After years of presenting symptoms, it was not until August 2005 that Jan Weymouth was diagnosed with advanced carcinoid cancer in her lungs. A veteran employee of the National Institutes of Health, Weymouth was dismissed by doctors as a hypochondriac as she repeatedly complained about a sharp pain on the left side of her rib cage. Weymouth consulted an orthopedist and a rheumatologist about the pain she was feeling and both suggested that she undergo physical therapy for what they believed to be a torn muscle. When physical therapy made the pain worse, Weymouth turned to over-the-count pain relievers.

 

Over the course of a year, Weymouth gained over 60 pounds, which she thought was due to stress-related eating, and decided to undergo weight-loss surgery. Scans conducted during her pre-op physical revealed lesions on Weymouth's lung and ribs; she was instructed to see an oncologist immediately. Three weeks later, Weymouth was diagnosed with carcinoid cancer.

 

Having undergone surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and experimental protocols, Weymouth has been able to control her disease relatively well. Her story highlights the difficulties undiagnosed carcinoid cancer and related neuroendocrine tumor patients face when trying to identify the source of their symptoms. Click here to read the full story.

 

We encourage you to share your story with fellow patients and caregivers. Click here to post your Survivor Story to the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation website.