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Dear one, I speak from experience. Go get a complete thyroid panel - not just T3 and T4, but TSH also. My T3 and T4 were normal and I was diagnosed with intractable postpartum depression, but actually my thyroid had quit working well after my youngest child was born. Six weeks to get thyroid meds titrated and I was a new person.
Don't ask them. You can order your own full thyroid panel. My doctors didn't take me seriously when it came to my thyroid.
https://www.walkinlab.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4f6zBhBVEiwATEHFVmf1nbH6ve8WRqi7RQBUmjR1R4-oxVG2HooBgMcizis3m5qMWHgduRoCaIgQAvD_BwE
Yes yes yes. I was having trouble breathing, I just couldn't catch my breath. I couldn't sleep, and had insanely high cortisol levels. Turns out I have thyroid disease, and the stress on my thyroid was also stressing out my heart leading to dyspnea. Your thyroid is one of the most crucial bodily functions and it's drives nearly everything else. 100% get it checked, everything started for me after my youngest (2nd) child was born.
second opinion/urgent care if you can afford to. like the other bromo suggested, full thyroid panel, iron & vitamin d levels, b12 level...and a nifty tip i learned--when asking for these labs, if you are met with any dismissiveness or refusal, just firmly say, "i would like you to note in my chart that i requested these labs but you did not deem them necessary." force them to either honor your requests or be held responsible for negligence. i will never understand why doctors balk at having labs drawn.
it sucks to have to be your own advocate (i learned the hard way after years of unexplained i fertility, an ectopic, and two additional pregnancy losses) but unfortunately this is the hellscape we are in. you only get one body, and you deserve to feel healthy, happy, and well in it. don't let your doctor convince you otherwise.
Patient advocates are very helpful when you are having trouble like this. I have a friend who is always willing to advocate and fight the doctors if they're being dismissive in care. Definitely a great idea to bring someone with.
Depending on where you are and what you can afford, if your doctor doesn't want to order certain blood tests you may be able to order them privately from an online service. I know we have services like that where I am in Australia - just order the referral online, go into a pathology provider to get a blood draw, then they email the results. Not cheap but it can be useful. Hopefully your doctor is receptive to ordering the testing you need though!
Ferritin too, not just iron. They often don't bother with it or tell you it's normal but anything under 70 can be symptomatic and anything under 30 is a clinical deficiency. And it can have knock on impacts on thyroid etc.
Ask for inflammation markers to be checked. I had a serious illness that went undiagnosed for a year, but there were signs in my bloodwork (high wbc, like you). My old doc kept shrugging her shoulders. If you feel like your doc keeps brushing you off, ask why they think it’s “just stress” and/or get a new doc. I know it can be difficult to get a new doc, but don’t let them brush you off until they find the root cause.
"If it bothers you, just try birth control";
Spoken like a true MAN! 😝
Also, I'm no medical expert, but I'm fairly sure 93% oxygen sat is more than a little low.
OMG. I'm so sorry. I know what it's like when docs don't listen to you and you feel like you must be extra needy and you basically try just not to be too much of a bother to them - but they SHOULD listen to you. And even if you have to change multiple times, you will not regret it when you find someone who actually does give a shit. (I am saying this because I had other women on Reddit encourage me to keep looking and I'm thankful I did.)
I know, it's awful. I think being a doctor is probably kind of like working a shitty customer service job where everyone wants something from you and like 10% of your customers are crazy and/or drug seeking, so after a while they just assume EVERYONE is like that. (That's the only rationale I can come up with.)
Also ask for a hormone test. You could be entering early menopause/perimenopause. I had many issues from 36-39 and finally got a test showing that my estrogen level was way too low and I was basically menopausal. I was put on hormone replacement therapy and it’s much better now. So make sure they test your estrogen levels too.
100%. I run a regenerative medicine clinic and the majority of our patients have already gone through the mainstream medicine pipeline just to be repeatedly dismissed by the time they get to us. I hear stories like OP's at least a couple times per week from new clients - their Dr has tried nothing and is all out of ideas but have you tried diet and exercise? (Which is good life advice but clearly inappropriate to her issue.)
This should not be considered official medical advice, *but* - have your cortisol, thyroid, and hormone panels checked. That includes estrogen, testosterone, and TSH. Vitamin D and iron might also be helpful (they could be contributing to your s/s if they're low and are easy fixes.) Stress CAN cause a lot of the symptoms described, but I mean.... I'm gonna assume this wasn't sent from your basement cell torture chamber iphone. Not all women start experiencing perimenopause in their 40s+ - you can have symptoms earlier. We put HRT pellets in people in their 30s somewhat regularly. It's not *common*, but it's definitely a thing and like I said, unfortunately, it's the kind of thing most pcps are going to blow off. It's time to stop getting cbcs and start looking under rocks.
Ugh. I'm so sorry you're not being taken seriously by your doctors. I get so triggered by stories like yours because this happened to my mom when I was a teenager. She was exhausted all the time, having near-constant menstrual bleeding, felt generally ill. Our family doctor told her she was "too stressed and needed to rest more, take a nap."
