You finally go to the doctor because you're not feeling like yourself. You’re exhausted. Your weight has crept up and won’t shift, no matter what you try. You feel puffy, foggy, anxious… and like your body is falling apart.

You explain it all; the fatigue, the bloating, the brain fog, the low mood, and they nod sympathetically while tapping into their computer.

A few days later, your blood test results come back.
“Everything’s normal.”
“There’s nothing wrong.”
“Maybe it’s just perimenopause.”

And you’re left thinking… Right. But why do I still feel like rubbish?

If you’ve ever walked out of a doctor’s appointment feeling more confused than when you walked in, this post is for you.

Because while it’s reassuring to know there’s nothing seriously wrong, being told you’re “fine” when you feel anything but is incredibly invalidating. And unfortunately, it’s something I hear from women over 40 almost every single day.

“Normal” Isn’t the Same as “Optimal”

Here’s the thing: most conventional testing is designed to pick up disease, not dysfunction.

Your GP might run a basic thyroid test (usually just TSH), check your iron levels, maybe vitamin D, and do a general health screen. If those results fall within a wide reference range, they’ll usually say all is well.

But just because something isn’t clinically wrong doesn’t mean your body is working well.

Think about it this way: if your car started making a weird noise, and the mechanic said “Well, the engine’s still running, so it must be fine”, you’d probably get a second opinion, right?

It’s the same with your health. You can feel terrible and still have “normal” bloods, because those tests don’t always show the full picture.

What Could Be Going On Beneath the Surface?

If your energy is on the floor, your weight won’t budge, and your body just feels “off,” there could be a few things going on, even if standard tests aren’t picking them up:

✅ Thyroid dysfunction: your TSH might look normal, but without testing Free T3, Free T4, and antibodies, we’re missing the fuller story.

✅ Cortisol imbalance: chronic stress can totally dysregulate your stress hormones, leading to fatigue, belly fat, poor sleep, and that “wired but tired” feeling. This isn’t tested in routine blood work.

✅ Hormonal shifts: perimenopause can absolutely play a role, but throwing it around as a blanket explanation isn’t helpful without understanding how your oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are shifting, and how that’s affecting your metabolism, mood, and inflammation.

✅ Nutrient depletions: even a slight deficiency in key nutrients like magnesium, zinc, B12 or omega-3s can leave you feeling flat, anxious, and foggy. But most of these aren’t tested unless there’s a serious concern.

✅ Gut or liver sluggishness: bloating, low energy, poor detox, hormonal build-up... it’s all connected, but rarely explored in traditional settings unless symptoms are severe.

You’re Not Lazy. You’re Not Broken.

If you’ve been told “everything’s fine,” but deep down you know you’re not… you’re not imagining it.

You’re not lazy or making a fuss. You’re simply working with a system that isn’t set up to find the early signs of imbalance.

And the truth is, most women don’t need more motivation, or stricter diets, or harder workouts.
What they need is clarity. A deeper understanding of what their body is trying to tell them. And a plan that actually works with their hormones and metabolism, instead of fighting against them.

Check out this week's podcast episode, where I walk you through all of this in more detail, and explain:

• Why “normal” bloods can still mean something’s off

• What conventional testing misses

• The clusters of symptoms that point to deeper issues

• How to start getting real answers, not just more frustration

And if you want to get a better understanding of your own body, you can take my free Hormone & Metabolism Quiz here.

You deserve more than vague reassurance.
You deserve answers that make sense, and support that actually works.