Woman’s brain tumor misdiagnosed as flu-like symptoms

By Ben Barry

A woman who was bedridden for two years after doctors dismissed her flu-like symptoms as fibromyalgia was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Karen Tait, 57, began experiencing fatigue, feeling hot, achy, and clammy and within weeks her vision became blurry.

She developed uncontrollable shakes at work but her doctor said it was a viral infection.

Soon after, Karen became bedridden for two years, struggling to move, sensitive to light, and cared for by her husband, Neil Day, 58 - and doctors suggested she had fibromyalgia, depression, or menopause.

In November 2024, too ill to attend her routine MRI for previous vaginal cancer, her gynecologist arranged another scan, which revealed a brain mass.

Karen underwent a successful craniotomy, and the mass was diagnosed as a grade 2 benign meningioma. She now requires yearly MRI scans to monitor it.

Karan, a former office manager from Fakenham, Norfolk, said: "The meningioma diagnosis has had the most devastating impact on my loved ones. They have suffered so much because of it.

"There was a real mix of emotions for all of us. There was a bit of validation. I was constantly being told by my GP that it was in my head.

"I was angry, I had overwhelming relief, and then I had fear of the operation that was to come."

In October 2022, Karen started experiencing flu-like symptoms - including painful limbs, fatigue and feeling achy.

Her symptoms persisted, but her doctors said they were a result of a viral infection.

Karen said: “Within a few weeks, my vision started to become blurry and difficult to focus or look at bright lights, I developed severe sensitivity to smells and noise and gradually my legs hurt so much I became bed-bound.

"One day, I went to bed and I didn't get out of bed again for two years.

"I also had what I describe as a concrete neck. It felt so heavy I couldn't lift my head. I also suffered with insomnia."

Karen had multiple visits to GPs where her husband, Neil, and daughter, Elle, 30, would advocate for her.

But doctors would tell her that she was either suffering from fibromyalgia, depression or menopausal symptoms.

Karen said: "Our lives changed overnight. My daughter, who was living in London, would come home every weekend to give my husband some rest.

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"If I needed to go to the bathroom, my husband would have to carry me - he became my carer."

In November 2024, Karen - who was diagnosed with vaginal cancer in 2021 - was due to have her yearly MRI with a gynecologist, but was "too ill" to attend the appointment.

Concerned, her gynecologist wanted to investigate what was wrong with Karen and booked her in for a sedation MRI scan.

Karen said: "My gynecologist was concerned that I wasn't physically able to get to the appointments.

"My husband had wheeled me into Norwich Hospital, where I had a sedation MRI.

"They had found a massive mass on my brain with characteristics of a meningioma."

After being told she had a mass on the brain, Karen was told that she would need to undergo a craniotomy to remove the mass and send it off for biopsy.

In February 2025, Karen underwent a craniotomy at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where doctors were able to remove most of the mass and send it off for biopsy.

Karen said: "Whilst I was in the hospital, doctors confirmed that I had a grade 2 benign meningioma.

"They said there was nothing to indicate any malignancy, and that was a huge sense of relief for me.

"I was able to wake up after that operation to see those bright lights in the hospital - I knew that was the beginning of my recovery.

"I was wheeled into that hospital and two weeks later I was able to walk out on my own."

Karen's operation was successful, and they were able to remove most of the tumor with clear margins.

Now, Karen requires yearly check ups to monitor growth and is supporting The Brain Tumor Charity’s investment into this meningioma research, which has historically lagged behind other brain tumors.  

The Brain Tumor Charity have awarded a $1.5 million ‘Quest for Cures’ grant to research that aims to discover why some meningiomas – the type of tumor that Karen has - respond better to radiotherapy than others.   

Dr Simon Newman, Chief Scientific Officer at The Brain Tumor Charity said: “Our Quest for Cures grants enable new collaborations around the globe that could bring benefits to patients faster.

"One area of urgent need is better treatment targets for meningioma, as responses to radiotherapy vary widely.

"But we need to know more about how these tumors interact with the immune system to make this happen.

"This project therefore marks an exciting step towards every person with a meningioma receiving treatment suited to their needs.”