Stop Calling It “Normal”—Why So Many Women Are Misdiagnosed or Ignored

By Dr. Stacie Stephenson

You know what makes my blood boil? When a woman walks into a doctor’s office and gets told:

“That’s normal.”
“It’s just aging.”
“You’re probably just stressed.”

As if those words are some kind of blanket excuse to dismiss real, life-disrupting symptoms.
Let me say this as clearly as I can:
Just because your symptoms are common doesn’t make them normal. And being a woman does not mean you’re supposed to suffer.

The Silent Epidemic No One Is Talking About
Fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, mood swings, weight gain, irregular cycles, digestive issues. I’ve seen women gaslight themselves into believing they’re fine—because their labs came back “within range” or their provider told them “everything looks good.”
But deep down?
They know something is off.
I’ve lost count of how many women have told me:
“My doctor said it’s just part of getting older.”
“They told me to come back if it gets worse.”
“I was offered birth control or antidepressants, nothing else.”
That’s not care. That’s lazy medicine.

Here’s the Reality
You are not crazy.
You are not making it up.
And you don’t need to wait until things get worse to take action.
Your symptoms are messages—from your hormones, your gut, your nervous system—screaming for support.
The real problem?
Most conventional care systems aren’t built to find the root cause. They’re built to manage symptoms, hand out prescriptions, and keep you in the cycle.

The System Is Failing Women
Let’s call it what it is:
● A system that was never designed with women in mind.
● Research that historically excluded women from trials.
● Protocols that treat symptoms like checkboxes instead of clues.

If you’ve ever felt dismissed, rushed, or overlooked—you’re not imagining it.

This is not your fault.

But it is your responsibility to change the story.
How to Advocate for Yourself (Even When the System Won’t)
1. Track everything: Symptoms, food, cycle, sleep, stress. Knowledge is power. 2. Ask better questions: Don’t just ask “Is this normal?”—ask “What’s the root cause?” 3. Get second opinions: And third. And fourth. Especially if you feel unheard. 4. Don’t settle: If your provider makes you feel small, find a new one.
5. Look beyond labs: Functional testing and personalized care can reveal what standard panels miss.

Your Body Knows. Start Listening.
When something feels off, it probably is.
You don’t need permission to dig deeper.
You don’t need to wait until it’s “bad enough.”
You deserve more than symptom management.
You deserve answers. You deserve vitality.
And you deserve a doctor who actually believes you.