her leg pain, now radiating through her chest, was again initially misattributed to neurological issues. Upon returning to a specialist hospital, it was discovered the leukemia had returned aggressively, affecting 60 percent of her bone marrow and causing spinal cord compression.
Despite the challenging journey, Jones responded exceptionally well to intensive chemotherapy and a new immunotherapy treatment called CAR-T. She has since documented her experiences on social media, aiming to raise awareness and empower others to be persistent in seeking accurate medical care and second opinions.
