Concerned About Health Issues: Doctor's Dismissal of Symptoms
I’m in need of some clarity regarding my recent health situation, as it feels rather confusing and frustrating. For quite some time now, I—an 18-year-old female—have been experiencing troubling health concerns. These include extremely heavy menstrual cycles that can last up to a month, prolonged nosebleeds that persist for more than two hours, and episodes of fainting, along with episodes of blurry vision and a peculiar visual disturbance that sometimes overtakes my sight. Several people, including various healthcare professionals and individuals who actually have POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), have encouraged me to discuss the possibility of this condition with my doctor. However, when I broached the topic, my doctor dismissed it outright, calling my concerns unfounded and advising against self-diagnosis—despite my merely asking if it could be a consideration. He stated that POTS would only be explored if all other explanations were ruled out first. He attributed my fainting spells to blood loss, asserting it likely stemmed from an iron deficiency and consequent anemia, and insisted that I start taking iron supplements. When I inquired about the source of the blood loss itself, he suggested that I go on hormonal contraceptives to halt the bleeding, but he did not investigate the underlying causes of my symptoms further. After conducting blood tests, he concluded that I did not have iron deficiency, claiming that my iron levels were only slightly low, a condition he deemed insignificant. Despite this, he prescribed iron tablets and instructed me to return only after a few months of taking them. When I expressed my skepticism about whether iron was truly the issue, he insisted on proceeding with this approach anyway and advising me not to seek him out until then. During a brief assessment where he measured my blood pressure after I stood up suddenly from a seated position, he noted that it remained stable. He implied that if I were at a significant risk of fainting, my blood pressure would have fluctuated. I pointed out that my fainting typically occurs after prolonged periods of sitting or standing, but he remained unconvinced that this would affect the readings. What steps can I take while continuously facing these debilitating symptoms? The experiences, particularly the sudden visual disturbances, have become increasingly intolerable; they seem to interfere with my ability to hear and think clearly, leaving me feeling disoriented.
Answers (1)
2/8/2026, 12:30:32 PM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you're dealing with a challenging and complex situation regarding your health, and it's completely understandable to feel frustrated and confused. Your symptoms—heavy menstrual cycles, prolonged nosebleeds, fainting spells, and visual disturbances—are concerning and warrant a thoughtful approach to management.
Key Points:
- Symptom Complexity: Your symptoms could be related to a range of conditions, including hormonal imbalances, vascular issues, or potentially conditions like POTS.
- Feeling Dismissed: It’s valid to seek acknowledgment and understanding of your concerns, especially when experiences like fainting and visual disturbances significantly impact your daily life.
- Need for Further Evaluation: While your doctor suggested that iron supplementation may help, it’s important to pursue a comprehensive understanding of your symptoms and potential underlying causes.
Explanation:
Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia), prolonged nosebleeds, and fainting spells could potentially be linked—either as symptoms of a larger underlying issue or individually concerning problems that need assessing. You experienced dismissive responses from your doctor, which can be frustrating, particularly when you have concrete symptoms that disrupt your daily life.
Fainting correlated with changes in position can sometimes suggest orthostatic intolerance, possibly connected to POTS, but thorough evaluation is crucial. While your doctor measured your blood pressure standing up, factors like hydration status and blood volume can influence responses, and your symptoms occurring after prolonged sitting or standing should be taken seriously.
Next Steps:
-
Keep a Symptom Diary: Track your symptoms, including the frequency and duration of bleeding, nosebleeds, fainting episodes, and visual disturbances. Document when these occur relative to activities such as sitting or standing, as this can provide useful information for any healthcare provider.
-
Seek a Second Opinion: If you feel your concerns are not being adequately addressed, consider consulting another healthcare professional—ideally one with experience in managing complex symptom profiles or conditions like POTS. Being persistent and advocating for yourself is essential.
-
Explore Further Diagnostics: When you talk to a new provider, inquire about potential tests that could evaluate autonomic function (like tilt-table testing), hormone levels, and a complete blood count to check for anemia more accurately than just iron levels.
-
Focus on Wellness: While addressing your symptoms, consider lifestyle changes that may help improve your overall well-being. Staying well-hydrated, adding salt to your diet (if recommended for conditions like POTS), and engaging in gentle movements can sometimes alleviate symptoms.
