Lab Tests

When I was diagnosed with Adrenal Fatigue, it wasn't just like Kristie (my nurse practitioner) told me I had it and that was that. She did a full extensive blood work panel done. It was seriously like 10 HUGE viles of blood...sorry if that grosses anyone out. I know now how important it is to have your labs done and for maintenance..maybe once or twice a year. Since I am still in recovery mode, I will get my iron checked monthly, along with follow ups on B12, Vitamin D3, TSH (thyroid), T3 (thyroid), and DHEA (the stress hormone).
After two months of no exercise, trying to eat really good, staying away from stress (whenever possible), IV Iron Therapy, and taking lots of "stuff," I was amazed at my current results from my lab tests. Everything went up which is amazing...especially my ferratin (iron). It want from a scary low of "25" and now is "158."
The thing I love most about my nurse practitioner is that she is all about disease prevention and OPTIMAL health, not just being OK. When was the last time you heard YOUR doctor tell you he was concerned about your optimal health.
Unless you do these lab tests, you will never know. Even when I was diagnosed with MONO, they never did complete blood panels. Now I think it was most likely a bad bout of Adrenal Fatigue, and I just didn't know it.
Here is why these vitamins are soo important. (This info I have taken from Looking Younger and Living Longer:
B12: is needed to prevent anemia (makes sense why this and my iron were low) and it aids in the development of red blood cells. When first tested, my level was only 200 and I am trying to get it to 1200. Kristie told me that when I was exercising so intensely, my red blood cells were basically carrying severely limited supplies of oxygen to my muscles...hence why I was getting dizzy and not able to endure the stresses I was putting on my body. B12 is also necessary for good digestions. B12 can help with your mental state, coordination, increase energy (this one I noticed right away after my first B12 shot), relieves nervousness, and can help with insomnia (this is the first time I am sleeping through the night since Tyler was born and he will be three in May...crazy!)
Natural B12 sources: animal protein and found in small amounts of raw wheat germ, bee pollen, cheese, eggs, fish, and sunflower seeds.
Vitamin D3: (my level started at 52 and she wants it at least 80) Many of us are not getting the sunlight required to produce enough vitamin D in our skin. Since Vitamin D is only found in fatty fish and certain kinds of mushrooms, it is important to take a good quality Vitamin D3 supplement. I order mine from Med Quest. Click HERE to go to their website.
TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). The thyroid is a tricky little things. TSH, you actually want low and T3 (you want to stay in the higher range). My TSH actually went up this time, which Krisite said is normal as it is adjusting to the new vitamins and supplements I am taking and as it is not having to work as hard, because they other hormones are doing more of the work now. Just getting the info on my thyroid was worth all the labs. Soo important to know if everything is working if you body.
DHEA (Dehydropiandrosterone Sulfate). My DHEA level started out at 83 and is now 130. It should be around 300. This is the hormone that suffers also with Adrenal Stress. There is so much info about this online. I also get my DHEA from Med Quest. Read about DHEA on their website HERE.
It makes perfect sense that I have been soo anemic, especially with my body not functioning properly. It is important to know what is going on in our body. We are so blessed to have the bodies we do, even though we wish they were better in certain areas. We owe it to ourselves to take care of ourselves. I just thought I was the type of person who was going to have to be exhausted ALL the time. Now I know that I don't have to be tired, moody, withdrawn and not capable of doing what I want in life. You will never know, unless you find out what's going on INSIDE your body. You are incharge and it is in your best interest to find a health care providor that cares about your "Optimal Health." People like Kristie are a rarity. I am lucky to have found someone that specializes in Women's Health and Hormones.
There are a few more supplements that I am taking, but will go into those another time. Have a fabulous day!