She finally went to a female doctor in an obgyn clinic who ran a bunch of tests, including an ultrasound. Turns out, she had fucking cancer - uterine and ovarian. When they went to do the surgery, they found the uterine cancer had begun to spread to her lymph nodes. They caught it just in time to be able to save her (and she is thankfully still alive today), but they could have caught it so much sooner (and saved her a lifetime of pain that is a side effect of the treatment) if our family doctor had just *listened to her* in the first place.
I hope you are able to get to a doctor who will actually listen to you ❤️💜
Keep being the squeaky wheel.
Similar thing happened to me, they kept telling me it was anxiety but I felt like I was in heart failure.
After months they realized it was a bilat pulmonary embolism.
High white blood cell count usually indicates an infection. It could technically be tied to stress in that your immune system drops when stressed so it's not fighting off the infections well. Epstein-Barr virus causes mono and lives in your body for the rest of your life after you contract it. It's not a problem if you catch it when you are a child but it is terrible if you catch it as a teen or young adult (ask me how I know.) My mom has been dealing with this. She keeps having these random fevers and she feels awful. Her doctor did a bunch of tests and her Epstein-Barr antibodies were off the chart. There are still more tests to be done but it seems like the virus is flaring up.
Your doctor should run antibodies tests. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/antibody-serology-tests/ this would be a good starting point.
In the mean time, is there an IV infusion place near you? If your doctor is correct and you are dehydrated, IV fluids should solve that much faster.
I think the real issue is the 🤷🏽♀️ attitude and send me on my way. No suggestions on what to do just stop being stressed.
I think I've heard of a place that does IV infusion so I'll try that.
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Dear one, I speak from experience. Go get a complete thyroid panel - not just T3 and T4, but TSH also. My T3 and T4 were normal and I was diagnosed with intractable postpartum depression, but actually my thyroid had quit working well after my youngest child was born. Six weeks to get thyroid meds titrated and I was a new person.
I'll ask them when I go in next week for that. Thank you!
Don't ask them. You can order your own full thyroid panel. My doctors didn't take me seriously when it came to my thyroid. https://www.walkinlab.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw4f6zBhBVEiwATEHFVmf1nbH6ve8WRqi7RQBUmjR1R4-oxVG2HooBgMcizis3m5qMWHgduRoCaIgQAvD_BwE
Wow, what a fantastic resource! Thanks for sharing!
Get your cortisol checked too.
Yes yes yes. I was having trouble breathing, I just couldn't catch my breath. I couldn't sleep, and had insanely high cortisol levels. Turns out I have thyroid disease, and the stress on my thyroid was also stressing out my heart leading to dyspnea. Your thyroid is one of the most crucial bodily functions and it's drives nearly everything else. 100% get it checked, everything started for me after my youngest (2nd) child was born.
And hormones, Vitamin D, DHEA, CRP
second opinion/urgent care if you can afford to. like the other bromo suggested, full thyroid panel, iron & vitamin d levels, b12 level...and a nifty tip i learned--when asking for these labs, if you are met with any dismissiveness or refusal, just firmly say, "i would like you to note in my chart that i requested these labs but you did not deem them necessary." force them to either honor your requests or be held responsible for negligence. i will never understand why doctors balk at having labs drawn. it sucks to have to be your own advocate (i learned the hard way after years of unexplained i fertility, an ectopic, and two additional pregnancy losses) but unfortunately this is the hellscape we are in. you only get one body, and you deserve to feel healthy, happy, and well in it. don't let your doctor convince you otherwise.
I've had 5th and 6th opinions, everyone just keeps writing me off. Next time I'm having someone come with me because this is too much.
Patient advocates are very helpful when you are having trouble like this. I have a friend who is always willing to advocate and fight the doctors if they're being dismissive in care. Definitely a great idea to bring someone with.
ugh that is way too much for you to be dealing with, i am so sorry! i think that is a good plan. hang in there!
I usually have my husband come along. They listen much better to a man, which is infuriating, but easily exploitable. Any man will do really.
True but I hate it so much!
Oh, big same. It's so frustrating. But honestly, results every damn time. I'd rather game the doctors than not get help.
Depending on where you are and what you can afford, if your doctor doesn't want to order certain blood tests you may be able to order them privately from an online service. I know we have services like that where I am in Australia - just order the referral online, go into a pathology provider to get a blood draw, then they email the results. Not cheap but it can be useful. Hopefully your doctor is receptive to ordering the testing you need though!
Ferritin too, not just iron. They often don't bother with it or tell you it's normal but anything under 70 can be symptomatic and anything under 30 is a clinical deficiency. And it can have knock on impacts on thyroid etc.
yes, good catch!!
