10 Surprising Examples of People Treating Their Own Illnesses

Human beings love the thrill of solving difficult problems. Doing so builds confidence and self-esteem, and when problems are solved in a group, it teaches one how to work well with others. One of the most terrifying problems that human beings face is that of their own mortality. Every single one of us will have to face death one day: the death of friends, loved ones, and, inevitably, our own demise.

However, when faced with issues of mortality, our natural problem-solving ability kicks into overdrive. Imagine receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis for a parent. In this situation, every human being on the planet would search and try to find a solution to save their parent. In this list, we’ll read and see the stories of 10 people who took their personal health into their own hands. They researched, experimented, and, in one case, a woman’s body naturally cured a deadly disease. Please sit back and enjoy 10 surprising examples of people treating their own illnesses.

Related: Top 10 Surprising Ways Diseases Have Been Cured

10 Plant-Based Diet Ends Man’s Years of Debilitating Migraines

Humans have loved to eat meat for millennia because it’s abundant, tastes good, and provides many of the nutrients that our bodies need. But scientific research into food nutrition has revealed that there are many health benefits of a plant-based diet: heart health, weight loss, reduced inflammation, and better blood sugar control are a few. A man recently discovered that switching to a plant-based diet helped to cure his chronic migraines.

He lived with migraines so severe that working was nearly impossible. He suffered from migraines for over a decade. He tried everything: medications, yoga, meditation, and cutting out potential trigger foods, but nothing worked. Then, he decided to shift to a completely plant-based diet, and his migraine condition completely changed.

His new menu was made up of lots of dark-green leafy vegetables, fruits, beans, oatmeal, and daily green smoothies. Within a few weeks, the migraines that had ruled his life vanished. Doctors believe the anti-inflammatory properties of his diet may have played a major role in his recovery. His transformation was so striking that health experts are now calling for more research into the link between diet and migraines. This is occurring as more and more people are experimenting with healthier diets, including plant-based ones.^[1]

9 Australian Doctor Richard Scolyer Treats His Own Brain Cancer

Glioblastoma, formally known as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of cancer. When diagnosed, patients often survive less than a year. However, Australian doctor and professor Richard Scolyer has defied these grim odds by treating his own cancer. A year after undergoing a world-first experimental treatment combining pre-surgery immunotherapy and a personalized cancer vaccine based on melanoma research he co-led, the 57-year-old is completely cancer-free.

Professor Scolyer’s path to recovery was an extremely difficult one. His early treatment brought many complications, including epileptic seizures, pneumonia, and liver problems. Yet his resilience and his novel therapy delivered results that amazed the global medical community. His latest MRI scan showed no recurrence of the deadly brain cancer, and his recovery offers hope to other people facing a glioblastoma diagnosis.

While doctors are hesitant to declare this a true cure, Professor Scolyer’s case shows that a lasting cure for glioblastoma and other cancers may be possible in this century. Clinical trials are being planned to deepen the global scientific community’s understanding of glioblastoma. For now, Richard Scolyer is savoring his extended lifetime with family, and he’s celebrating his victory against this dreaded disease.^[2]

8 Man Treats His Cancer with Dog De-Wormers

Dog dewormers are designed to eliminate internal parasites in dogs, but a desperate man, Joe Tippens, used one to treat his terminal cancer. Diagnosed with small cell lung cancer that had spread throughout his body, Tippens was given just three months to live and a survival rate of less than 1%. With nothing to lose, he turned to an unconventional solution, a dog de-worming medication, on the advice of a veterinarian.

Tippens combined the dewormer with vitamin E, CBD oil, and an experimental cancer drug. Three months later, his cancer was completely gone. While researchers are cautious about attributing his recovery solely to the de-wormer, the case has sparked scientific curiosity, with some exploring the anti-parasitic’s potential in cancer treatment.

Now cancer-free, Tippens shares his story through his blog to inspire others. He’s also sparked a torrid online debate about the value of alternative therapies. Despite skepticism from medical professionals, Tippens stands by his experience and his treatment methods, saying, “If I’ve saved one other person, it’s worth it.”^[3]

7 Man Invents Life-Saving Surgery after Years of Mystery Illness

Imagine having a disease, suffering from it, and being told by doctors that they can’t figure out what it is. Doug Lindsay was just 21 when a mysterious illness left him bedridden, his body too weak to even get out of bed. For over a decade, doctors were unable to diagnose or treat his condition, leaving him trapped in pain and despair.

Instead of giving up, Lindsay turned to his biochemistry background to search for answers. Immersing himself in medical textbooks and journals, he eventually discovered a tumor-like growth in his adrenal glands as the source of his suffering. With no existing treatment available, he spent years pioneering his own surgical procedure to remove the growth. Convincing top surgeons to take on his case, Lindsay underwent two successful surgeries, used repurposed drugs to manage his symptoms, and was able to reclaim his health.

Today, Lindsay shares his story to inspire others facing undiagnosed illnesses. His message is simple: as long as you don’t give up, there’s always hope for a recovery from any illness.^[4]

6 Natural Immunity May Have Cured HIV in Argentinian Woman

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is believed to have originated in non-human primates in Central and West Africa. The first documented HIV-positive human blood sample, collected in 1959, was later confirmed to contain HIV-1, the first identified strain of the virus. For decades, HIV was considered incurable, but a recent case of a woman whose immune system appears to have eradicated the virus has provided new hope for a universal cure.

