Here’s how this scenario usually goes: You feel sick, tired or just “off.”
Have a great day!"
Um, OK. Now what?
Almost all of us have gone through this experience of feeling sick, but receiving normal medical results.
And yet there was no testing that could diagnose my problem.
There’s been a lab error.
This happens more than you might think.
Tests can also vary due to food, exercise or supplements.
There are so many things that go into getting lab testing right.
And if just one of those goes wrong, you end up with skewed results.
Learnmore about the steps a lab takes, and where errors might occur.
Your doctor didn’t listen to your story.
As a physician, I really attempt to listen to the entire story before running tests.
But sometimes, your doctor may not be hearing the full scope of what you’re dealing with.
Want to prevent this from happening?
Your illness isn’t diagnosed by labs.
And that’s true of many other conditions including some autoimmune, malignant, allergic and viral diseases.
In fact, there simply may not be an adequate test in existence for your condition.
Your ‘normal’ isn’t the same as optimal.
So your labs came back normal.
Listen to your body.
You’d be surprised how well that works for some conditions.
Get extended testing, if it’s appropriate.
Remember more is not always better.
Too much testing can be expensive and might raise false concerns.
And sometimes your condition doesn’t even have a lab test that can diagnose it.
Bring a symptom journal to your next appointment.
This is a simple tool that really helps health care providers pinpoint your problem.
This can lead the physician to think of things they may not have gleaned from your standard office history.
The importance of diet is often completely missed by most doctors.
Dr. Amy Shahis a double board certified MD with training fromCornell,ColumbiaandHarvardUniversities.
She is an expert on intermittent fasting for women and hasa 2 week guided group program.
