Menopause Empowerment Guide | 5 What Tests Should I Request at My Appointment? If you are seriously proactive about optimizing your health in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, there are key tests to request that any doctor can order, and will most likely be covered by your insurance. 1 The “Standard Tests” Complete Blood Count (CBC), Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP), and Lipid Panel These three are basic tests that are often included as part of an annual checkup—but do not forget to ask for them. They are basic screening tests and do not require symptoms for insurance to cover them during an annual exam. The CBC measures different features of your blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. It is important for the diagnosis of anemia, and it is also a screening test for immune system issues and different types of cancer. The CMP reveals information about your overall metabolism, including kidney and liver function and type 2 diabetes risk. It also looks at electrolytes like sodium, calcium, and potassium, which can indicate whether you’re dehydrated, and it’s a screening test for your liver and kidney function. This panel measures the blood levels of albumin, blood urea nitrogen, calcium, carbon dioxide, chloride, creatinine, glucose, potassium, sodium, total bilirubin and protein, and liver enzymes. The lipid panel, usually drawn while fasting, is a broad picture of heart health, which is a measure of your HDL (“good”) cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides. One of the strongest predictors for preventing heart disease is having a good HDL-to-triglycerides ratio. Your HDL should be higher than or equal to triglycerides. 2 The Diabetes Screen: Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) This test is a more powerful indicator of blood sugar dysregulation than a single fasting glucose level. The HbA1c test measures the percentage of red blood cells saturated with glucose.4 The higher your A1C, the higher the estimated average blood glucose over the past 6 weeks. A high HbA1C marker may also increase your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer— potentially making the test a good predictor of overall longevity. 3 The Thyroid Panel Thyroid disorders are incredibly common, affecting one in 10 women, and about 60% of people with a thyroid problem are unaware of their condition—and thus, unable to manage it appropriately. The TSH is a great screening test, but a more comprehensive thyroid panel is needed for women experiencing unexplainable weight gain or loss, chronic fatigue, cold intolerance, hair loss, forgetfulness, constipation, and feeling generally depressed. Ask for a TSH, free T4, free T3, reverse T3, and two types of thyroid antibody levels called anti-TPO and anti-thyroglobulin. A more comprehensive panel can spot issues early while they can still be addressed with lifestyle changes.