-
Mental Health Support: Ongoing health issues can be distressing and might impact your mental health. Engaging in relaxation techniques such as mindfulness or consulting with a counselor could provide additional support during this challenging time.
Your experiences are valid, and seeking thorough understanding and management of your symptoms is essential. You deserve care that acknowledges your concerns and aims to improve your quality of life. Keep advocating for yourself until you find the support that resonates with you.
Related Questions
Desvenlafaxine ER: Concerns Over Mixed Medications in One Bottle
User Profile: - Age: 28 years - Gender: Female - Height: 5 feet 6 inches - Weight: 264 pounds Current Medications: - Desvenlafaxine ER, 100 mg - Omeprazole, 20 mg daily - Generic Adderall ER, 25 mg daily - Wegovy, 0.5 mg weekly injection - Clonazepam, 1 mg as necessary Smoking Habits: Engages in daily vaping of nicotine Health Conditions: Generalized anxiety disorder, chronic depression, ADHD, eosinophilic esophagitis, obesity Greetings! I recently filled my prescription for desvenlafaxine 100 mg ER, only to discover that the bottle contains tablets with two distinct imprint codes and varying colors. The label indicates a single manufacturer, yet I was not made aware of any changes or variations in the production process. Given that this is an extended-release antidepressant, I find myself questioning whether it’s typical to have medications from different manufacturers in one bottle, particularly when they look different. I'm concerned about how this might influence absorption rates, effectiveness, side effects, or overall mood stability. Here are my primary concerns: - Does having pills from multiple manufacturers in a single bottle affect how I experience my symptoms? - If I am currently stable on this medication, could it be advisable to ask for consistency in the manufacturer moving forward? I have yet to take a dose and am planning to reach out to the pharmacy, but I would appreciate insights from a healthcare professional regarding any physiological implications this might have for individuals taking desvenlafaxine ER.
Struggling with Nutrition and Medication Timing: Seeking Guidance
I’m a 54-year-old male, standing approximately 5’7” and weighing about 120 pounds—a significant decline, as my standard weight usually hovers between 145 to 150 pounds. Over the past several months, my acid reflux (GERD) has escalated to a point where my ability to consume food and beverages has drastically diminished. As a result, I'm facing challenges in maintaining proper hydration. I find myself in urgent need of assistance regarding my situation. Recently, I have been prescribed Sucralfate, in addition to the Pantoprazole that I have been taking twice daily for the last year. Last year, I experimented with Sucralfate for a brief period, but I was uncertain if my timing was accurate. My previous strategy involved taking Pantoprazole an hour before eating, followed by a slurry of Sucralfate thirty minutes later, and then having my meal half an hour after that. However, I have encountered a vast array of conflicting advice regarding the proper timing and order of these medications. Some guidelines advise taking Pantoprazole first, while others recommend starting with Sucralfate, leading to confusion regarding the optimal administration schedule. Moreover, I've experienced a discrepancy between my prescribing physician and the pharmacist regarding this matter, which adds to my confusion. I am eager to establish a clear consensus on how to proceed with my medication regimen. For instance, if I plan to have dinner at 6:00 PM, I am unsure when I should take my Pantoprazole and when to follow with Sucralfate. What would be the ideal timing to avoid diminishing the effectiveness of either medication? Your guidance on this issue would be greatly appreciated!
Understanding Hormonal Imbalances: Is it Really PCOS?
Navigating the complexities of my health has been quite challenging, especially given the overlap in symptoms across various conditions. I am seeking clarity on what might be ailing me, even though I am not attempting to self-diagnose. Let me outline some pertinent details: - Age: 25. Gender: Female. Height: 5'1". Weight: 125 lbs. - My most recent menstrual cycle occurred in June 2024. Prior to that, I enjoyed consistent cycles since I was around 12 years old. Typically, I experienced minimal PMS symptoms, with regular bleeding and no major irregularities. - Blood tests conducted multiple times generally indicated normal hormone levels, with the exception of estradiol (which ranged from 10 to 20) and progesterone (remaining below 0.2). - A few markers raised slight concerns for me (though my doctors deemed them normal): My morning cortisol level was 13.4, while the afternoon reading was 9.49. My TSH levels fluctuated, showing 2.35 in one test and then rising to 3.93 a few months later. My fasting glucose has consistently been around 80, with spontaneous glucose readings at 68 and postprandial glucose at 65. - An MRI revealed a "deviation in the pituitary stalk," which may indicate a small pituitary adenoma. - An ultrasound examination displayed "several well-defined oval anechoic structures, exhibiting posterior acoustic enhancement, measuring a few millimeters, and located around the edges of the stroma." - I have been experiencing a range of symptoms including difficulty maintaining sleep (frequently waking, particularly around 3 AM without the ability to return to slumber), persistent fatigue, challenges in weight loss, intense hunger, heightened anxiety, and noticeable hair loss. - I tried birth control (drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol), but it exacerbated almost every symptom. I discontinued use after two weeks, which resulted in a withdrawal bleed. - My lifestyle is generally healthy; I prioritize whole foods and engage in weightlifting and running. Having received a diagnosis of PCOS, I am questioning its validity. If this diagnosis holds true, what steps can I take moving forward, especially since birth control wasn’t beneficial and I appear to have signs suggesting other underlying issues related to thyroid, pituitary, or cortisol function?
