When Your Bloodwork Is Normal, But You Still Feel Awful
Eagerly awaiting the results of your bloodwork, hoping for answers to your persistent health concerns, only to hear that everything came back "normal." It's a frustrating and disheartening experience that many have faced. However, it's essential to understand that bloodwork is just one piece of the diagnostic puzzle. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind when it comes to normal bloodwork when you are struggling with pieces of your health.
#1 Your Diagnosis Is Not Made By Bloodwork
When you do blood tests, you expect them to provide clear-cut answers to your health issues but the reality is that bloodwork extends beyond confirming conditions; it also plays a critical role in ruling out certain conditions or abnormalities. This means that even if nothing specific shows up in the tests, it doesn't necessarily mean everything is entirely normal. Lab results are just one piece of the diagnostic puzzle and should be interpreted in the context of how you're feeling.
A common example is Irritable Bowel syndrome (IBS), where the actual diagnosis is not based on bloodwork but we use lab testing to rule out other possible digestive issues. Another common example is PMS, or PMDD where we use lab results to see if anything is contributing or exacerbating an underlying condition but the actual diagnosis is not made through bloodwork.
#2 Your 'Normal' May Not Be Optimal
It's crucial to recognize that your personal "normal" may differ from what's optimal. These reference ranges are determined based on statistical data from large populations, not tailored to individual variations and because these ranges are created to address many people they often tend to be quite LARGE.
Common example is thyroid functioning. When we only look at one marker (TSH) and it is on the higher or lower end of the range it does not provide the full picture of what is going on. Similarly, with iron levels. It is extremely common for your iron levels to come within range even though they are are not normal or optimal especially based on their symptoms.
#3 Incomplete Testing
Maybe the bloodwork did not cover all the potential causes… Sometimes, the constraints of a short doctor's appointment may limit the scope of bloodwork and discussions, potentially leaving some potential causes or contributing factors unexplored.
It's important to remember that while normal bloodwork is a valuable tool, it may not always capture the full scope of your health. Factors like timing, fluctuations, and individual variations can play a significant role in why you still feel unwell despite seemingly normal results. I understand how frustrating this situation can be to feel so shitty and not understand why when all your labs come back perfectly normal. If you're going through this and seeking answers, let’s chat!
