Doctors dismissed newlywed’s agonizing pain because she was only 27 — so she lied to get a colonoscopy and discovered she had stage 4 cancer

SCOOP UPWORTHY Doctors dismissed newlywed’s agonizing pain because she was only 27 — so she lied to get a colonoscopy and discovered she had stage 4 cancer"People would say it was just that time of the month or that it was just 'female stuff,'" Shelton said.

Imagine going to a doctor because you’re in tremendous pain, only to be told that you’re “too young” to have any serious ailments. A 32-year-old Arkansas woman, Sydney Stoner Shelton (@sydneystonershelton), was told exactly that when she was in her 20s. She experienced extreme abdominal pain with bouts of diarrhea and constipation. She went to consult a doctor about it, but was told it was just “female stuff.” When her pain became unbearable, she lied to get a colonoscopy and discovered something far worse. Shelton shared her story on The Patient Story (@thepatientstory) on March 1, 2026. The video had 7,420 views, 123 likes, and 8 comments.

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Sydney Stoner Shelton had just gotten married when she began experiencing extreme abdominal pain. Her condition cycled between diarrhea and constipation. At first, she thought it was her diet and tried to fix it, but the pain continued. She tried to bear with it, but in 2019, she collapsed at work because of the pain. When she couldn’t move, she knew it was time to see a doctor. Several healthcare professionals dismissed her symptoms. She explained, “People would say it was just that time of the month or that it was just ‘female stuff,’ but I thought, no — it can’t be that painful. When I finally spoke to a doctor, he told me I was too young for it to be anything serious.”

Shelton did what any patient would do — she believed her doctor. But with time, her pain just got worse. She described it as her “insides were being twisted.” She wanted to get tested, but doctors brushed it off because she did not meet the screening age. Finally, with no other choice, she lied. She told the doctors that she had blood in her stool, and in September 2020, they ordered her a colonoscopy.

When it was time to do the test, doctors could not even get a foot inside her colon because of a mass, reported Business Insider. The “mass” was a five-millimeter tumor. At 27 years old, Shelton was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. It had spread to her liver and lungs. “When the doctors told me it was cancer, my whole world stopped spinning. We were newlyweds, excited for this new chapter, and it all just came to a halt. I was terrified, but I was also really frustrated,” she said.

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Shelton had two surgeries — one in September 2020, to remove the tumor from her colon, and again in January 2023, to remove the tumor in her liver. She also underwent 24 rounds of chemo to treat the cancer that was in her lungs, and finally the doctors declared her “stable.” Now, Shelton is working on advocating for more funding for colon cancer research. She told PEOPLE, “I know it’s difficult but keep advocating for yourself because no one else is going to get that done for you. Find a new doctor, or whatever that may be. Find someone to listen to you because I know people that were diagnosed at 18 years old. The screening age needs to be lower or there shouldn’t be one at all.”

Sadly, women have to really push for their health concerns and symptoms to be taken seriously. A 2026 Gallup poll found that 34% of women had dealt with a healthcare provider who dismissed or minimized their symptoms in the last five years. The survey also found that nearly half of the women (42%) had to advocate or speak up more about their health, compared to men (26%). Lastly, 30% of women said that they had to push to be taken seriously, and even to receive treatment. Shelton checked all these boxes. When she complained about her abdominal pains, her doctors ignored her symptoms. She had to lie to get the treatment that she needed. Now, she is advocating to encourage women to keep pushing for answers when they feel something is wrong.

Sadly, some people could relate to Shelton’s story in the comment section. A few others commended her for her strength and fight. @nicoleelizabethpeterson wrote, “Proud to call Sydney my friend — such an inspiration sharing her story to encourage others to advocate for their health.” @catharis_by_l added, “Stage 4 appendix cancer at 31. Same story!”

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