Doctors misdiagnosed Lauren Bannon, a 40-year-old woman from North Carolina and the US Virgin Islands, with acid reflux and rheumatoid arthritis after she experienced severe stomach pains and rapid weight loss.
40 Year Old Woman’s Disease Detected Accurately By ChatGPT
Bannon was frustrated by the incorrect diagnoses and turned to ChatGPT for assistance. The platform suggested that she might have Hashimoto’s disease and suggested certain thyroid tests.
Because she had no family history, her doctor was skeptical of Hashimoto’s disease, but Bannon persisted in getting the thyroid tests, which resulted in the identification of cancerous lumps in her neck.
Bannon shared, “I felt let down by doctors. It was almost like they were just trying to give out medication for anything to get you in and out the door… I needed to find out what was happening to me, I just felt so desperate.”
She also shared, “She further explained, “So that’s when I pulled up ChatGPT. I already used it for work. I started typing what mimics rheumatoid arthritis and it popped up saying ‘you may have Hashimoto’s disease, ask your doctor to check your thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPO) levels’.”
When her doctor first ruled out Hashimoto’s disease, Bannon persisted in getting tested, telling him to “just amuse me.”
ChatGPT’s Diagnosis Helped Stop Further Spreading of the Disease
Although Bannon did not experience the usual symptoms of Hashimoto’s disease, like fatigue, she was later told that the cancer would have spread because of a delayed diagnosis if she had not contacted ChatGPT.
“I just knew that something was wrong with me,” said Bannon, who gave credit to ChatGPT for saving her life. “I would’ve never discovered this without ChatGPT.”
She was lucky to have discovered the cancer in time, according to her doctor, who acknowledged her early detection.
Bannon now advocates the use of ChatGPT and other AI platforms for health issues, but caution is advised. She suggests that people ask doctors to perform tests based on AI recommendations.
She expressed, “I would encourage others to use Chat GPT with their health concerns, act with caution but if it gives you something to look into, ask your doctors to test you. It can’t do any harm. I feel lucky to be alive.”
The cancer may not have spread to other parts of her body because of the prompt medical intervention brought about by ChatGPT’s early detection.
