These Numbers Are Yours: How to Read Your Lab Results, Push Back on Dismissal, and Finally Understand What's Happening Inside Your Body

Let's set the scene. You finally got your bloodwork done after months of feeling off — exhausted in a way sleep doesn't fix, brain fog that won't quit, a heaviness that sits in your chest and your bones. The results come back. Your doctor glances at the portal notes, tells you everything looks "within normal range," and moves on. You leave the office with a printout full of abbreviations, asterisks, and numbers that mean nothing to you — and somehow feel worse than before you went in.

If that sounds familiar, you are not imagining things. And you are not alone.

Research has consistently shown that Black, Latina, Indigenous, and Asian women face higher rates of medical dismissal, delayed diagnosis, and undertreated symptoms than their white counterparts. The system wasn't built to listen to us. But here's the thing — your lab results belong to you. And understanding them is one of the most powerful acts of self-advocacy you can take.

This is your starting point.

Why Medical Literacy Is a Form of Self-Protection

When we talk about wellness at My Pretty Brown Fit, we're not just talking about workouts and green smoothies. We're talking about the full picture — and that includes knowing how to navigate a medical system that has historically failed women of color at alarming rates.

Medical gaslighting — when a provider dismisses, minimizes, or outright ignores your symptoms — disproportionately affects us. Studies have found that Black women are less likely to be believed about their pain, less likely to receive follow-up care after raising concerns, and more likely to be told their symptoms are stress-related or psychological when something physiological is actually going on.

Understanding your own bloodwork doesn't replace your doctor. But it gives you the language to hold them accountable. When you can look at a result and say, "My ferritin is at 11 — I've read that some practitioners consider anything under 30 to be functionally low. Can we talk about that?" — you change the dynamic in that exam room.

Knowledge is not arrogance. It's armor.

The Basics: What's Actually on That Lab Report

Most standard lab panels include a few key categories. Here's a plain-language breakdown of what you're likely seeing:

CBC — Complete Blood Count This measures the components of your blood: red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelets. Low hemoglobin or hematocrit can indicate anemia, which is extremely common in women of color — particularly Black and Latina women — and often goes undertreated. If your numbers are flagged low or even hovering at the bottom of "normal," that's worth a conversation.

CMP — Comprehensive Metabolic Panel This covers your blood sugar (glucose), kidney function (creatinine, BUN), liver enzymes (ALT, AST), and electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Elevated glucose or A1C values can signal prediabetes or diabetes — conditions that disproportionately impact women of color and are frequently caught late.

Thyroid Panel (TSH, Free T3, Free T4) Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most commonly missed diagnoses in women, full stop. Many providers only order TSH, but that number alone doesn't give the full picture. If you're experiencing fatigue, hair loss, weight changes, or mood shifts, ask specifically for Free T3 and Free T4 as well. "Normal" TSH with abnormal free hormone levels is a real thing, and it matters.

Iron Studies (Serum Iron, Ferritin, TIBC) Ferritin is your stored iron — and this is where a lot of women get gaslit. The lab "normal" range for ferritin can be as low as 12 ng/mL at some facilities, but many functional medicine practitioners consider anything under 30-50 to be suboptimal, especially if you're symptomatic. If you're tired, cold, losing hair, and your ferritin is technically "in range" but scraping the bottom — push back.

Vitamin D Deficiency is rampant across the US population, but studies show it's especially prevalent among Black Americans, partly due to how melanin affects UV absorption. Optimal levels are generally considered to be between 40–60 ng/mL. Many labs flag deficiency only below 20. There's a big gap in between — and you deserve to know where you fall.

Lipid Panel This measures your cholesterol: total cholesterol, LDL ("bad"), HDL ("good"), and triglycerides. Context matters enormously here. Your ratios, your family history, your lifestyle — these all factor in. Don't let a single number be the whole story.

The Language of "Normal" — And Why It Doesn't Always Mean Optimal

Here's something nobody tells you: lab reference ranges are based on statistical averages, not on what's ideal for your body. "Normal" means you fall within the range of most people tested — it does not mean you're thriving. It does not mean your symptoms aren't real.

This distinction is critical for women of color, because many of the populations used to establish baseline "normals" in medical research have historically skewed white and male. The reference range on your printout may not account for your genetics, your stress load, your hormonal patterns, or your lived experience.

So when your doctor says "your levels are fine," you are allowed to ask: Fine compared to what? Fine for whom?

How to Actually Advocate for Yourself in That Room

Advocacy doesn't have to feel confrontational — but it does have to feel intentional. Here are concrete moves you can make before, during, and after your appointment:

Before: Request your results through your patient portal (MyChart, Athena, etc.) before your follow-up call or appointment so you have time to review them. Write down every symptom you've been experiencing, with specific language. "I'm tired" is easier to dismiss than "I've been sleeping 8-9 hours and still feel exhausted by noon, and my hair has been falling out in the shower for three months."

During: Ask your provider to walk through each flagged result with you. Ask what would need to change for them to take action. Ask if there are additional tests that could provide more information. And if something feels off — say so. You don't need a medical degree to trust your body.

After: If you leave feeling unheard, seek a second opinion. Full stop. You are not being dramatic. A second opinion is a standard, accepted part of medical care — and you are entitled to one.

When to Know It's Time for a New Provider

Some signs that your relationship with your current doctor isn't serving you: your concerns are consistently minimized, you're told your symptoms are "just stress" without any testing to rule out other causes, you feel rushed, you feel talked down to, or your cultural context is never acknowledged.

Look for providers who specialize in or actively serve communities of color. Organizations like the National Medical Association (NMA) can help you find Black physicians. The Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations (AAPCHO) connects patients with culturally competent care. Telehealth platforms like Folx, Pomelo Care, and others are also expanding access to providers who genuinely center marginalized patients.

You deserve a doctor who sees you as a whole person — not a set of numbers to move through the queue.

The Bottom Line

Your bloodwork is not just data. It's a conversation — one you have every right to be part of. When you understand what those numbers mean, when you know the right questions to ask, and when you trust yourself enough to push back on answers that don't add up, you stop being a passive patient and start being an active participant in your own health.

That's not overstepping. That's exactly what you're supposed to do.

You are strong enough to lift heavy, resilient enough to keep going, and smart enough to understand your own body. Don't let anyone — no matter how many letters come after their name — convince you otherwise.