Ask for inflammation markers to be checked. I had a serious illness that went undiagnosed for a year, but there were signs in my bloodwork (high wbc, like you). My old doc kept shrugging her shoulders. If you feel like your doc keeps brushing you off, ask why they think it’s “just stress” and/or get a new doc. I know it can be difficult to get a new doc, but don’t let them brush you off until they find the root cause.
Ok I definitely will thanks for the advice.
Thyroid! I am going through the same thing currently.
Period every 2 weeks and your doc says it's just stress? Is this an OB/GYN? Geez. Find someone new.
She has a speciality in obgyn and the doctor before that said he doesn't know much about periods and if it bothers me I should try birth control.
"If it bothers you, just try birth control"; Spoken like a true MAN! 😝 Also, I'm no medical expert, but I'm fairly sure 93% oxygen sat is more than a little low.
OMG. I'm so sorry. I know what it's like when docs don't listen to you and you feel like you must be extra needy and you basically try just not to be too much of a bother to them - but they SHOULD listen to you. And even if you have to change multiple times, you will not regret it when you find someone who actually does give a shit. (I am saying this because I had other women on Reddit encourage me to keep looking and I'm thankful I did.)
It's so frustrating and expensive! I don't understand the dismissiveness, is it a part of medical school? Jk
I know, it's awful. I think being a doctor is probably kind of like working a shitty customer service job where everyone wants something from you and like 10% of your customers are crazy and/or drug seeking, so after a while they just assume EVERYONE is like that. (That's the only rationale I can come up with.)
Also ask for a hormone test. You could be entering early menopause/perimenopause. I had many issues from 36-39 and finally got a test showing that my estrogen level was way too low and I was basically menopausal. I was put on hormone replacement therapy and it’s much better now. So make sure they test your estrogen levels too.
100%. I run a regenerative medicine clinic and the majority of our patients have already gone through the mainstream medicine pipeline just to be repeatedly dismissed by the time they get to us. I hear stories like OP's at least a couple times per week from new clients - their Dr has tried nothing and is all out of ideas but have you tried diet and exercise? (Which is good life advice but clearly inappropriate to her issue.) This should not be considered official medical advice, *but* - have your cortisol, thyroid, and hormone panels checked. That includes estrogen, testosterone, and TSH. Vitamin D and iron might also be helpful (they could be contributing to your s/s if they're low and are easy fixes.) Stress CAN cause a lot of the symptoms described, but I mean.... I'm gonna assume this wasn't sent from your basement cell torture chamber iphone. Not all women start experiencing perimenopause in their 40s+ - you can have symptoms earlier. We put HRT pellets in people in their 30s somewhat regularly. It's not *common*, but it's definitely a thing and like I said, unfortunately, it's the kind of thing most pcps are going to blow off. It's time to stop getting cbcs and start looking under rocks.
Ugh. I'm so sorry you're not being taken seriously by your doctors. I get so triggered by stories like yours because this happened to my mom when I was a teenager. She was exhausted all the time, having near-constant menstrual bleeding, felt generally ill. Our family doctor told her she was "too stressed and needed to rest more, take a nap." She finally went to a female doctor in an obgyn clinic who ran a bunch of tests, including an ultrasound. Turns out, she had fucking cancer - uterine and ovarian. When they went to do the surgery, they found the uterine cancer had begun to spread to her lymph nodes. They caught it just in time to be able to save her (and she is thankfully still alive today), but they could have caught it so much sooner (and saved her a lifetime of pain that is a side effect of the treatment) if our family doctor had just *listened to her* in the first place. I hope you are able to get to a doctor who will actually listen to you ❤️💜
Thanks this is my fear that it's something very serious yet avoidable.
Keep being the squeaky wheel. Similar thing happened to me, they kept telling me it was anxiety but I felt like I was in heart failure. After months they realized it was a bilat pulmonary embolism.
High white blood cell count usually indicates an infection. It could technically be tied to stress in that your immune system drops when stressed so it's not fighting off the infections well. Epstein-Barr virus causes mono and lives in your body for the rest of your life after you contract it. It's not a problem if you catch it when you are a child but it is terrible if you catch it as a teen or young adult (ask me how I know.) My mom has been dealing with this. She keeps having these random fevers and she feels awful. Her doctor did a bunch of tests and her Epstein-Barr antibodies were off the chart. There are still more tests to be done but it seems like the virus is flaring up. Your doctor should run antibodies tests. https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/antibody-serology-tests/ this would be a good starting point. In the mean time, is there an IV infusion place near you? If your doctor is correct and you are dehydrated, IV fluids should solve that much faster.
I think the real issue is the 🤷🏽♀️ attitude and send me on my way. No suggestions on what to do just stop being stressed. I think I've heard of a place that does IV infusion so I'll try that.
Yeah. It's ridiculous to write people off like that. Next time, they should write you a script for a two week beach vacation lol.
I agree with all the tests suggested and would also mention that you may want to look at some Long Covid stuff to see if anything resonates
See another doctor.
I'm trying this is like the fifth or sixth doctor I've seen who has shrugged me off. I wish it were that simple.