Caveman33
Footballguy
At the very least, she is not willing to listen to me. At my 1st visit last month, she conducted a basic blood test and some things were outside the normal range but they were fairly consistent with previous tests of mine. My triglycerides were somewhat low at 22 and I had eaten multiple times before the blood draw. The test did not include ferritin or iron (nor have any of the previous tests I have online access to), yet the doctor told me I was iron deficient anemic and gave a prescription for ferrous sulfate. I have always been very tall and thin, but I eat a balanced 4K calories every day, sometimes much more. I asked the doctor about side effects from the iron and she only mentioned constipation. She dismissed me when I tried to explain that I believe I have some sort of malabsorption issue. My bowel movements regularly stick to the bowl after I flush. She said I was fixated on something that didn't matter. I've also been living with some sort of groin and testicle pain/infection for a few years. During that time I have noticed that my body's ability to heal from any injury has been terrible. Most are internal tissue injuries so I have no proof beyond my word (which is immediately dismissed) but I do have visible bruising on one foot that has lingered for 18 months after I wore a pair of sneakers that were too tight for a week. I no longer jog or bike and have modified my activities to minimize how frequently that foot pain flares up (the bruise has never completely faded). The doctor suggested that I may have fibromyalgia and she asked if I take pain killers. I do not and I was quick to tell her that I did not need pain killers after any of my many surgeries. The lingering discomfort/pain from these injuries bothers me because I believe it is my body's way of communicating that there is a problem.
So, after learning more about iron and the risk factors involved with taking it and building an excess amount in the body, I questioned the doctor on why she prescribed it without checking my current levels. She said, "You told me you were iron deficient anemic in the past." That is not accurate but I do have sisters who were prescribed iron which I mentioned when she asked about family history. Given the amount of balanced food that I eat, if my body can break down the nutrients, I think my iron level should be fine. I do find myself craving milk/cheese and peaches so I believe those foods contain something that I lack. I've also been getting lower kidney scores lately 50-80 eFGR vs 90-110 a few years ago. My gut/digestion is consistently bad. I have chronic bubble gut and it's not unusual to have 3-5 bowel movements in a day. When I eat cheese, it seems to make my gut even worse so I wonder about a lactose intolerance. I also wonder if the untreated groin issue could be causing inflammation in any new injury that I incur. My lymph node on that side of the groin has been enlarged since the issue developed and at one point I massaged it in an effort to reduce it's size before deciding that was stupid since if I did have an infection, I was likely spreading it to the rest of my body. The doctor ordered a blood test for ferritin, iron, folate, b12, zinc and TB. She refused to add additional things that I wanted like vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium. I wouldn't be surprised if my iron level does come back low but I think that is a symptom rather than the cause of my problem. I want a chance to address the root issue.
Aside from ball cancer, what do you think is plaguing me?
So, after learning more about iron and the risk factors involved with taking it and building an excess amount in the body, I questioned the doctor on why she prescribed it without checking my current levels. She said, "You told me you were iron deficient anemic in the past." That is not accurate but I do have sisters who were prescribed iron which I mentioned when she asked about family history. Given the amount of balanced food that I eat, if my body can break down the nutrients, I think my iron level should be fine. I do find myself craving milk/cheese and peaches so I believe those foods contain something that I lack. I've also been getting lower kidney scores lately 50-80 eFGR vs 90-110 a few years ago. My gut/digestion is consistently bad. I have chronic bubble gut and it's not unusual to have 3-5 bowel movements in a day. When I eat cheese, it seems to make my gut even worse so I wonder about a lactose intolerance. I also wonder if the untreated groin issue could be causing inflammation in any new injury that I incur. My lymph node on that side of the groin has been enlarged since the issue developed and at one point I massaged it in an effort to reduce it's size before deciding that was stupid since if I did have an infection, I was likely spreading it to the rest of my body. The doctor ordered a blood test for ferritin, iron, folate, b12, zinc and TB. She refused to add additional things that I wanted like vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and magnesium. I wouldn't be surprised if my iron level does come back low but I think that is a symptom rather than the cause of my problem. I want a chance to address the root issue.
Aside from ball cancer, what do you think is plaguing me?