“Low anion gap?”
Hello. I have not felt well for roughly 9 years now (I am a 56-year old male). My body trembles all of the time. I have heart palpitations, my head is always foggy, digestive issues, constant body aches (especially upper body). My medical doctor has run some tests over the past 6-7 years (MRI of the brain, Coronary CT angiography, in-depth blood work, etc.). He feels that I am "healthy" and that all of my physical issues are due to stress/anxiety/depression. I am not saying that I believe he is incorrect as I do have emotional issues. However, I feel like I'm physically dying. One thing that concerns me is that my Anion Gap is always low (9.0) every time I have blood work done. My doctor doesn't seem concerned, but when I research "Low Anion Gap", it sounds like it could be serious. What would you suggest?
Male | 56 years old
Complaint duration: Years
Medications: Crestor, Propranolol 10 mg
Conditions: Depression
5 Answers
This is out of my area of expertise...That said, see this link and get retested by another specialist and get another opinion...
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/anion-gap-blood-test/#:~:text=If%20your%20results%20show%20a%20low%20anion%20gap%2C,often%20done%20to%20ensure%20the%20results%20are%20accurate.
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/anion-gap-blood-test/#:~:text=If%20your%20results%20show%20a%20low%20anion%20gap%2C,often%20done%20to%20ensure%20the%20results%20are%20accurate.
Go get a second opinion and see another doctor.
An anion gap of 9 is normal ( normal range 5 to 10) The anion gap does not reflect a problem and does not explain your symptoms. Good luck!
This is a long discussion and I suggest that you make a scheduled appointment with a physician for further discussion.
Sorry that you are having these troubles. It seems that there is something more than a GI problem going on. As a GI doctor, I don't think my assessment will get to the bottom of things since most of the symptoms are not GI in nature. You either need to follow the advice of your current doctor (which it seems should include treatment for anxiety/depression . I don't see that you are on any medications for this) or get another opinion from another PCP.
