General Medical Practioner
AIDS test
Antinuclear antibody (ANA)
B12 and red blood cell folate (or serum folate may be done if fasted overnight)
Blood Biochemistry (Glucose, sodium, Chlor. Pot. Bicarb, urea, Creat, Phos. T. Prot, Bili, AST, ALT, Calicum etc)
CBC (complete blood count)/Routine Haematology (Platelets, White cell counts, RBC, PCV, MCV, ESR, Hb etc)
CRP (C-Reactive Protein) (Check for inflammation in body eg infection, lupus, vasculitis and rheumatoid arthritis)
ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, marker for inflammation) (may be abnormal in ME)
Folate levels
Glucose
Iron Studies (iron, transferrrin, transferrin sat and Ferritin ... in ME Ferritin is commonly low)
Lipid Studies (cholestrol may be on biochemistry test if high.... Total chol., HDL Chol and LDL chol., triglyceride)
LFT (Liver Function test AST/ALT results in biochemistry arent a good view of liver function as those are only biomarkers).
Magnesium (if it isnt in the blood biochem).
general Microbiology (by nasal swab) (Toxin releasing staph often found in ME/CFS re Newcastle Uni reseach)
Rheumatoid Factor
TSH and T3/T4
Urinalysis or Microbiology (urine)
Vitamin D (25-hydroxy and 1,25 dihydroxy cholecalciferol.. in ME one may be normal while other low)
Allergist or Immunologist
- conducts the diagnosis and treatment of allergic conditions
Celiac Disease tests -
coeliac disease autoantibodies (test 90% accurate)
- HLA DQ2/DQ8 test (negative rules out celiac disease)
- small bowel biopsy (if positive to HLA DQ2/Dq8)
Lactose intollerance testing
Fructose intollerance testing
Ambulatory or Orthostatic Specialist
Tilt Table Test (eg POTS, NMH, narrowing of the pulse pressure, orthostatic hypertension all found in ME)
Poor mans tilt table test
24hr Holtler Monitoring with or without BP monitoring
Anesthesiologist
- treats chronic pain syndromes
Cardiologist
- treats heart problems
Exercise stress Test (exercise ECG)
Tilt Table Test
Ultrasound on heart
Holter ECG (echocardiogram)
Dermatologist
-treats skin issues
Skin Inspection (eg Mastocytosis if hives and skin flushing and other skin symptoms being experienced)
Endocrinologist
- treats hormonal disorders
Androgen studies (DHEA-sulphate)
Cortisol - Diurnal Cortisol levels
24hr. Urine free Cortisol
CT of adrenal glad to check for atrophy. (May be abnormally small).
2hr Glucose Tolerance Test with Insulin (tested with glucose or food.eg hyperinsulinemia)
5Hr Glucose Tolerance Test with Insulin (eg Insulin curve)
Short Synacthen Test (eg blunted response in ME) (checks functioning of the adrenals - cortisol)
Testosterone (free testosterone) (both boys and girls..often found to be low in ME/CFS)
Thyroid autoantibodies (to exclude active Hashimoto's disease)
Ultrasound of Thyroid Gland (May be enlarged due to poor thymus function and inflammation in absense of hypothyroid).
24hr urine biochemistry (noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine. ME people may find levels abnormally high).
Gastroenterologist
- treats stomach/bowel disorders
Celiac Disease Testing -coeliac disease autoantibodies (test 90% accurate)
- HLA DQ2/DQ8 test (negative rules out celiac disease)
- small bowel biopsy (if positive to HLA DQ2/Dq8)
Sigmoidoscopy: May show weak rectal muscles, explaining continance problems
Gynecologist
- treats diseases of the female reproductive system and genital tract.
Endometritis is more common in ME.
Hematologist/Oncologist
- treats diseases of the blood and blood-forming tissues (oncology including cancer and other tumors)
Coagulation studies (INR, Prothrombin Time, A.P.T.T .... ME patients often have hypercoaguation)
Internal Medicine Physician
- treats diseases and disorders of internal structures of the body.
Infectious Disease Specialist (Epidemiologist)
Neurologist
- treats diseases and disorders of the nervous system.
Lumbar Puncture (is abnormal in some ME cases eg Cytokines in CSF and low GM-CSF. Very raised Ventricular CSF Lactate)
Rombergs Test (high rate of postive tests in ME)
fMRI (functional MRI) best done in conjunction with a qEEG. (abnormalities may be found in fMRI with ME)
qEEG (certain abnormalities in ME)
SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography)
BEAM (Brain Electrical Activity Mapping)
Observational neuro testing (eg can you walk in a straight line)
PET scan
Brain or spine xray
Reflex testing (Hyper-reflexia commonly found in ME)
Obstetrician
- treats women during pregnancy and childbirth
MTHFR polymorphism test (hypercoagulation issues more common in ME. MTHFR problems have higher risk of preventable miscarriages and preventable deformity). Up to16% of general population have it which may be higher in ME/CFS communities, this also affects the methylation cycle). Can be tested by a Thrombophilia genotypes test
Naturopath
Hair tissue mineral analyses (minerals/toxins/balances)
Food Intollerance Testing
Ophthalmologist
- treats eye defects, injuries, and diseases.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
- surgically treats diseases, injuries, and defects of the hard and soft tissues of the face, mouth, and jaws.
Otolaryngologist
(Head and Neck Surgeon) - treats diseases of the ear, nose, and throat,and some diseases of the head and neck, including facial plastic surgery.
Pathologist
- diagnoses and treats the study of the changes in body tissues and organs which cause or are caused by disease
Psychiatrist
- treats patients with mental and emotional disorders
Psych Evaluation
Depression Tests
Anxiety Tests
Pulmonary Medicine Physician
- diagnoses and treats lung disorders.
Bronchoscopy
Chest xray
Radiation Onconlogist
- diagnoses and treats disorders with the use of diagnostic imaging, including X-rays, sound waves, radioactive substances, and magnetic fields.
Diagnostic Radiologist
- diagnoses and medically treats diseases and disorders of internal structures of the body.
Rheumatologist
- treats rheumatic diseases, or conditions characterized by inflammation, soreness and stiffness of muscles, and pain in joints and associated structures
Fibromyalgia pressure points examination
Somnologist/Sleep Specialist
Sleep Study (eg Restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, etc)
Urologist
- diagnoses and treats the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive system
Virologist
- studies viruses and viral diseases
Naturopath
Hair analyses (minerals/toxic elements/mineral balances)
Can do at Home Tests
Blood Pressure Monitoring (low BP, orthostatic hypertension, NMH all found in ME)
Food challeges (with elimination diet) (food issues common in ME)
Poor mans tilt table test. (heart rate taken for POTS or if BP is taken to, can be used to pick up orthostatic BP issues of ME). (warning... have another present when doing this test)
Porphyria test - Leave some urine out in the sun for a while to see if it under goes strange colour changes (purplish) .. as this can pick up some Porphyria cases (some have said that some CFS cases are undetected Porphyria)
Pupil, one being larger (Adie's pupil) (found in ME)
Rombergs Test (postive test found in ME)
Sluggish Pupil Response to changes in light. (Not pen torch to the eye). Lights Dim, Lights On. (found in ME)
Temperature low after exertion or fevers (common in ME)
Others
KPU test from Kryptopyrrole.com
Visual Contrast Sensitivity Test (Shoemakers neurotoxin test)
www.chronicneurotoxins.com
