9 Signs You Need a Full Hormone Panel Blood Test
Picture this: You’re gaining weight and feel moody way too often. Hot flashes come and go and wake you up while you’re asleep. This is no way to live.
Unfortunately, approximately 75% of women have hot flashes during perimenopause. But hot flashes are just one symptom of a hormonal disorder.
Getting a full hormone panel blood test is what you need. This test reveals details about your hormones you won’t discover in a standard blood test.
If you’re unsure if you need one, check out nine signs that say you do.
1. Moody
Everyone gets mood swings occasionally, which is normal. However, getting mood swings more often than usual is a reason to get a hormone panel test.
A typical hormone blood test will check the following levels:
- Estrogen
- Progesterone
- Testosterone
- Thyroxine
- TTH
- Insulin
- Cortisol
Mood swings can occur if any of these levels are off. As women age, their bodies stop producing estrogen. Estrogen is a hormone that affects your mood, as it encourages the brain to release serotonin.
Moodiness can also be a sign of other issues, including thyroid problems. A hormonal blood test can help you identify if your mood swings result from a hormone imbalance. If so, you can look for ways to treat the imbalance.
2. Weight Gain or Trouble Losing Weight
Low hormone levels also lead to unexplained weight gain. Again, unexplained weight gain can be the result of other issues.
However, weight gain is a common problem for women who struggle with hormonal imbalances. If you’re going through perimenopause, you can expect massive hormonal shifts.
These shifts can lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.
Your hormones can also fall out of line if you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This problem occurs from small cysts developing on your ovaries. It can shift your hormones in ways that make losing weight a challenge.
Changes in thyroxine also occur as you age. These changes affect your thyroid. The thyroid plays a massive role in your metabolism and might be the root cause of your weight gain.
3. Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are a common problem for women during perimenopause and menopause. There are hormone treatment options that decrease hot flashes. First, you must identify the problem causing the hot flashes.
A hormone blood panel helps you learn if you have low or high hormone levels. A doctor can analyze the results to determine if an imbalance is the cause of your hot flashes.
4. Decline in Sex Drive
Your sex drive might naturally decrease with age. But sudden drops in libido could be an indication of a hormone problem.
As you age, your estrogen and testosterone levels drop. These chemicals ignite your libido. As they drop, you’ll likely feel a drop in your mood for sex.
You can also experience a decreased libido due to the combination of other symptoms that occur during menopause. For example, you might not be in the mood for sex if you’re extremely tired or sweaty from hot flashes.
5. Trouble Sleeping
Sleep is one of the most fundamental activities your body needs. Therefore, you should seek help if you have trouble sleeping. This is especially true if you feel fatigued often.
Trouble sleeping is a common result of a hormone imbalance. This happens if your cortisol level is off. It can also happen when your estrogen or progesterone levels decrease.
A blood test can help you determine that. Of course, trouble sleeping is also the result of many other health issues.
Some diseases might cause this issue. A typical blood test can reveal many diseases. A hormone test helps you spot problems with your hormone levels.
6. Irregular Menstrual Cycles
Menstrual cycles are supposed to occur routinely. You should have them on schedule. As you enter perimenopause, this changes.
If you develop irregular menstrual cycles later in life, you can explain this from the change. But if these occur before you enter perimenopause, it could be due to a hormonal imbalance.
Irregular cycles can lead to fertility issues, which are commonly a result of hormone problems. For example, if you have high levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), you might have trouble getting pregnant.
7. Skin Problems
It’s not unusual for hormone issues to cause skin problems. For example, a hormone imbalance might cause you to develop acne. If you haven’t struggled with acne and then suddenly have it, there is a problem.
Low levels of progesterone and estrogen might be the cause. Another cause is elevated androgen levels. When your androgen increases, it can cause acne and other skin problems.
8. Digestive Issues
Many things affect your digestive health, including your hormone level. Are you experiencing digestive issues you never had before?
For example, do you struggle with nausea, diarrhea, or constipation? Do you ever feel bloated with no explanation of why?
Of course, digestive issues can occur for many reasons. But testing your hormones can determine if they’re causing it. For example, changes in cortisol levels can affect the way your body digests food.
Changes in hormone levels can also make your digestive system work too slowly or quickly. This change can affect how your body digests food.
9. Hair Loss
Many women experience significant hair loss during menopause. Hair loss occurs during this time from a shift in hormones. Therefore, a shift in hormones could make it happen before you hit menopause.
For example, an increase in cortisol puts your body in a state of stress. This state can decrease hair growth.
A hormone blood test is a good place to start if you experience a sudden change in your hair loss.
Get a Full Hormone Panel Blood Test
How many of these symptoms do you have? Getting a full hormone panel blood test can help you determine the cause. Finding the cause is important, as it guides you to the right solution.
Precision Labs offers blood testing in doctor’s offices, assisted living facilities, and many other places. Our team specializes in providing accurate testing, and we’re always on time.
We serve the Midwest, and you can order a blood test online, by fax, or email.