ChatGPT, the generative AI chatbox, has helped identify a woman’s rare condition after years of being misdiagnosed by doctors.
The 23-year-old lady identified as Phoebe Tesoriere from
Cardiff, Wales, claimed she was repeatedly misdiagnosed, being told she had
anxiety, depression, and epilepsy.
She also alleged she was warned she could be treated as a
mental health patient if she continued returning to A&E.
Tesoriere said she understands the hospital’s challenge in
diagnosing her as she had also initially believed her condition was linked to
complications from her childhood.
“All my childhood I had a limp. I was born without a hip
socket and had operations as a baby, so thought it was to do with that,” BBC
quoted Tesoriere to have said.
As a child, Tesoriere also experienced balance issues and
was assessed for dyspraxia, a condition that affects coordination, but was
later ruled out.
At 19, she collapsed and suffered a seizure at work, but
said doctors attributed the incident to anxiety, which was then added to her
medical records.
“I had no history of anxiety, I was a really happy, bubbly
person,” she said.
In 2022, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and placed on
medication. However, in December 2024, her health deteriorated again as she
struggled to retain her medication, leading to recurring seizures.
Her condition worsened, affecting her ability to walk. She
was later misdiagnosed with Todd’s paralysis — a temporary neurological
condition that can occur after a seizure.
In January 2025, she fell down the stairs, resulting in a
three-month hospital stay, with tests failing to provide clear answers.
Months later, in July 2025, she suffered a severe seizure
that left her in a coma for three days. Following her recovery, she claimed a
doctor told her she did not have epilepsy, but anxiety instead.
It was after the three-day coma, Tesoriere turned to the AI
chatbot, inputting her symptoms, which suggested several possible conditions,
including hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP).
HSP is a group of inherited neurodegenerative disorders
characterized by progressive weakness and spasticity (stiffness) in the legs
due to upper motor neuron degeneration.
She presented this to her doctor, who agreed it could be a
“plausible reason”, and genetic testing later confirmed the diagnosis.
Tesoriere said she decided to put in her symptoms in the AI
chatbox because she found the experience “really lonely”.
A spokesperson for the Cardiff and Vale health board said
they could not provide details on the case due to patient confidentiality, but
noted that Tesoriere could reach out to their concerns team to discuss her
experience.
“As it would be inappropriate to comment on an individual
patient case, we are unable to comment further,” the spokesperson said.
“Phoebe is welcome to contact our concerns team should she
wish to discuss any aspect of the care she received at Cardiff and Vale
University Health Board.”
Rebeccah Tomlinson, a general practitioner serving Cardiff
and Vale of Glamorgan, said doctors face growing pressure and cannot be
expected to know everything, noting that patients sharing information helps
guide consultations.
She added that AI tools can serve as a starting point, but
should be followed by proper medical consultation, stressing that care works
best when both doctor and patient communicate openly.
“It’s difficult for GPs to know everything. With the
pressure on the NHS, we have to know even more. Patients coming with
information helps me understand what they are thinking and guide the discussion
more clearly,” she said.
“It’s good as a starting talking point [AI tools] which
should be followed by going to a medical professional to discuss concerns
further. It’s helpful for patients to come armed with information but the GP
has to be open and receptive to the patient. General practice has to be a
two-way conversation.”
Over the years, debate has continued over the use of ChatGPT
for medical purposes.
A study from the University of Oxford found that AI chatbots
can provide inaccurate and inconsistent medical advice, posing potential risks
to users.
The research showed that users often receive a mix of
reliable and misleading responses, making it difficult to determine what
information to trust.
In January, a new ChatGPT feature was launched in the United
States, aimed at analysing patients’ medical records to provide “better
answers”, according to developer OpenAI.
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