YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — As the holiday season approaches, women often juggle the stress of work, family and responsibilities - sometimes at the expense of their own health. But doctors warn that ignoring symptoms such as fatigue or chest pain can be dangerous, even life-threatening. That’s a lesson Joy Noble of Youngstown , a special education teacher, learned the hard way.

Noble spent years battling health problems, including Crohn’s disease, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and mast cell activation syndrome. When new symptoms appeared — crushing fatigue, pounding headaches and chest discomfort — she was told it might just be menopause.

“He looked at me and he said, joy, at some point in time, you need to just come to the realization you're a woman and you're 50. And I was speechless,” Nobl

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