Think Something’s Off With Your Hormones? These Are the Labs You Need to Ask For + My Journey with High Prolactin
If you’ve ever felt like something was off in your body—your period goes missing, your mood is all over the place, your skin is breaking out, or you’re exhausted for no reason—you are not crazy. Hormonal imbalances are real, and the only way to know what’s actually going on is to test.
Unfortunately, a lot of doctors will run a basic hormone panel (if that) or brush off symptoms as “stress” or “normal” without digging deeper. So if you suspect something’s off, here are the labs you need to advocate for. Screenshot this list, bring it to your provider, and ask for a full workup.
PS. If you are stopping birth control- A lot of doctors will want to wait 2-3 months if you stop birth control to allow your body to readjust. This is normal, but 3 months is the maximum time you should wait and allow for your hormones to balance out on their own. After that, it is best to get hormone testing done.
The Hormone Lab List:
Prolactin – High prolactin can signal a benign tumor called a prolactinoma, but can also be caused by stress, medications, or even thyroid dysfunction. Elevated levels can lead to missed periods, infertility, and low libido.
Estradiol (E2) – Measures your main form of estrogen. Low levels can mean hypothalamic amenorrhea; high levels can point to estrogen dominance or cysts.
Progesterone – Essential for cycle regulation, fertility, and mood balance. Test on day 19-21 of a 28-day cycle to assess ovulation.
LH & FSH – These pituitary hormones control your cycle. An elevated LH:FSH ratio may indicate PCOS.
Free & Total Testosterone – High levels may cause acne, hair thinning, and irregular periods. Important to assess for PCOS or androgen excess.
DHEA-S – An adrenal hormone that can also contribute to androgen excess and should be tested alongside testosterone.
TSH, Free T3, Free T4, and Thyroid Antibodies (TPO, TGAb) – Thyroid dysfunction is one of the most overlooked causes of hormonal imbalances, hair loss, fatigue, and irregular cycles.
Cortisol (AM blood draw or DUTCH test) – Measures your body’s stress hormone. Chronic high or low cortisol can affect every other hormone in your system.
Insulin & Fasting Glucose – Blood sugar imbalances drive hormonal chaos. These help identify early signs of insulin resistance or prediabetes.
SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) – Helps interpret your testosterone and estrogen levels by showing how much is actually available for your body to use.
Now let’s talk more about my personal experience with high prolactin—what I’m doing lifestyle-wise, the supplements I take specifically to support it, and the medication I’m using (with a plan to taper off eventually).
First of all, finding out I had elevated prolactin levels was validating. I had been experiencing irregular cycles for over a year and I knew something wasn’t right. Surprisingly, I was seeing a holistic practitioner who kept wanting to test for other biomarkers or told me to wait it out. I had a gut feeling something else was wrong, so I made an appointment with my OBGYN and asked her if we could do hormone testing, and include Prolactin.
I did my labs, and my prolactin came back high. So we re-tested just to be sure, and it was still high. I had to get referred out to an endocrinologist because like I said in my video, one of the causes of high prolactin is a benign tumor. So it is important to get an MRI and rule that out.
After getting an MRI (to rule out a prolactinoma), I learned my elevated levels were likely due to long-term birth control use and chronic stress from my lifestyle. (Fasting excessively, high intensity workouts & running three miles every morning while fasting, not eating enough protein, and I went through a very emotionally draining time two summers ago which really shocked my system- among many other things!)
Right now, I’m taking a low dose of cabergoline, which is the gold-standard dopamine agonist used to lower prolactin levels. It’s been effective for me, but I’m working closely with my endocrinologist on a plan to taper off once my levels stabilize and my body is more regulated.
Alongside that, here’s what I’m doing naturally to support my body:
Inositol powder daily to help with hormone balance, blood sugar regulation, and overall mood support
Chill Pills (my favorite) to regulate cortisol and support my nervous system’s response to stress.
Try Chill Pills for yourself here- the best supplement for high stress and high cortisol 🙂
Magnesium at night to calm my body and support better sleep (which helps with hormone repair)
I will start Vitex berry once I am going to taper off my medication in the future. Vitex berry (chaste tree extract) helps support your cycle and naturally regulates prolactin through pituitary support.
Prioritizing food before caffeine, walking daily, and changing the way I work out—no more fasted, high-intensity workouts. I focus on movement that supports my hormones, especially during my luteal and menstrual phases
I’ve also made huge lifestyle changes—protecting my peace, setting boundaries, and rebuilding my nervous system from the ground up.
If your prolactin is high and you don’t have a tumor, this is the stuff no one tells you. Medication can help—but it’s the lifestyle changes that make the biggest difference. Be your own advocate, stay curious, and trust your intuition. You deserve answers and support.
If you’re going to invest in any form of hormone testing, make sure it’s comprehensive. A single test doesn’t give the full picture. Once you have results, you can work with a practitioner to actually treat the root cause—instead of guessing.
Trust yourself, ask questions, and advocate for your health. If something feels off, it probably is—and you deserve answers!
