Common Misdiagnoses of Autoimmune Disease

The body’s immune system protects you from disease and infection.  With an autoimmune disease, your body begins attacking healthy cells as the invaders. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune disease, all with very similar symptoms. This makes it extremely difficult for the exact disease to be identified, and thus the process of determining what is causing you to be ill can be extremely frustrating. The first symptoms are usually fatigue, muscle aches and a low fever. These can become worse at times and almost completely disappear at other times. 

Proper Diagnosis Procedure

Proper diagnosis of autoimmune disease involves all of the players including the patient, the doctor, the specialist, and the tests. The patient should not attempt to self diagnose the problem, should report any symptoms to a physician and should complete all of the tests that are prescribed.

In order to properly diagnose autoimmune disease, doctors must be knowledgeable of more than the most common diseases. They must veer away from relying on publicized diseases, and they must refer patients to more knowledgeable colleagues if they do not have the skill to properly diagnose possible conditions. Doctors must take the time to do the necessary tests and analyze deeply enough to properly diagnose the patient.

Misdiagnosis of Autoimmune Diseases

Misdiagnosis of autoimmune diseases may lead to a decreased chance of survival if not a wrongful death. Misdiagnosis is responsible for nearly 100,000 deaths per year and makes up a large percentage of the medical malpractice lawsuits each year. 

Celiac disease is one of the autoimmune diseases that is often misdiagnosed; the condition damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients. According to studies some 95 percent of celiac cases are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and confused with other conditions. The average person can wait 6 to 10 years to be correctly diagnosed, and in the meantime can suffer from several other disorders costing thousands of dollars each year until they are properly diagnosed. They can even suffer from many other diseases resulting from misdiagnosis. 

Misdiagnosis of autoimmune thyroid disease is common. because physicians looking at only the symptoms which are very similar to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia will often overlook the possibility of an autoimmune disorder. Testing will then often lead doctors to diagnose depression, stress and hormonal problems, leaving the patient to suffer with the autoimmune condition for years.

Legal Assistance

If you or a family member has been misdiagnosed and has suffered with or died from an autoimmune disease, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney for assistance.  Because this is a complicated area requiring expert testimony, the assistance of an attorney will be crucial to collecting damages.