If I had a dollar for every time doctors, friends, and family members have suggested that I am “just fine” and that my symptoms are “all in my head,” I could probably cover the cost of the countless procedures, supplements, and services I’ve employed on my healing journey. 

The beautiful thing about life is that nothing happens in a vacuum, and the path to physical wellness might just teach us a few lessons and develop new abilities, such as following our own intuition and having confidence in our own opinions and preferences. I strongly urge you to advocate for yourself and to find both a close circle and healthcare providers who listen and work to find answers (even if your issues aren’t immediately diagnosable). 

I sincerely hope you won’t need this advice, but my experience and statistics indicate that you may. Over 12 million people in the US alone are affected by errors in diagnosis, and women and minorities are far more likely to be misdiagnosed, overlooked, and brushed aside by medical professionals.

… so I hope you can learn from my mistakes!

Here are my top six tips for what to do when your doctor doesn’t listen:

1. Order your own labs. There are plenty of independent companies that allow you to order your labs and receive the results directly. I also recommend paying someone to review the labs in plain English with you. Connie Nightingale ( @conniebegonnie ) was a godsend for me!

2. Document! Take copious notes at each appointment, and make sure your doctors document each recommendation and any time they deny one of your requests. This is important for the record, for any other doctors you see, and for your own understanding of your healing journey.

3. Ask lots of questions. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for clarification and for reasoning for each recommendation and decision. Also, it is a great idea to ask your doctor for examples of patients with similar symptoms and how they responded to certain protocols.

4. Get a second opinion. If you question a recommendation or diagnosis, talk to another doctor. If your current doctor discourages the input of other medical professionals, this is a red flag! It indicates this person is operating in ego and uncomfortable with being challenged or collaborating with others.

5. Educate yourself. Research your symptoms and recommended protocols before making any decisions. It’s 2023 people! We have an abundance of resources at our fingertips. 

6. Fire them. You are the boss in the situation. Don’t let the white coat intimidate you. If a doctor isn’t listening to you or getting results, find one who will. Use your local network to obtain recommendations of doctors that align with your goals, beliefs, and preferences.

If you’d like my recommendations, I’ve listed a few below:

• I am finally seeing a positive trajectory by working with Kristen Smith (@kristensmithdpt) of Nutrition Dynamic (@nutrition_dynamic). She has been more than willing to listen to and incorporate my preferences and to collaborate with my hordes of other practitioners.

• Dr. David Johnson of Kootenai Health has helped to get answers to some of my gut issues with cutting-edge research and time-honored, data-based decision making. 

• Katie Hall, of Selkirk Endocrinology, is uniquely talented in explaining complex hormonal processes and in patiently allowing me to drive my own treatment. 

• Jan Nelson, of the M3 Clinic, takes a practical, natural approach to bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. 

• Megan Del Corral, of Advance Vitality HRT, takes a functional approach to hormone issues and is helping me find and address the root causes of my imbalances.

• Connie Nightingale is an online functional health and fitness coach who has the brilliant ability to explain lab results in plain english and help you to take matters into your own hands. 

The wild truth is that there is a lot about the body that the medical field still doesn’t understand. Beyond the intricacies of our beautiful bodies, each person is so unique that medical problems and solutions are rarely one-size-fits-all. You are the only one who truly knows your body and you are the only one who can effectively advocate for yourself and your body. 

I hope these tips help empower you to take control of your health.

I would love to continue this conversation! You can find me on the ‘gram at @bailey_bowerman 

xoxo Your Favorite Late Bloomer