What medical tests to request for a complete health profile?

[lhamo]

I am gearing myself up to go in for a full physical after the lunar new year holiday here. Been too long and I also want to see what some of my baseline numbers are re: cholesterol, body fat, blood sugar/insulin levels, etc. Wondering if anyone has a good list (or link to same on-line) about what to request. I'm in my early 40s, generally good health, but do have another 15lbs or so I want to lose. No medications except birth control pills (which I plan to go off -- concerned about effect on my hormones and longer term health risks) and a daily multivitamin. I know I should get a baseline mammogram.

What vitamin levels should I have checked? I know D is a major issue for many people, and suspect it may be for me, too, so I plan to ask for that. Any others that are important to screen for?

Thanks for any suggestions!

lhamo

[HappyHiker]

Probably the standard blood profile plus a complete lipid panel and the vitamin D levels checked as you mentioned. I came up short by a bit on D and my Dr. has me on OTC dosage of 2000 mg. day to see if that does the trick.

If female, you might have them check your FSH levels and thyroid level is a good one to check, too.

Anyone else? I'm certainly no expert.

[Lainey]

How about requesting an allergy screening while you're at it? I had it done in my 40s when my only symptom was being highly fatigued - like I could make it through the work day but I kept wanting to go to sleep at 7:30 pm. Turned out I was highly allergic to certain local grasses, weeds, etc. Getting allergy shots for 5 years was a minor inconvenience but the shots brought my energy level back to normal almost immediately. Am actually off the shots now and maintaining well.

[lhamo]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't think I have any allergies or awful food sensitivities, but I may actually try an elimination diet similar to what Rosemary did last year just to see what happens. I'm thinking about buying the book "Wheat Belly" and interested in experimenting with eliminating wheat, in particular. I do get chronic sinus stuff in the winter especially -- nothing so serious as to affect my daily life, but it is annoying. May partly be the dry air here, but maybe something more.

I will add a thyroid check to the list for sure. Again I don't think I have major thyroid issues, but doesn't hurt to check.

Keep the suggestions coming, all welcome and appreciated.

lhamo

[bae]

I had low vitamin D. My insurance is lame and doesn't cover this sort of test, and the lab work for it was ~$90. Once diagnosed, the recommendation was "take Vitamin D". Retesting a year later, for another $90, and levels were fine. You could probably just save the $180/$90 and add Vitamin D consumption to your routine, or get out into the sun more if that is an option :-)

[Rosemary]

Lhamo, I've tried wheat several times now and it is pretty clear that I have a sensitivity to it. Every time I start eating it, I get very congested in my nasal passages. I lived with this chronic congestion for many years - I don't know when it might have begun, but I really noticed it when I started doing yoga and realized that when we were directed to breathe through our noses, I needed about twice as much time as everyone else to get enough air!

I've read that a guideline for when the sun is too weak for you to make vitamin D, your shadow is longer than you are tall. In our latitude, that is most of the day, most of the year, aside from the 3 summer months.

[CathyA]

Chem profile (includes things like blood sugar, liver enzymes, lipids, and a bunch more), CBC (complete blood count), and maybe thyroid levels (T3, T4).

[treehugger]

All good suggestions. In addition, make sure that the blood panel includes a test of kidney function (creatinine, GFR). This is my pet cause because my DH was diagnosed with kidney failure "by accident." There are no symptoms, really, and this isn't something that automatically gets checked in healthy people.

Good for you for being proactive for your health!

Kara