Sumbul Ari was told by doctors to simply moisturize to treat her itching – but nearly a year later, it turned out to be something far more serious than anyone expected.
When it comes to our health, we often trust doctors to make the right call and provide the correct treatment. But even though medicine has advanced significantly – with technology and research better than ever – it’s still important not to dismiss our own symptoms, even when we’re told it’s nothing serious. Something Sumbul Ar’s story makes crystal clear.
Sumbul Ari, 26, was experiencing severe itching and couldn’t even get a full night’s sleep due to how irritated her skin was. When she first went to the doctor, she was told to simply moisturize more. However, her symptoms persisted, and she returned multiple times – only to be sent home without a proper examination.
“At first I thought I was having a reaction to something – perfume, deodorant, washing products, shower products. I started an elimination process, but nothing helped,” she told PEOPLE.
Was dismissed by doctors
Her symptoms worsened, and she soon began experiencing unsettling fluctuations in body temperature, acne, loss of appetite, low energy, and a cough – all of which left her “emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted.” She also noticed a lump in her neck.
After going down what she described as a “Reddit rabbit hole,” she realized what it might be.
“As soon as I read itchy skin, night sweats and fatigue, I knew I had cancer,” she said to PEOPLE.
“Keep trying until someone listens”
It turned out she was right. After another doctor’s visit, her self-diagnosis was confirmed: Ari had Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
“I didn’t care if it was cancer, I just wanted the itching to stop and wanted a full night’s sleep,” she told PEOPLE.
She continued: “Being told I had cancer was relieving. I finally had an answer.
“But I was very frustrated at all the doctors who dismissed me, and very, very angry.”
She is currently undergoing chemotherapy and is urging others to listen to their bodies if they feel something is wrong.
“Never stop advocating for yourself when you know something is deeply wrong,” she said. “Keep trying until someone listens.
“I started to believe life wasn’t worth living, and I genuinely couldn’t continue any longer. And then my answers came, which I am so grateful for. Do not give up.”
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