Concerns About Cognitive Decline at Age 18
I’d like to share my experience regarding some troubling changes I’m noticing in myself. For as long as I can remember, my memory has been quite poor—some might say it’s a bit ironic. This could be linked to a mild brain injury I sustained in a car crash about a decade ago. Unfortunately, I believe my memory issues are deteriorating further. In recent months, I've become increasingly aware of various troubling symptoms emerging. These include: a declining grasp of my surroundings, a significant memory deficit, vague discomfort in my eyes, difficulties with reading comprehension, challenges in articulating my thoughts and feelings, and an alarming loss of awareness beyond my immediate field of vision. I've also started to experience a resurgence of fear related to darkness and growing unease towards subjects that didn’t bother me for years, such as graphic violence, death, and other unsettling themes. While the cause of these issues is unclear, I'm hypothesizing that excessive screen time, especially scrolling through short videos for hours daily, might be a factor. However, I engaged in similar habits for years before these symptoms emerged, which have surfaced rather abruptly over just the past few months. This rapid progression raises my concerns that it could be something more severe, potentially even early-onset dementia. A couple of years ago, I dealt with intense health anxiety that lasted about a year but seemed to disappear completely until now. Now, I’m recognizing some overlapping symptoms from that period, such as anxiety, eye discomfort, and fears regarding my cognitive abilities. I faintly remember experiencing a fear of the dark then as well, but I had since become quite comfortable in it until recently when those same fears have started to resurface. Interestingly, I’ve also noticed a revival of my childhood sense of wonder, as I find myself enjoying nature and animals more than I have in years. While this should be a positive development, in light of my other symptoms, it feels concerning and suggests that something may be deteriorating within my brain. My sleep patterns have always been problematic, often staying up far too late, but until now, I’ve managed to function cognitively without major concerns. I am aware that insufficient sleep can lead to cognitive issues, yet the speed of my deterioration suggests there could be other underlying causes. I’m feeling as though I’m reverting to a child-like state while my cognitive abilities slip away, and this frightens me. Just as I’m attempting to establish my independence, it feels like it’s all slipping away too quickly. I’m reaching out for insight or help in understanding what’s happening. This situation terrifies me.
Concerns About My Health Journey
At the age of 28, I began experiencing troubling symptoms in November 2025. A persistent dry cough accompanied by a sense of breathlessness made even the slightest physical activity feel overwhelming. After a few weeks of grappling with these issues, I recognized that this was more serious than a typical illness, prompting me to consult a physician who has since recommended a series of diagnostic tests. One significant test administered was a CT scan with contrast. I should mention that I have a history of asthma, which required an inhaler during my early childhood years, though I have only recently resumed its use due to my current symptoms. Additionally, I have dealt with knee arthritis and joint pain that began around the age of 12, continuous migraines dating back even further, and ongoing eczema. Although my doctor suspects an autoimmune condition, the blood test results have yet to provide a clear answer. Regarding my current medications, I am utilizing a Qvar inhaler twice a day, alongside 300 mg of Wellbutrin, 40 mg of Lexapro, and 20 mg of Buspar twice daily. I also take 60 mg of Propranolol, .5 mg of Klonopin as needed, and manage discomfort with Ibuprofen as required. Currently, I rely on supplemental oxygen at 3 liters per minute while at rest, and up to 4 liters per minute when engaging in household activities. I hope that this situation is temporary, but I find myself uncertain about how feasible it is to expect a return to normal breathing without assistance in the future.