What to do when your doctor says there is nothing wrong
Can you imagine visiting doctor after doctor and having a litany of exams and lab work done only to leave with “normal” test results and without answers to the cause of your symptoms?
This scenario happens more often than you think. “Failure to diagnose” is the terminology used by doctors to indicate that a patient has a set of symptoms that have gone undiagnosed. There could be a number of reasons why a diagnosis can’t be determined — the symptoms themselves may be difficult to identify, the patient might have more than one condition, conflicts with supplements the patient already takes, and so on.
It’s possible that when a physician cannot diagnose, they may dismiss you and tell you that “it’s all in your head”. They may make up a blanket name (re: autoimmune disease) that isn’t a true diagnosis but do so in order to give the patient a label. In these cases, you’ll probably be treated for your symptoms, which will provide some relief, but in turn, cover the aspects of your condition that could assist in diagnosis.
This is probably one of the most frustrating experiences to have; unable to put a name to or identify the condition you’re experiencing in your body. If your doctor hasn’t given you a diagnosis yet, keep reading for a few tips to help you along in the process:
Be your own health advocate. I understand that those of us who don’t have medical degrees can become intimidated when we walk into a doctor’s office (I’ve been there). We don’t always know how to explain ourselves or understand what the doctor is prescribing. We don’t know what questions to ask. And we walk in there expecting our doctor to know our body better than we do, but that’s just not the case. I give you some tools to empower you to more effectively advocate for your health in this blog post.
Make sure you’re consulting with the right doctor. An aspect of western medicine that could use some fine-tuning is the separation of specialties. Each system of the body is unique, but each system is also influenced and informed by the others. What does that mean? They all work together, and if one system is off (ex. Digestive), it can cause another to be off (ex. Immune). Specialists only really look at individual systems based on your symptoms. When you have a myriad of symptoms in seemingly separate systems of your body, I always recommend that a client find a Naturopath, Functional Medicine Doctor, or Doctor of Osteopathy. These practitioners really focus on treating the whole body by taking complete health histories, doing extensive lab-work, and working towards finding a root cause. Sometimes your GP or a specialist just won’t cut it if you have symptoms that can be pointed back to multiple systems in your body.
Keep detailed logs. Sometimes illnesses develop over time and can be difficult to diagnose when in the early stages. Keep a detailed diary of your symptoms, diet, exercise, and any other health-related details. This will help your doctor see more clearly what may be developing in your body.
Know your family health history. Really understanding your immediate family’s health history this helps you know whether you have certain genetic predispositions. But please don’t freak out, just because you have a family history of a certain illness does not automatically mean that you will get that illness, it just means that your likelihood of contracting that illness is higher.
Understand lifestyle factors. You know what has more power in whether or not you contract an illness that you are pre-disposed to? Your lifestyle! What you eat, if you smoke, how much you drink, how much stress you have (and how you manage it), if you exercise - all of these things play a role in your health. Are you experiencing anxiety but still drinking 3 cups of coffee a day? That might be your problem. Really take an honest look at the choices that you make on a daily basis that can either have a positive or negative effect on your life. Make sure to include these things in the diary you will be sharing with your doctor.
Don’t forget to address your mental health. Did you know that your emotions can (and usually are) connected to physical symptoms? Take a pause and notice how you are feeling. Chronic stress, anxiety, depression can manifest as physical symptoms that are causing dis-ease. Think about how you’re feeling when your symptoms arise or become exacerbated. Do you notice a pattern? Somatization is the term used when emotional distress is manifested into the physical body, and everyone experiences somatization at times. For example, do you notice your jaw clenching when you get angry or butterflies in your stomach when you get nervous? The difference here will be that you may be experiencing chronic low-grade emotions that are causing your symptoms. Be sure to include this area in your diary and share it with your doctor.
Be honest with your doctor. I’ll say it again — be honest with your doctor. Withholding any information from your healthcare provider will not help them diagnose and create a treatment plan for you. Be honest about any negatively perceived lifestyle habits like smoking or drinking, lack of exercise, or your addiction to sugar… tell them everything! Being honest will only help your provider do their job better and get you closer to a diagnosis.
Be persistent. Sometimes you need a second, third, or fourth opinion. I know that this process can be cumbersome and exhausting, but don’t give up! Remember to take a look at my blog post on being your own health advocate, but if you need additional support in this area, I am here to support you and guide you in your journey to health.
If you are still struggling with a diagnosis, just remember that each symptom is a message from your body. There are ways to tune into your body and be able to listen and learn from it. Need help with that?
Book a free mini coaching session with me.
