Jane thought she had a virus. What followed was a 16-year ‘mystery’ of debilitating side effects

In 2007, Adelaide mum Jane was struck down by a mysterious illness.

The mum of two, initially thought she had a virus but then things didn’t resolve.

In the video above, Jane explained the crippling symptoms that followed.

“I went to the doctor and all the things were checked – thyroid, blood tests – nothing showed up,” the now 52-year-old recalled.

What followed was 16 years of debilitating side effects.

“My current symptoms are really related to not being able to be upright for very long, sensory sensitivity related to sound, also movement,” Jane revealed.

Doctors followed Jane’s journey in a 2024 episode of RPA where Jane, unable to fly because of her condition, drove halfway across the country to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.

It was there, Jane’s diagnosis was explained and the mum would at last receive life-changing treatment. 

Stream the last episodes of RPA on 9Now.

Jane’s children were very young when she first started to experience the crippling effects of her mysterious condition.

READ MORE: 1000-Lb Sisters star Tammy Slaton never thought this day would come – one doctors visit would change everything

“In the early days of being unwell, I had to do a lot of parenting from the couch,” she recalled. ”You have a certain idea of how you’re going to parent and that was really hard for me.”

When local doctors couldn’t give her answers, Jane went online to try and understand what was happening and what kind of doctor she needed to see.

Going back to her local GP, tests revealed a condition called stylo-jugular syndrome, where major blood vessels to the neck and brain are obstructed.

One of the very few surgeons around the world to offer treatment was RPA’s ear, nose and throat specialist, Dr. Michael Elliot.

In the video below, Dr. Elliot explains his diagnosis: 

Jane learned she had a rare blood flow disorder caused by compression on her jugular vein. 

“What’s happening is you’ve got too much pressure in your head,” Dr. Elliot explained.

To release the pressure, the bone and tissue around Jane’s right jugular vein would be surgically removed.

WATCH: Man reveals baseball-sized cyst on his head that he’d been hiding under his hat for two years

“Even if I got 20 percent more function, I think I’d be happy,” Jane laughed. 

But with potential benefits came big risks. Dr. Elliot explained the surgery could disrupt some “very important nerves” in the face.

But it was a risk Jane was willing to take. 

“My life is impacted so much by this condition that to be able to sit at the table with my family and have a meal, it’s worth taking the risk,” she said.

After years of suffering, would this rare procedure finally make Jane feel better?

The cutting-edge surgery required the expertise of two surgeons.

The surgeons would permanently remove a bone called the styloid process, measuring about three centimetres in length to remove pressure from one side of Jane’s jugular vein.

They would then drill out the C1 vertebral bone on the other side.

READ MORE: Dolly Parton reveals extreme lengths she went to produce album: ‘Went without food for three weeks’

With the procedure finished, Jane would have to wait a few months to know if the surgery had been successful.

Dr. Elliot however checked in the Jane after four days.

“The early signs of Jane are really encouraging,” he said.

Catch Jane’s whole story on Season 20, Episode 7 of RPA titled Jane’s Jugular for free on 9Now.

Stream the last episodes of RPA on 9Now.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest news from your favourite shows via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.