Woman who was told by GP she had tonsillitis correctly diagnosed herself with leukaemia using Google

A woman correctly diagnosed herself with leukaemia after originally being told her symptoms were most likely caused by tonsilitis.

Chloe-Leigh Todd, 22, began to suffer from a sore throat and generally felt unwell in 2020, and when her symptoms didn’t improve within a month, she rang her GP and had an appointment over the phone where she was told she had tonsillitis.

However, Chloe then Googled her symptoms, which included throwing up, night sweats and weight loss, and found that they were all a match for leukaemia.

She then got back in touch with her doctor and arranged a face-to-face appointment where she was given a blood test.

After the test revealed ‘abnormal’ results, she went straight to hospital where she was told she had leukaemia.

Chloe, from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear said: "Everyone knows their own body and I just knew it was something serious.

"The doctors were putting it down to other things but I was adamant they were wrong.

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"I Googled my symptoms - night sweats, fatigue, bruising and so on - and leukemia came up as the first search result.

"I checked and saw I had every symptom on the whole website - everyone had thought I was crazy when I said it but I knew I wasn't.

"When the doctor confirmed it, I thought I was going to die.”

She added: "I had a bone marrow biopsy and was told I was weeks away from death.

"The cancer was everywhere in my blood. Doctors told me they didn't know if chemotherapy would help but they were willing to give it a try."

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Chloe underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and was placed on the Anthony Nolan register to try and find a bone marrow donor.

A 100 percent match was found and she was able to have a bone marrow transplant in October 2020.

After a successful operation, she underwent another bone marrow biopsy to make sure her new cells had worked - later receiving the news that she was cancer free.

Chloe said: "When I received the news I picked up my son and cuddled him so tight.

"It was amazing to know it had all gone, it was the best day ever.

"I rang the bell in March 2021. It is an amazing feeling. I had my little boy in my arms with me."

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Chloe is now suffering from Graft vs Host disease, which happens when particular types of white blood cells in the donated stem cells or bone marrow attack your own body cells.

She said: "I spoke to my donor in March 2023, I had butterflies in my stomach.

"We were talking like we have known each other my whole life. We have this connection that nobody will be able to understand.

"We will always have that bond, I am still here because of him.

"I feel so grateful and thankful. I would rather go through this than not be here at all.

"It is a bittersweet situation - I am alive to tell my story."

You can join the Anthony Nolan stem cell register here.