Choosing the most cost-effective but thorough testing is a large part of our initial session. The better we strategize this step, the more efficient our work together can be. The more informed you are, the more we can focus on treatment plan rather than patient education. So please take advantage of the resources offered here as early as possible. And, if this seems overwhelming at first, you can trust that I have done due diligence in evaluating and selecting the most useful tests for you to invest in. They will guide us in making treatment choices that will give you the most benefit. Of course, not all the tests listed below will be necessary for each person. The art and the practice are in making the best choices
Basic Lab testing: CBC (with differential) + Lipid panel + an expanded Comprehensive Metabolic panel (former SMAC-24). Click on functional-lab-test-list for the list of all the tests in this metabolic overview. Not all of these tests may be necessary. The list is designed so we can select the most useful ones.
These tests will be used to run a Functional Blood Chemistry Analysis. To learn more about this thorough diagnostic tool: blood-nutrition-brochure-outside and blood-nutrition-brochure-inside . See a sample report: bns-sample-report-1 and bns-sample-report-2
More complex conditions require additional testing to diagnose properly and a full thyroid panel should be part of this initial work-up if thyroid symptoms are present: THS, TT4, FT3, T3U and thyroid antibodies if they haven’t been run or were negative several years ago and you haven’t improved as expected from taking standard thyroid hormone medication.)
Complete thyroid work-up test list: alternativethyroidtherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/AI-thyroid-Metabolic-panel.pdf (Includes cholesterol and glucose, duplicating those on the metabolic panel + Vitamin D and homocysteine – and HA1c – don’t forget.) Re: testing reverse T3: http://www.holtorfmed.com/index.php?section=downloads&file_id=12 & http://www.holtorfmed.com/index.php?section=downloads&file_id=23 Genova thyroid panel sample report with free/reverse T3 ratio: http://www.genovadiagnostics.com/files/profile_assets/sample_report/Comp%20Thyroid-Report.pdf
Why do testing beyond what insurance covers: . . . about-testing-outside-of-insurance
Why we use functional values, not the lab’s “normal” ranges: Lab tests in general: lab-pathological-functional-ranges Thyroid tests, specifically: thyroid.about.com/od/gettestedanddiagnosed/a/normaltshlevel.htm
Gluten sensitivity testing I use: (Standard lab testing shows advanced damage due to gluten immune reactions. These labs catch earlier reactions, before disease takes hold.) EnteroLab:https://www.enterolab.com/StaticPages/TestInfo.aspx#stool_gene_complete and Cyrex Laboratories:http://www.cyrexlabs.com/CyrexTestsArrays/tabid/136/Default.aspx
Food sensitivity testing (MRT – Mediator Release Testing): Signet Diagnostics: http://www.nowleap.com/ and leap-mrt-test-info . Sample test results: leap-results-page-1-sample-patient and leap-results-page-2-sample-patient From nowleap.com/leap/ “We realized that it isn’t what a patient is reactive to that’s important. It’s what they’re not reactive to that matters most, because those are the foods you want them to eat, and the foods you’ll help them turn into an eating plan they can follow (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages). . . We went from somewhere around 40% compliance with avoidance and rotation to around 90+% compliance with our new approach. And outcomes were also greatly improved because compliance was greatly improved. The focus was now on the patient’s best foods, and it made all the difference in the world.”
Adrenal Stress Index testing: DiagnosTechs offers more complete panels than do other labs: diagnostechs.com/TestPanels/AdrenalStressIndex.aspx Salivary hormone testing: (different tests for cycling or peri- or post-menopausal women or for men): http://www.diagnostechs.com/TestPanels.aspx
Parasite and GI function testing: Metametrix: http://www.metametrix.com/test-menu/profiles/gastrointestinal-function/gi-effects-microbial-ecology tests for pathogens in the gut. http://www.metametrix.com/test-menu/profiles/gastrointestinal-function/dna-stool-analysis-gi-effects or Genova (formerly Great Smokies) http://www.genovadiagnostics.com/index.php?option=com_gpanel&task=searchpage&Itemid=2&searchtype=profile&nav=test
Genetic Testing that may be clinically useful: Genova: http://www.genovadiagnostics.com/index.php?option=com_gpanel&task=searchpage&Itemid=2&searchtype=profile&nav=test