Posted by yxibow on March 23, 2008, at 4:50:06
In reply to Want to ask doctor to get bloodwork for me, posted by satsumas on March 22, 2008, at 22:27:53
> Am I paranoid to want comprehensive bloodwork done? My dr. once did it a few months ago, looking at standard measures plus heavy metals and thyroid hormones. Everything was in range.
>
> But I'm concerned that my depression could be due to deficits in blood levels of things like:
> - dhea
> - testosterone
> - PEA
> - cortisol (excess)
>
> What are other things I should get checked that aren't part of standard bloodwork? I'm desperate after not seeing any remission in my depression for years upon years. Lately my mood has slightly improved with Emsam, and I think the feeling of being "slightly" better made me realize how BAD I was feeling for SO LONG. So I now feel super-vigilant about wanting to ensure that nothing nutritional/hormonal is contributing to my depression.
>
> Thanks
> Satsumas.Heavy metals are fairly rare unless you've been working in industry or ate lead paint as a kid.
The thyroid sounded reasonable (T3/4 TSH)
But a cortisol test if you want is about what I would take from that list. You have to carry around a jug (they usually only give you one) to urinate in for 24 hours. Any other form of test is unreliable -- cortisol changes constantly from moment to moment so this gives an average.
Yes -- I've done it, you start on a day when you're not busy, like a Sunday possibly, at 8am or the Saturday night before or whatever and keep it by you and make sure not to use the toilet for anything but #2. If they supply you a second container, that's good. Otherwise, you should empty a distilled water bottle, and they will take both containers in. I'm sure your phlebotamist will explain this whole process.
The others seem a bit esoteric, I'm not even sure if there are regular tests. Perhaps testosterone, but these things are also regulated by other organ/gland systems so I don't know if any of them would get to any root cause.
poster:yxibow
thread:819487
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080316/msgs/819507.html