Thyroid Laboratory Testing – what does it mean to be “normal”?
Thyroid Laboratory Testing – Normal, what does it mean to be “normal”?
How often do you hear your tests are “normal” but you feel anything but normal. I hear that feedback from clients over and over again. Labs have ranges and just because someone labs fall within that lab range many doctors feel there is no need to further discuss or look into symptoms and dismiss patient/clients concerns. I know I have personally experienced it way to many times myself during my health journey too. It can be really frustrating to say the least and leave some patients sick and unwell.
There is a big difference between ‘normal’ and optimal. If you’ve paid attention around here, you’d know that we don’t use just numbers but individual feedback when evaluating client progress. Labs have ranges but patients shouldn’t be pinned into those ranges the same way LBC doesn’t fit ourselves or our clients into cookie cutter diets or training programs. Doctors need to do the same when it comes to evaluating patient/client labs. “We” are more than just a lab ranges and without considering symptoms and patient input, there is a huge gap in getting ones issues resolved if one is fixated on just numbers.
If you don’t feel well or you aren’t getting the answers to your questions, don’t hesitate to raise more questions; it’s your body and your health! If the doctor is threatened by you having done research, bringing in additional information and asking lots of questions then it’s likely time to move on. Find someone who is willing to spend time listening to you, accept that you are a participant in your health and allow you to have input and present information too.
If you don’t know where to turn consider finding a local compounding pharmacy; they are often a great resource to bounce questions off, offer guidance and can aid in help locating doctor references or resources. They work with the doctors that do tend to have the qualities one hopes to find (mentioned above) in their doctor and as a result and they have happy patients too. That is the doctor you want.
“Normal is a setting on a dryer” (RIP Jan N.)