A UK woman who spent the last decade in agony with lower back pain has now been paralysed after doctors finally discovered a tumour growing in her spine. Julie Coleman, 33, from Glasgow, first experienced the tingling pain in her back and legs in 2014 when she was pregnant with her son, but the doctor repeatedly told her it was simply sciatica, a common condition where the nerve running from the lower back to the feet becomes compressed.
Ms Coleman was told that the pain would disappear after childbirth, but it persisted, making even the mundane tasks difficult for her. For a decade, she kept visiting the GP, complaining about shooting pains in her legs, only to be prescribed painkillers and physiotherapy, according to a report in The Independent.
"I was told it was sciatica, and there was no point sending me for any scans because back surgery was too dangerous," said Ms Coleman.
"I was going to several different GPs within the same practice and they were all saying the same thing. I just thought this is me for the rest of my life."
After 10 years of failed treatments, Ms Coleman was finally referred for an MRI scan, where she received the correct diagnosis. The scan, conducted in December 2024, showed a massive tumour growing inside her spinal cord.
"I was really shocked as I had been trying to say something was wrong the whole time," Ms Coleman recalled.
Also Read | Man Dumps Girlfriend After Her Phone Automatically Connects To Hotel Wi-Fi
The operation
In January, Ms Coleman underwent an operation where the tumour was successfully removed. However, doctors warned that some of the nerve damage may be irreversible, as Ms Coleman was left paralysed from the right knee down.
"I worked very hard and am now home, I can walk with crutches from my front door into a car. Any further than that and I am still using a wheelchair. I have lost power and sensation in my right foot which has not yet returned," she said.
Despite the setbacks, Ms Coleman and her fiancé, Stephen, are gearing up for their wedding, scheduled to take place in July. She said her son will be walking her down the aisle, where she will use crutches.
Ms Coleman has also launched a GoFundMe page to help her and her family with any unexpected costs due to her condition.
