Symptoms of a hormonal imbalance in a young woman can include (but are not limited to) hot flashes, chills, night sweats, bouts of rapid heart beat, irritability, mood swings, trouble sleeping, loss of libido, crashing or chronic fatigue, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, fuzzy logic, memory lapses, sore joints/muscles, increase in headaches/migraines, depression, allergies developing or increasing, sudden weight gain, hair loss or thinning, episodes of dizziness or light-headedness, and loss of balance.

"Women need to be aware that a hormonal imbalance can create some very serious health conditions. The symptoms of a hormonal imbalance may not always be obvious and often young women get misdiagnosed." States Dr. Vicki Hufnagel.   "It is easy for physicians to mistake the complaints of rapid heartbeats or depression in young women as being that of a heart condition or of common depression. Physicians do not always realize that a hormonal imbalance could also be the cause. Diagnosis and treatment is available but young women are generally not hormone tested. Women who develop a hormonal imbalance at a young age and who are not diagnosed or treated not only suffer the condition of hormone shock but are also at high risk for developing more severe cases of osteoporosis later in life, earlier and more fatal cases of chronic heart disease, as well as all other health risks that are associated with early and untreated surgical menopause.

There is only one way to know for sure if your suffering a hormonal imbalance and that is to be tested. The basic blood tests that Dr. Hufnagel suggests to check one's hormonal health are the following: Total Estrogen, Total Progesterone, Total Testosterone, and Sex Binding Hormone (SHBG), Total Cholesterol, HDL and LDL Cholesterol.

Dr. Hufnagel has designed a nationwide testing program that includes the above listed tests. Participants in the program are mailed a "kit" which when received is taken to their local participating lab to have the blood draw done. Participating labs are located throughout the United States and in all major areas so that literally any woman who wishes to be tested through this program may do so. The lab analyzes the levels and she is contacted directly with the results with full explanation as to what the results mean. She then can provide this information to her attending physician.

Bucher sums up the awareness program as stating, "It is very important that women understand that they need to be concerned with not only their physical and mental health, but also of their hormonal health."

Tubal ligations (TL) are female surgeries done for permanent birth control. They are known within the medical community to cause hormonal imbalances, caused by a condition known as ovarian isolation, but U.S. MD's have not yet addressed this issue. "Women who consent to having the surgery are not clearly informed", states Susan Bucher, founder of the Coalition "We estimate that over 50% of post tubal women (women who have had a tubal ligation surgery) between the ages of 21 and 45 (more then 10 million women) are suffering a serious hormonal imbalance or became menopausal early and are not aware. This means they are at higher risk for earlier bone loss, more server cases of osteoporosis later in life, earlier cases of chronic heart disease, and all other health risks that are associated with early and untreated surgical menopause"

Because of the need for standard nationwide hormone testing, Dr. Hufnagel developed a women's educational program that includes each participant being hormone tested for important essential hormone levels. Over 2000 labs across the U.S. are participating in this nationwide testing program which is not limited to post tubal women but is available and offered to all women.

"Hormone testing is 'basic' health care for women", states Dr. Hufnagel "Hormone testing should be as standard and routine for all women starting at age 30, just as baseline mammograms are standard for women at age 40. For post tubal women hormone testing is even more important as they are at high risk for suffering a hormonal imbalance"

The hormone tests are serum tests (a blood draw). Participants are mailed a lab package that is then taken to their local participating lab were the blood draw is done. Everyone is tested for Total Estrogen, Total Progesterone, Total Testosterone, and Sex Binding Hormone (SHBG), Total Cholesterol, HDL and LDL Cholesterol. Each woman is contacted directly with the results and full explanation, usually within 3 to 5 days. She can then take that information directly to her physician.