Teacher, 23, hospitalised with uncommon paraplegic situation after asking ChatGPT questions
Phoebe Tesoriere, 23, from Cardiff, was told she had anxiety before ChatGPT pointed to Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia – a rare inherited disorder that she now has confirmed
Phoebe Tesoriere turned to ChatGPT(Image: Phoebe Tesoriere / SWNS)
A young woman turned to ChatGPT to help identify her rare condition – after doctors initially dismissed her symptoms as anxiety.
Phoebe Tesoriere, 23, entered her symptoms, including rigid legs and hair loss, into the AI platform, which suggested Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia. She presented her research to her GP and received genetic testing, which confirmed she had the complex quadriplegic form of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.
The collection of rare inherited conditions causes weakness and rigidity in the leg muscles, with symptoms progressively worsening over time. Phoebe, from Cardiff, has witnessed her condition decline and it now impacts all four limbs.
However, Phoebe, who can no longer continue her role as an SEN teacher due to the condition, had endured four years of misdiagnoses with numerous conditions – including anxiety and Todd’s Paralysis – where legs can become bound and rigid following seizures.
Phoebe became so exasperated she posed ChatGPT the distressing questions about her symptoms, which ultimately led to her diagnosis. She said: “It was such a bittersweet moment to be diagnosed after being told it was anxiety. To go from that to matter of weeks later being told actually you’ve got this condition which will change your whole life.
“It’s one of those things where I’m happy to have my diagnosis because it made sense but I’d rather it be anything else but this.” The young woman, who is now raising funds to afford a specialised wheelchair to adapt to her diagnosis, had always experienced difficulty with abnormal walking.
This was initially attributed to the absence of her left hip socket, which has since been restored through bone grafts, reports the Mirror.
Despite continuing to struggle with an abnormal gait and even experiencing a seizure in 2025 that resulted in a 48-hour coma and difficulty walking, she was discharged. The doctor sent her a letter stating that if she were to return to hospital, she should be treated as a mental health patient.
Speaking today, Phoebe said: “People think ‘oh she just can’t walk’. Or ‘it’s a massive thing she’s had but at least it’s not a spinal cord injury’. It is, and it’s progressive.
“At night I have to wear splints on my arms to keep them functioning as long as possible. There is no treatment but my doctors hope they can slow the progression, but there’s nothing they can do to stop it.”
However, when Phoebe collapsed in February 2022 amid her struggle to get a diagnosis, she was taken to hospital where she was told she had “probably just got anxiety”. After struggling to walk, she says doctors also diagnosed her with Todd’s Paralysis in December 2024.
She added: “It turns out I had MRSA as a baby and when I spoke to a specialist in it he said basically there was an MRI when I was 15 on my hip that showed signs of my nerves deteriorating in that, but doctors would not have known to pick it up.
“There are loads of side effects like speech issues and early dementia. It’s such a rare disease nobody knows about it and mine is one of the rarest you can have.”
Her sister Yasmin, 32, has initiated a fundraiser to assist in purchasing a specialised wheelchair for Phoebe. Phoebe stated: “I need a specific back on my wheelchair to support my spine and stop it deteriorating. I want to stay as independent as I can and obviously the type the NHS give you, you can’t push yourself”. You can contribute to the fundraiser here.
A spokesperson for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board expressed: “We are sorry to hear about Phoebe’s experience while in our care and recognise how difficult the process of obtaining a diagnosis has been for her and her family.
“As it would be inappropriate to comment on an individual patient case, we are unable to comment further. Phoebe is welcome to contact our Concerns Team should she wish to discuss any aspect of the care she received at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.”
