Blood Test
Step 5: Blood Tests
As with urinalysis, there are countless conditions that blood tests may help to detect. For those patients suffering from chronic pelvic pain, Dr. Nezhat conducts a number of tests to assess your overall general health, as well as to rule out certain disorders, establish baseline endocrinology, and check for other conditions, including:
- pregnancy
- ovarian remnant syndrome
- pelvic inflammatory disease
- peritonitis
- other infections
- osteoporosis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- lupus
- endocrine disorders
- complete blood count (cbc) which can detect signs of infection, anemia, and blood cell abnormalities
- leukopenia (low white blood count) may indicate inflammation, an autoimmune disorder, or can be caused by certain medications
- TSH, T3, and T4 tests to check for thyroid disorders like Hashimoto’s Disease
- increased levels of calcium which may indicate hyperparathyroidism
- increased levels of phosphorous which may indicate hypoparathyroidism
- renal disorders
- electrolyte levels
- high creatinine levels may indicate internal bleeding from a hernia, for example
- pernicious anemia
- b12 deficiencies
- An erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which can indicate infection if ESR is elevated
- high red blood cell count (erythrocytosis) may indicate heart disease
- autoantibody blood test to check for autoimmune disorders
- C-reactive protein (CRP) levels rise in response to inflammation
- ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate)
- (antinuclear antibodies). This is also known an ANF (anti nuclear factor). However, most people with a positive ANA do not have lupus
- Some genetic autoimmune diseases can be found by testing for the HLA-B27 antigen.
- serum amyloid A
- tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI
- hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
- immune dysfunction
- Metabollic disorders
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome –In the U.S., CFS is significantly more common in women with endometriosis than in the general population. However, certain other medical conditions can cause chronic fatigue and must be ruled out before a diagnosis of CFS can be given. For example, hypothyroidism, anemia, depression, and diabetes are just a few conditions that should be considered in a differential diagnosis of CFS, as they can similarly cause extreme fatigue and pain symptoms.
MORE THAN ONE BLOOD TEST MAY BE NECESSARY
Bear in mind that more than one blood test may be necessary. For example, checking for ovarian remnant syndrome may require more than one blood test. This is because the most common measurement used, to check for postmenopausal levels of FHS, does not necessarily exclude the possibility of ovarian remnant syndrome. Instead, a GnRH agonist, followed by a blood test to check for estradiol levels, may be more accurate for detecting ovarian remnant tissue with low metabolic activity. If hormonally responsive ovarian tissue is present, estradiol levels will usually increase significantly.