A British woman who thought she had woken up with aches similar to post-gym pain was actually suffering from a rare illness. Charlie Wilson, 38, now uses a wheelchair after being diagnosed with extrapulmonary sarcoidosis, a condition that causes small patches of swollen tissue to develop in organs throughout the body.
Normal Life in Magaluf
Before falling ill, Charlie lived what she described as a 'completely normal' life in Magaluf, Mallorca, where she worked as a social media manager. She suddenly woke with aches and pains that worsened over time, prompting her to see a doctor. Tests revealed her vitamin B12, folic acid, potassium, and iron levels were 'dangerously low.'
Charlie, originally from Darlington, County Durham, spent three weeks in a Magaluf hospital undergoing multiple tests and scans, leading to the diagnosis of extrapulmonary sarcoidosis. While the condition can be managed, some people experience gradual worsening and organ damage.
Pain and Diagnosis
'They brought out two neurologists to do a brain scan. I had 33 blood tests, a chest scan, a brain scan, a CT scan, and a PET scan. They found something in the biopsy and thought it was sarcoidosis, but that usually appears in the lungs. There was nothing wrong in my torso,' Charlie said.
During her hospital stay, she broke out in lumps all over her body. Describing the agony, she said: 'At that point, if I had the option to amputate my legs I would have had it, that was the level of pain I was in.' Sarcoidosis most commonly affects the lungs, but Charlie's condition is isolated to her limbs, joints, and bones.
Treatment and Life Changes
After diagnosis, Charlie was placed on methotrexate, a low form of chemotherapy, once a week for two months. When it 'wasn't working,' she switched to adalimumab, which blocks inflammation. The medication also suppresses her immune system, leaving her 'constantly sick.'
Unable to return to work, Charlie moved back to the UK in December 2025 and is still waiting for her medication to be prescribed after previously receiving it in Spain. Her life has changed dramatically. Once an avid traveler, she now feels 'lucky' if she moves between rooms in her home.
'Now I'm lucky if I go into four different rooms every day. I don't really tend to go out so much — I'm in a wheelchair now when I'm in a flare up and I can't get up and down kerbs by myself, so it's not very often I go out in my wheelchair. And the boredom is terrible; my sister and my friends have bought me coloring books, I can only watch so much TV. It's a once in a lifetime illness I'm dealing with,' she added.
