Which blood tests should I ask for?

[LuciferRising]

I'm mid-40s and feel like a zombie most of the time. I am a vegetarian, exercise, healthy weight, don't drink too much and sleep more than 7 hours a day. Feel like I need 10.

I'm thinking I could be anemic?

Was thinking of asking for B12, iron, D, and then a hormone one for peri?

Hormone tests won't be very helpful. They fluctuate throughout the month. I'd just ask for a general and comprehensive blood work panel.

So no blood test for peri?

Unfortunately there are no definitive tests. Believe me, if there was I'd be having one tomorrow!

@LuciferRising ask for serum ferritin. They don’t always do it.

Serum ferritin as I understand it measures the iron stores in your body where haemoglobin just measures red blood cells (that your body makes with the iron stores). So low serum ferritin can show early signs of anaemia that don’t yet show up as low haemoglobin, iyswim. I found taking a B supplement as well as iron helped.

I'd also ask for a thyroid panel. Tiredness is a classic symptom of hypothyroidism. Sometimes if you're borderline, 'supplementing' with thyroxine helps the symptoms. It often goes undiagnosed in women as it's usually put down to age/menopause etc.

@Dalooah ooh yes also this. Had a friend went undiagnosed for ages.