Woman left horrified after skin 'turned black’ on holiday had deadly disease diagnosed by ChatGPT
Most of us like to soak up the rays and top up our tans on holiday. Nobody ever wants to come home without a golden sun kissed glow.
But one mum was left horrified after her skin turned almost ‘black’ when she won her family’s holiday tanning competition. She later learned it was a life-threatening disease thanks to the help of artificial intelligence and was told by doctors she could’ve died without the diagnosis.
Poppy Guy jetted off to Malaga, Spain, for a family holiday on May 25 and, expecting to go a 'nice golden brown', was then left stunned when her skin turned a 'black brown' colour.
The 29-year-old was also vomiting daily, experiencing shortness of breath and light headedness - something she claims doctors believed to have been caused by anxiety. But the reality was far more sinister.
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Desperate to discover what was causing her symptoms, the mum-of-two messaged Chat GPT, which said she may have Addison's disease, a rare condition where small glands above the kidneys do not work properly.
The teaching assistant, who 'couldn't stand up straight', then returned to her GP and after disclosing her symptoms and concerns about Addison's disease was booked in for a hospital referral.
Just a week later, Poppy then collapsed and was rushed to hospital where she was found to be suffering from an adrenal crisis, which is a severe, life-threatening emergency.
There, doctors ran tests and confirmed she has Addison's disease. Poppy claims a doctor said if she hadn't been admitted that day, she would 'probably be dead'.
Poppy, from Fowey, in Cornwall, explained: "I went on holiday with my family to a villa in Spain. Usually, I'm so energetic [this visit] I would wake up, be sick, and go down to my sunbed. We all started having the tanning competition. I usually go a nice golden brown but my belly was literally black.
"I've always been quite a tanned person because I live in Cornwall and go to the beach all the time, but it turned into a whole new thing on holiday. I was really brown, like nearly black brown."
"I went so black everyone thought, 'why is Poppy so dark?' The day we came home I was horrifically sick at the airport."
Worried about her unusually dark skin colour, alongside other symptoms, Poppy turned to AI for advice Poppy added: "I asked ChatGPT about my symptoms and Addison's disease was one of the options there. I Googled it and thought that it fit.
"I went to the doctor and said 'Addison's disease'. I looked horrific, I was skinny, and couldn't stand up straight. He sent an urgent referral to the hospital and exactly a week later I was chopping up some vegetables for dinner and my mum found me unresponsive.
"The doctor said if I didn't go to hospital that day, I would probably be dead by now. I woke up in the ambulance and went unconscious again. I didn't know what was going on. I had back-to-back IV and oral medication, I have 11 tablets a day now."
Poppy started experiencing nausea and sickness in July 2025 and noticed light pigmentation on her arms.
She went to see her doctor who reportedly diagnosed her with anxiety and gave her medication, but her symptoms didn't improve. Poppy said she was sick every day for the past year and went back to her GP several times, only to be told the same thing.
After returning home from holiday on June 1, Poppy went back to her doctor and suggested it could be Addison's disease, before collapsing on June 8. Poppy remained in hospital for two weeks having treatment and has been left unable to walk
She said: "I started having light pigmentation circles on my arms. I didn't think anything of it. I was waking up and being sick every morning. I went to the doctors and they said they think I have anxiety. I continued going to the doctors a few times within the year. Every time they sent me away with anxiety and anxiety meds.
"From January to May, I couldn't stand up without feeling horrifically dizzy. My vision was shaky, I would be vomiting multiple times a day and I would be out of breath when walking around."
The mum is now taking medication and will be getting physiotherapy to be able to walk again. Poppy said: "I had never heard of it, I was definitely scared.
"I was in shock because I've been to the doctors so many times and they've said anxiety every time and now I have a life-threatening disease. I now have a wheelchair and a frame and I can walk about 20 yards, it takes me a while. I'm still tanned now, they said it is only going to get worse."
The GP practice declined to comment.
What did ChatGPT say?
In a statement to LadBible, a spokesperson for OpenAI said: "Every day, hundreds of millions of people search the internet for health information. We believe AI can make that experience better by helping them find clearer answers, organise their questions, and prepare for conversations with medical professionals. But ChatGPT is not a doctor and should never be used as a substitute for medical care, diagnosis, or treatment."
What is Addison's Disease?
Addison's disease (primary adrenal insufficiency) is a rare condition where small glands above your kidneys do not work properly. It can often be managed with treatment.
According to the NHS, adrenal crisis is the most serious complication of Addison's disease. During an adrenal crisis your symptoms get worse very quickly. This can be triggered by things like an infection, an accident or injury, or surgery.
Symptoms include extreme tiredness, areas of skin becoming darker, loss of appetite, weight loss, tummy pain, feeling dizzy or ight headed, headache, joint pain and muscle weakness.
Topics: UK News, World News, Travel, Holiday, ChatGPT
James Holt