Labs & More

Understanding lab results can be challenging, and knowing which lab marker to help you shed some light on your health experience can be more of a headache. Labs & more will highlight bits and tips on lab info, where to go, what the lab covers, cost, and other bits. Come back to this page for more. We look forward to your sharing your favorite lab with us.

Blood test for Brain fog

Routine Blood Test

There is no one comprehensive tests that tell you what is causing brain fog. We are all familiar with the doctor’s office’s annual physical health check-up blood test. The doctor orders routine blood work to help determine what is going on in the body. The annual comprehensive lab test includes a Complete Blood Count (CBC) or Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP).

Depending on your complaints and what your insurance covers, the doctor could include an iron panel, lipid panel, and thyroid panel in the blood test requisition at the time of your visit Once the result comes in, the doctor calls you a few days later to say that the result is “normal.” Not understanding how it all connects, you forget about it all.

What other test options do I have?

The doctor often orders the basic, cost-effective routine test. Great if you have insurance coverage, and when you don’t, what next? Other options to consider include consultation with functional and integrative doctors or practitioners. These practitioners will run more comprehensive specialty tests ranging from food sensitivity testing to autoimmune testing that would allegedly narrow the triggers. Functional practitioners or doctors use these lab test results to tweak diet and lifestyle to optimize health.

Specialty lab options

Specialty labs offer an array of test markers that some insurance often do not cover (check with your insurance). You will need to pay out of pocket and work with a functional practitioner to determine the best test. Taking the proper test empowers and provides a roadmap for the right action. These tests can be ordered when you need to do further digging into what is going on, for example, when you are still experiencing unresolved pain or you have a feeling of all is not right with you.

When Should I go for testing?

Top doctors recommend getting annual or at least semi-annual checks. We recommend you start with the basic tests covered by your insurance. If you don’t have insurance, let us know before diving into the more specialized testing. Some symptoms include:

• migraines,
• tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
• Fatigue
• Bone or joint pain
• Brain fog

Slower mental speed,
Memory recall difficulties,
Slow reflex and function.
Increased feeling of tightness or swelling in the head,
if not addressed, it would cause more symptoms like challenges with reading,
driving, and
other mental tasks.

What should I do before seeing a doctor?

• Call your insurance company to see if they will cover any recommended test
• If you are seeing a new practitioner, transfer all previous lab work
• Know your family health history in detail. Ask family members and take note of past or current symptoms experienced.
• Discuss your findings with your practitioner to get the best text to shed more light on that area of concern.

Blood test is done in which laboratory

A blood test is done in several different laboratories depending on the test you need to be done. Some laboratories like Quest or LabCorp are the common ones most doctors use for annual tests. Unless your blood test is normal, doctors often do not have time to go through the result with you. If you need to understand more, you will need to work with a functional medicine or integrative nutrition practitioner to give you some feedback or request specialized testing. See below for some of our preferred specialized labs.

What are some specialty laboratory to consider?

• Your insurance covers a routine blood test and is an excellent place to start. This test helps the doctor check for any changes in the blood.
• Autoimmune test from Vibrant America. Vibrant America offers a robust array of tests determining if gluten is sneaking in from your diet and causing some symptoms and neurological testing.
• Cyrex Laboratories specializes in autoimmunity testing options.
• Cambridge Brain Sciences (CREYOS) is an online base assessment test that is fun and takes as little as 15 minutes to complete. This test helps determine the extent of brain function.
• Great Plains Laboratory offers testing essential to determine if chemicals or biological toxins could be culprits.
• 3 X 4 Genetic simple gives you and your practitioner a roadmap to any changes you need to make to get your health on the pathway to feeling great.

What next?

Doctors often need more time to review the routine blood work result thoroughly, which is one time most doctors don’t have. If you need a second option, schedule a call with a functional medicine doctor or practitioner who will go through the result, connect the dots, and recommend further testing if necessary. My clients have reported that seeing a functional medicine doctor is expensive and are not usually covered by insurance. You are all on your own. To safe cost, and one-on-one counseling, bring in your lab result to save time and money working with an “wholistic” practitioner here.