Woman thought her swollen lip came from biting it in her sleep—until the ER traced it back to something from 10 years earlier
Our bodies warn us with minor symptoms before things get worse, and paying attention to them and acting on them is our responsibility. A TikTok user named Lily, who goes by @tornado_girl12, shared a post on Friday, June 12, 2026, about how she learned this lesson the hard way. She noticed that her lip was starting to swell up in one spot, but brushed it off for a whole day, thinking it was something minor. The next day, her mother noticed her face and begged her to visit the ER. Little did she know, the reason behind the signs was seriously concerning.
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Lily noticed her lip seemed sore on a Tuesday, but didn’t think much of it. Her initial thought was that she might have bitten it in her sleep. By night, her entire lip was swollen, but she ignored it. The next morning, her entire face was completely puffed up, and her mother urged her to go to the ER. The nurse asked her whether she was taking Lisinopril, a common medicine used to treat high blood pressure and other related conditions. She said yes, and after checking her vital signs, she was immediately placed in a hospital bed. She was diagnosed with angioedema — a side effect of the medication she had been taking for 10 years.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, angioedema is a condition caused by allergies or side effects of medications. It mainly causes swelling to the lips, eyelids, genitals, and other sensitive areas, but can also appear anywhere on the body. The American Academy of Family Physicians noted that late-onset angioedema may be more common than expected among people taking ACE inhibitors. It can be fatal and may even block the airways. Lily explained that her airways were starting to feel uncomfortable, but because she was already in the ER, doctors were able to stabilize her condition immediately.
Lily explained that this side effect doesn’t necessarily appear soon after starting the medication, and there have been cases where it develops years later. She was put on an IV and kept under observation for 12 hours. During that time, the swelling reduced significantly. However, she now has to carry an EpiPen with her and has been advised to call 911 the second she notices any swelling again. “Learning from my doctors yesterday, I’m very lucky, and in hindsight, I should have taken it more seriously from the very beginning,” she remarked, adding that she should have gotten herself checked on Tuesday.
Commenters who had experienced or heard of this condition shared how fortunate she was to be alive after waiting for so long to seek help. @blackeyedbetty44 said, “Lisinopril is infamous for this. I was on it for a few weeks before this happened to me.” @young.carl remarked, “So glad you got help for it.” @medic.and.mommy19 said, “ACE inhibitor reactions are so weird and unpredictable. You’re fine for a long time, and suddenly your body is like, ‘Nope.’”
You can follow @tornado_girl12 on TikTok for more content on health and lifestyle.
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