The sick well patient: Why “Normal Labs” Don’t Always Mean You Feel Well
Mon Feb 02 2026
Have you ever gone to the doctor feeling unwell, had labs and tests done — and been told everything looks normal — while your symptoms persisted?
You’re not imagining it.
In this episode, we talk about why normal lab results don’t always mean you’re well. We explore how symptoms can appear long before disease shows up on standard testing, why context and trends matter in medicine, and how your body often signals imbalance earlier than labs can detect it.
We also discuss what it means to partner with your body and your physician, rather than waiting for a diagnosis to validate your experience. This conversation is about learning how to listen to early signals, understanding the limits of testing, and recognizing when it’s time to advocate for deeper conversations about your health.
If you’ve ever felt dismissed, confused, or stuck in the space between “nothing is wrong” and “something doesn’t feel right,” this episode will help you make sense of that gap.
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Have you ever gone to the doctor feeling unwell, had labs and tests done — and been told everything looks normal — while your symptoms persisted? You’re not imagining it. In this episode, we talk about why normal lab results don’t always mean you’re well. We explore how symptoms can appear long before disease shows up on standard testing, why context and trends matter in medicine, and how your body often signals imbalance earlier than labs can detect it. We also discuss what it means to partner with your body and your physician, rather than waiting for a diagnosis to validate your experience. This conversation is about learning how to listen to early signals, understanding the limits of testing, and recognizing when it’s time to advocate for deeper conversations about your health. If you’ve ever felt dismissed, confused, or stuck in the space between “nothing is wrong” and “something doesn’t feel right,” this episode will help you make sense of that gap.