Doctors kept giving 19-year-old laxatives for what they thought was constipation — months later, surgeons had to cut her from sternum to pelvis

A health problem that seems minor at first can become more concerning when the symptoms refuse to go away. That was the case for 19-year-old Elizabeth Langlais, who began dealing with severe stomach pain while going about her routine as a college student. In May 2026, the pain became so bad that she had trouble walking and eventually went to the hospital after her roommates urged her to get checked. Doctors initially linked her symptoms to constipation, but the discomfort continued even after she returned home. As reported by PEOPLE, Langlais shared her experience on TikTok on July 17, 2026, under her handle @elliebuug. 

At the hospital, an X-ray showed severe constipation, and Langlais was given laxatives for relief. Doctors also suggested an ultrasound, but she left without having one that day. After returning to Rhode Island, she continued experiencing bloating and visited her doctor again in June and was prescribed laxatives once more. She returned in July and shared how her stomach had become hard and even looked uneven when she lay down. Another scan was then ordered, and the ultrasound revealed the discovery that changed everything: a large mass on her ovary. It measured more than 20 centimeters and was pressing against her colon, which explained many of the problems she had been experiencing.

The scan led doctors to plan surgery promptly, as the mass was causing her symptoms and needed to be removed. On TikTok, Langlais joked that as an Irish person, she had basically stored her weight in her stomach, only to reveal that it was actually a tumor. Doctors initially believed that the mass was unlikely to be cancer because of her age, though they could not rule it out. Her experience showed how important it can be to look further when symptoms continue despite initial treatment. During surgery, doctors discovered that the situation was different from what they had expected.

A 25-centimeter cystic tumor filled with liquid was found on her left ovary, while a cluster of smaller solid masses was found on the right. Instead of removing her ovaries, the surgeons removed the tumors and tested a sample during the operation. The results showed that the tumor was borderline, and she was told there was an 80% chance of recurrence, adding another difficult part to an already stressful experience. The diagnosis also meant Langlais had to think about her fertility at just 19. She spent six days in the hospital and is now preparing for fertility testing. Despite everything, she said she is trying to focus on her recovery, adding, "I’m not a serious person," and that thinking negatively about the future brings nothing good.

Sometimes, what seems obvious can remain unnoticed. In another incident, a mother's experience showed how hearing about someone else's health journey can encourage a person to take a closer look at their own symptoms. After doctors initially said a breast lump was likely harmless, she came across another young woman's cancer story online. It pushed her to seek another checkup, where doctors found something more concerning. The results revealed she had stage 2 ductal carcinoma breast cancer. She later said, "I'm going to be alive for my kids, and I'm going to be OK," after receiving treatment and beginning her recovery.

For more updates, follow @elliebuug on TikTok.

More on Amplify

Woman, 22, furious when male gynecologist dismissed her painful breast lump as ‘nothing’ — his remark after scan had her demanding a female doctor

Two doctors dismissed the spot on her toddler as a mole — but the mother’s instinct led to a third visit that uncovered a devastating truth

Doctors dismissed her symptoms as 'just anxiety'—until a scan revealed the life-saving truth