What do doctors test for when drawing blood?!
Question: Someone said since I have heavy periods that I can have a hormonal imbalance (I am 14). I was just wondering what doctors look for when they draw blood at an annual physical?
I am not going to tell them about my periods. They are heavy, yet managable, so why make a big deal about it? I just wanted to know if that would show up if something was wrong.
Thanks =-D
Answers: Someone said since I have heavy periods that I can have a hormonal imbalance (I am 14). I was just wondering what doctors look for when they draw blood at an annual physical?
I am not going to tell them about my periods. They are heavy, yet managable, so why make a big deal about it? I just wanted to know if that would show up if something was wrong.
Thanks =-D
lots of people have heavy periods and most of them are normal. if yours are managable, you are probably just fine. it's true that some people have hormonal imbalances and blood tests can check for those, but those are people with crazy long period (like months long) or those who just don't seem to hit puberty at all...
They don't usually draw blood at physicals. Blood tests can tests for just about anything. Usually you have a CBC and some other ones. They test your vitamin levels to see if you're deficient. Sometimes blood tests can be used to see if your body's chemicals are balanced. Since you're 14 your periods are probably just heavy right now. If your that concerned the doctor can prescribe a low dose of birth control that will make them really short and light. Since they're heavy you're at risk for iron deficiency anemia. It would be good to still ask to have the blood work to see if there's anything else that might be causing it.
The tests run will probably be a Complete Blood Count (CBC) and a Basic Metabolic Profile (BMP). These tests are pretty generalized and can look for problems like bacterial infections, anemia, leukopenia, or certain metabolic disorders. Other tests can be ordered if the doctor suspects something specific - for example, he may order liver enzyme tests if he believes there may be a problem with your liver, or a urinalysis if there may be a kidney or urinary tract problem.
However, without telling the doctor about specific symptoms you are having, he can't have any idea what tests to order to see if there is a problem. It's like taking your car to the mechanic and asking him to fix it without telling him what problems you experience when driving.