Sharon Stone is urging all women to get a second opinion when they seek medical treatment. The advice from the award-winning actress is something that women should take seriously. After all, Stone is hardly the first female to receive a misdiagnosis that could have been life-threatening.
‘Don’t Get Blown Off’
Apparently, Stone has been in pain for quite some time. According to a recent tweet from the actress, she “just had another misdiagnosis and incorrect procedure. This time double epidural.”
Thankfully, the star of Basic Instinct sought a second opinion after she experienced “worsening pain.” Stone finally received the correct diagnosis: “a large fibroid tumor that must come out.” Without continuing to seek a correct medical diagnosis, the celebrity may have continued to suffer through the pain.
After this scare, Stone is telling all women to fight for their lives. “Ladies in particular: Don’t get blown off. GET A SECOND OPINION. It can save your life,” the actress tweeted. She then followed up this tweet by sharing an article that quotes several studies showing that women are more likely to be misdiagnosed than men.
The article mentions studies that were performed by the University of Leeds and published in the journal Diagnosis. According to the University of Leeds study, “Women have a 50 percent higher chance than men of receiving the wrong initial diagnosis following a heart attack.” When it comes to strokes, the study published in Diagnosis found that women are 33 percent more likely than men to be misdiagnosed.
‘Get A Second Opinion. It Can Save Your Life.’
Stone’s message is striking a nerve with many people on Twitter. In fact, replies to the celebrity’s tweet show just how many women have misdiagnosed medical conditions. As one Twitter user said, “Oh no babe. I had the exact same 3 years ago. You [were] so right to get a second opinion. Hope you have a speedy recovery. All my love.”
Another user shared their spouse’s experience. “My wife went through this several years ago Sharon. Oddly, her pain wasn’t constant, but when it hit it would send her into orbit. It was simply unbearable. She finally received an accurate diagnosis followed by surgery. Recovery was a bit slow but she did fine.”
Although it can be time-consuming and daunting, Stone’s advice and the experience of other women tell us all that seeking a second opinion can save our lives.