Q: My wife is postpartum with dizziness & odd labs, but the doctor just said it's stress. What's next?

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Question: My 26-year-old wife is three months postpartum with our baby girl. We both have medical backgrounds, so we're familiar with basic health concepts.

Recently, my wife began experiencing significant lightheadedness and dizziness, to the point where she has felt like she might pass out and has even fallen. She's also had right abdominal pain similar to cramps, nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of shortness of breath.

Her medical history includes anemia as a child, a past gallbladder removal, and a diagnosis of anxiety (unrelated to her pregnancy). We noticed her prenatal vitamin lacked iron, so she started taking an iron supplement and we adjusted her diet. She is also breastfeeding and carefully tracking her water intake, drinking about 1 to 1.5 gallons daily.

We requested lab work, and the results showed high creatinine, high lymphocytes, high red blood cells, low CO2, and a low eGFR, which concerned us about potential kidney issues. However, when her doctor finally responded, the diagnosis was simply 'stress.' While we understand anxiety can be a factor, our home life has become much less stressful recently. We feel these symptoms and lab results warrant more investigation and plan to seek a second opinion. Are we overthinking this, or could something else be going on?

Answer: It's hard to give a specific opinion without knowing the actual numbers from the lab results; just "high" or "low" makes it tough to assess.

However, looking at the overall picture, if the lab results are only slightly outside the normal range, the most likely cause could be temporary changes due to dehydration. Of course, a combination of her anxiety disorder and history of anemia could also definitely be contributing to the dizziness.

While you can't completely rule out kidney problems, kidney dysfunction severe enough to cause dizziness and make her feel that unwell usually comes with more definitive evidence.

Getting follow-up labs and a second opinion is never a bad idea. Your plan to get a second opinion is the right move. Don't downplay your concerns. When you see the next doctor, be clear about the timeline of symptoms and the specific lab results that worry you.

I just want to add that the postpartum period and caring for a newborn are incredibly stressful situations. I understand this must be very difficult, and I truly hope you get through this and find the answers you need.

For extra peace of mind and clear guidance when tracking your child's symptoms, the FeverCoach app is always there to help.

https://fevercoach.us