Sorting It Out: When Medicine, Advice, and Worry All Start to Blur

Written By Joey Banks, MD

Sometimes, despite all the data, all the tests, and all the opinions, it’s still hard to know what to do next.

Even for those of us in medicine, it’s not always straightforward. The same symptoms—fatigue, weight gain, foggy thinking—can lead to five very different plans depending on who you talk to: a family medicine provider, a hormone clinic, a naturopath, or an endocrinologist. And here’s the thing: they’re all doing good work, rooted in solid training and genuine experience. But they often come from different frameworks. Different tools. 

And then, on top of everything else, there’s how medicine gets delivered today:
Fast visits. So many forms. Legal disclaimers. Guidelines written like hard rules. Electronic Medical Records that make it hard to see you as a person but rather as a list of medications and diagnoses.

We don’t always get time to pause, explain, or even wonder together.
That’s when people get scared, or stuck—or just stop asking questions.

And so, a lot of people end up stuck — not because they’re not trying, but because they’re trying so hard.

What I often hear is something like:

“I’ve had labs checked three times. One provider says my thyroid is fine. One said it’s borderline. One started me on something but didn’t really have time to explain why or did and I don’t remember. Now I don’t even know what I’m treating anymore—or if I need to treat anything at all.”

That is why medical journaling, not to obsess but to know yourself better, is a good idea!

“I think a lot about how we try to “solve” ourselves lately. I read the book Why We Sleep and have recommended it often —and yet I still haven’t managed to give up caffeine. I felt bad. I re-read it. I laughed. I tried again. It’s all part of the loop. And I’m a doctor.” - Joey

The same thing happens with podcasts. My husband’s always sending me ones he loves, and my kids and I have an ongoing joke about it. Every once in a while, though, one lands and sparks a shift—new idea, new action. But it’s hard to know who’s behind the mic. Have they done the research? Had training? Or are they just talking it through, like I’m writing this now?

I do love Vagenda substack. It’s thoughtful, funny, and rooted in science. But even that can feel like a lot some days. Like: okay, but now what? Do I only trust this one author (even if she is a doctor too)?

When things feel tangled—when you’re doing all the “right” things but still feel unsure—it can help to pause and ask some bigger questions:

  • What am I actually worried about here?

  • What’s underneath all this checking, fixing, adjusting?

  • Is it fear of getting sick, of being like someone I love who suffered, of aging too fast?

  • Is it that I know what to do but can’t find the energy? Or that I don’t feel like myself and just want someone to say, “That makes sense”?

Sometimes healing isn’t about one more test or treatment. It’s about naming the real concern and having someone sort it through with you. It’s about remembering that your body isn’t broken—it’s doing its best in a noisy, fast-moving world.

And YES sales pitch coming here:  This is the heart of what we try to do at Inner Journey Healthcare Primary Care Consulting:
Not offer a magic fix or try to be the final word—
But to create space for a thoughtful conversation. To brainstorm together.
To ask, "What’s really going on here?" And to help you start trusting your own clarity again.

Because yes—there are experts. Yes—there are protocols.  Thank heavens!
But ultimately, this is your body. Your experience. Your next step.

And sometimes, the best care isn’t about adding something new.
It’s about slowing down enough to hear what’s already true in you!

Peace

Dr. Joey

Resources:

Why I Sleep  by Matthew Walker:  - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/21/why-we-sleep

A substack I like about hormones - https://vajenda.substack.com

Slow Medicine- a book left on my sister’s bedside when she passed-  I am reading now - https://www.victoriasweet.com/books/slow-medicine-the-way-to-healing/


Slow down picture - look at the bigger picture - stormy, sunny, or both?

Stormy, sunny or both?


Joey Banks, MD

Dr. Joey Banks, MD, is a board-certified family physician and co-founder of Inner Journey Healthcare. With over two decades of experience in medicine and a deep commitment to integrative care, Dr. Banks blends clinical expertise with a holistic, patient-centered approach. Her work bridges the gap between mental and physical health, offering thoughtful medical guidance and supporting innovative treatments like ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. At the heart of her practice is a belief in compassionate, collaborative healing.

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