Nika Beamon, once a fierce college athlete at Boston College, was used to pushing through pain. Rugby, ice hockey—she played it all. But by senior year, her body was breaking down.

Random fevers, unexplained aches, and relentless fatigue plagued her daily life. Dozens of tests and endless doctor visits brought no clarity. Despite no family history of illness, everyone sensed something was wrong.

“All the doctors knew something wasn’t right,” says Beamon, now a 52-year-old journalist. “They just couldn’t figure out what it was.”

Her 20s were filled with chronic joint pain and exhaustion. By 35, she had survived two strokes. Her lymph nodes constantly swelled, but tests ruled out cancer. “It felt like I was aging in fast-forward—like I went from 20 to 50 overnight.”

After 17 years, 26 doctors, and 37 medical procedures, she finally got a diagnosis: IgG4-related disease, a rare immune disorder that causes the body to attack itself. One simple blood test confirmed it.

“It was there all along,” she says. “But no one was looking for it.”

Though it’s not deadly, untreated IgG4-RD can cause serious damage. Today, Beamon manages her condition with medication and regular checkups.

She now shares her story in her book, *Misdiagnosed*, encouraging others to trust their instincts and never stop searching for answers.