In Argentina, a woman known as the “Esperanza patient” is believed to have naturally cleared HIV from her body. Diagnosed in 2013, extensive testing of over 1.7 billion of her cells, using the most advanced genetic-sequencing methods, revealed no viable virus. Scientists attribute this “sterilizing cure” to an extraordinary immune response that destroyed infected cells capable of replication, leaving only non-functional fragments of the virus. This rare phenomenon offers hope to millions of HIV-positive people, and it marks a new frontier in HIV research as scientists aim to replicate her immunity in others.

The Esperanza patient is now free from antiretroviral therapy, and she lives a healthy life while raising her HIV-negative child. This event shows that we don’t fully understand the human immune system, and it may hold the key to curing many diseases that we currently consider to be incurable.^[5]

5 Young Doctor Studies to Find a Cure for His Rare Disease

Castleman disease is a very rare condition first described by Dr. Benjamin Castleman in the 1950s. People suffering from the disease experience abnormal growth of their lymph nodes and other lymphatic tissues, leading to potentially life-threatening complications.

At just 25, David Fajgenbaum faced death as his organs failed from Castleman disease, a condition with no standard treatment or research at the time. After enduring four relapses over three years, the former quarterback and medical student refused to give up. Fueled by determination, he immersed himself in medical research, analyzing his own health records and investigating potential treatments.

Fajgenbaum discovered that sirolimus, an immunosuppressant, might stabilize his immune system. He persuaded his doctors to try it, and it changed his life: he has been in remission for over a decade. Now, through his initiative, Every Cure, he uses artificial intelligence to find treatments for diseases without cures.^[6]

4 Scientist Proves Ulcer Theory by Infecting Himself

Imagine this extremely weird scenario: you first infect yourself with a disease, using yourself as a guinea pig, in hopes of proving to others that you’ve found a cure. This is exactly what an Australian doctor did several decades ago.

In the 1980s, Australian researchers Dr. Barry Marshall and Dr. Robin Warren challenged the medical world by discovering that bacteria, not stress, caused stomach ulcers. To prove their theory that Helicobacter pylori was responsible for peptic ulcers, Dr. Marshall took the extraordinary step of drinking a solution containing the bacteria. Within days, he developed acute gastric symptoms, confirming their hypothesis.

Marshall then treated himself with a course of antibiotics, successfully curing his infection and proving that ulcers were an infectious disease treatable with medication. This bold experiment revolutionized medicine, turning ulcers from a chronic, painful condition into a curable one. The discovery earned Marshall and Warren the Nobel Prize in 2005 and has since spared millions from suffering, fundamentally changing our understanding of gastrointestinal health.^[7]

3 Surgeon Performs Life-Saving Operation on Himself in Antarctica

In 1961, Dr. Leonid Rogozov, a 27-year-old Soviet surgeon, found himself in an unimaginable situation. While stationed at an Antarctic base, he developed acute appendicitis. With no way to evacuate or receive outside medical help, Rogozov faced a life-or-death decision. His solution? He performed the surgery on himself.

Using local anesthesia, a mirror, and the help of his colleagues to hand him instruments, Rogozov operated on his own abdomen. Without gloves and relying primarily on touch, he carefully removed his inflamed appendix. Despite the immense pain and the danger of losing consciousness, he completed the two-hour procedure. After stitching himself up, he instructed his team to clean the surgical instruments before finally allowing himself to rest.

Rogozov’s determination and medical skill certainly saved his life. He was back on his feet within two weeks, and he returned home, where he was celebrated as a national hero. He displayed resilience and ingenuity in the face of an adverse situation that many people would not have survived.^[8]

2 Woman Treats Her Own Colitis with a Self-Administered Fecal Transplant

A woman who has severe ulcerative colitis took an unconventional approach to manage her condition: over 100 self-administered stool transplants, known as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). This procedure involves introducing healthy gut bacteria from donor feces into the patient’s digestive system to restore microbial balance. Despite the experimental nature of FMT, her symptoms unexpectedly and dramatically improved after the transplants.

Ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition causing inflammation in the digestive tract, often leaves patients with very few treatment options. For this patient, FMT succeeded where other treatments failed, illuminating the crucial role that gut microbiota plays in the overall health of the human body. Her case prompted researchers to rethink and further investigate FMT’s potential for treating not only gastrointestinal disorders but also other conditions, such as mental health issues.

Though still an emerging field, her remarkable story has fueled interest in FMT as a viable alternative therapy. While not yet widely accessible, it represents an exciting new area of study in personalized medicine.^[9]

1 Virologist Treats Her Own Cancer with Lab-Grown Viruses

Oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) is a novel form of cancer treatment that uses viruses to target and destroy cancer cells. The viruses can be natural or genetically modified. A virologist named Beata Halassy used this emerging medical approach to treat her own breast cancer.

Facing her second recurrence of breast cancer, Halassy chose to design and self-administer an experimental treatment. Over two months, she injected her tumor with lab-grown viruses, including a modified measles virus and vesicular stomatitis virus, both known for their ability to attack cancer cells. With the support of her oncologists, she carefully monitored her progress, and remarkably, her cancer responded to the treatment. She has now been cancer-free for four years.

Though her success is inspiring, experts caution against self-treatment due to the risks and ethical concerns involved. Halassy’s case has reignited interest in OVT as a promising alternative therapy, and she hopes that her self-treatment experience will drive further research into its potential to help others battling cancer.^[10]

fact checked by
Darci Heikkinen