Get a Lab Test for Growth Hormone Deficiency in San Diego CA
There are many signs of growth hormone (GH) deficiency, just as there are different chemicals circulating in the body that can decline with age. When a person contacts a clinic for treatment, there is often no way of knowing which decrease is being experienced because many of the symptoms overlap with one another. There may be a suspicion as to what type of therapy is needed, but this cannot be ascertained for certain without blood analysis.
You will need to get a lab test for growth hormone deficiency in San Diego CA before being prescribed HGH injections from a doctor who specializes in treating adults with age-related chemical shortages in their bodies.
This analysis can help diagnose the following conditions:
- Low GH levels
- Low T – testosterone decline
- Anemia
- High cholesterol
- Thyroid issues
- Leukemia
- Reduced estrogen
The doctors that handle this diagnosis and treatment are referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) specialists. You may also notice advertisements for “anti-aging” providers that offer the same bioidentical medications. The difference here is that those practitioners often include a myriad of other treatments to help a person look or feel younger, such as vitamin regimens, Botox injections, plastic surgery, liposuction, and laser rejuvenation, to name a few. These are often unnecessary because HGH therapy will typically take care of all of these problems on its own.
Kingsberg Medical offers convenient locations for the lab test for growth hormone deficiency in San Diego CA. If you reside in one of the nearby cities, rest assured that we also have locations near you, so there is no need to travel far to get this quick and easy diagnostic blood test.
What Does the Growth Hormone Deficiency Lab Test Check?
There are a number of different panels – or markers – that are checked when running this analysis. Because the symptoms of GH decline include fatigue, weight gain, low libido, and some physical changes to the body’s appearance, there can be a variety of reasons why these are occurring. The goal of this diagnostic procedure is to come up with a concrete answer as to what is happening in the body while ruling out some other possible medical issues.
The lab test for growth hormone deficiency in San Diego CA will check cholesterol levels, as they are often high when low GH levels are found. Since testosterone decline is often the cause of many of the symptoms associated with age-related concerns, we will run the panels for free and total testosterone to determine if that treatment is also needed.
Depending upon the symptoms that a person is exhibiting, and the severity of the situation, there are two different orders that the doctor can place for blood analysis.
Others markers that are checked when diagnosing growth hormone deficiency include:
- CMP
- IGF-1
- Estradiol
- CBC
- TSH
Women may also require the following blood tests:
- DHEA-S
- Progesterone
Men might also need to have other panels run, including:
- PSA
- FSH & LH
Checking red and white blood cell counts, thyroid markers, and other significant levels help to rule out problems such as leukemia and anemia which can also be associated with fatigue and physical changes in the body.
How is the Lab Test for Growth Hormone Deficiency Accomplished?
Getting a blood test that will show growth hormone deficiency is one of the easiest types of diagnostic procedures that a person can do. It takes only a few minutes and is performed in a local lab. One of our clinical advisors at Kingsberg Medical will provide you with a list of locations for the laboratories in your area. Keep in mind that your specimen will need to be collected early in the morning since you will be fasting from midnight of the previous evening.
Some people choose to visit a location near their homes while others opt for one closer to work.
We will take care of sending over all necessary paperwork and requisitions. Your job is to show up at the appointed time to receive your lab test for growth hormone deficiency in San Diego CA.
The procedure is quick once you are escorted into a private area. There will most likely be a seat with an armrest. Here is what to expect next:
- The technician will ask if you have an arm preference – many people prefer the arm they use less often.
- Your veins will be checked by sight and possibly tapping to find the one that is best suited for the sample to be drawn from.
- A tourniquet – large rubber band – will be tied around your upper arm, and you will be given something to squeeze. This helps send a supply of blood to the desired vein.
- The area where the actual needle will be inserted will be cleaned with an alcohol prep wipe.
- Next, the needle will be inserted into the vein, and blood samples will be extracted into tubes with various colored tops. Different tests require particular types of tubes.
- As the needle is removed, a piece of gauze covered by a bandage will be placed on the insertion point. Leave this on for a few hours.
At this point, the entire process is completed, and you are free to go have breakfast and continue with your day.
How Do I Get the Growth Hormone Deficiency Lab Test Results?
The growth hormone deficiency lab test results will be sent directly to our clinic within a few days. Since we also require each person to have a physical exam and complete our medical forms online, we typically wait to have all the results in-house before the doctor reviews the entire file.
In many cases, the physical examination is just as important as the blood analysis, as it can also turn up other reasons for what is happening in the body. Our specialists will want to see the entire picture, and not just a part of it, before making any type of diagnosis.
Once the lab test for growth hormone deficiency in San Diego CA is completed, and we have received all of the other information required, the doctor will determine if GH decline is present and if so, will prescribe a course of HGH injections to help raise the level back to its ideal point.
All of this will be covered during the follow-up telephone consultation with your clinical advisor here at Kingsberg Medical.
We welcome any questions you might have, and, as always, our initial and subsequent consultations are entirely free of charge.
