[leila.b]

Hey everyone!

I am new to this process and a bit overwhelmed to say the least! I want to get tested for a hormone imbalance. I have a bunch of health issues, tuberous breast, and when I have previously taken a blood test for my hormones years ago it indicated my progesterone levels were 3x the normal amount! I have been on a lot of medications growing up, antibiotics, birth control to try to lighten heavy periods, I have a poor diet, I have ibs, and a lot of other things going on.

So my question: From doing some browsing on this site it seems the saliva testing is the preferred method for testing hormonal imbalances. Problem is I get free blood testing where I live, and the saliva testing is fairly expensive. Is there a way to use blood testing in a manner that would be equally as effective as the saliva testing? (ex. testing at certain times of the day/your cycle, testing a certain number of times and comparing the results, etc.)

Also, I plan on changing my diet dramatically (I need to start consistently eating healthy and make some other lifestyle changes, I have seen how an unhealthy lifestyle impacts my body and I need to change it). Will this not skew the test results?

I would appreciate any guidance. Thanks!

[EllaC]

Hi. My opinion/experience is this. 
Heavy antibiotic use causes sibo aka ibs aka hormone imbalance. If the gut is in disarray so are the hormones. 
Blood tests are touted to be inaccurate. Saliva is more accurate (so they say) but advise with a functional med dr for the timing. 
I’m in perimenopause (genetic VERY early predisposition) however every blood test said  my hormones are perfectly in range.
With those in mind my periods have changed ie near hemoraging, getting closer together but longer. My iron dropped to dangerous levels, gut issues, hot sweats, horrific pms and breast pains pre periods BUT my bloods were normal so drs told me to “ go away, we don’t believe in early menopause , your fine”...
I’ve been told I need IV iron transfusions due to my low levels on account of more frequent heavier/longer cycles. But bloods showed normal... dont tell me I wasn’t estrogen dominant gut bloods couldn’t pick it up. 

See now my cycles are only 2 days bleeding instead of six. Clearly I’m in a hormonal shift but I for one can’t afford $500 for saliva tests but I know for a fact they are more accurate. 

Sorry for the rant but I do feel strongly having seen many girlfriends suffer bad hormone problems simply because bloods are easy and cheap and subsidised. But not prescribed at the right time of your cycle rendered ineffective.

[EllaC]

Also for what it’s worth going gluten free or autoimmune diet if your that bad  heals the gut .. just have a search and you see the impact on gut health/hormones. It’s a game changer.

[leila.b]

Hi. My opinion/experience is this. 
Heavy antibiotic use causes sibo aka ibs aka hormone imbalance. If the gut is in disarray so are the hormones. 
Blood tests are touted to be inaccurate. Saliva is more accurate (so they say) but advise with a functional med dr for the timing. 
I’m in perimenopause (genetic VERY early predisposition) however every blood test said  my hormones are perfectly in range.
With those in mind my periods have changed ie near hemoraging, getting closer together but longer. My iron dropped to dangerous levels, gut issues, hot sweats, horrific pms and breast pains pre periods BUT my bloods were normal so drs told me to “ go away, we don’t believe in early menopause , your fine”...
I’ve been told I need IV iron transfusions due to my low levels on account of more frequent heavier/longer cycles. But bloods showed normal... dont tell me I wasn’t estrogen dominant gut bloods couldn’t pick it up. 

See now my cycles are only 2 days bleeding instead of six. Clearly I’m in a hormonal shift but I for one can’t afford $500 for saliva tests but I know for a fact they are more accurate. 

Sorry for the rant but I do feel strongly having seen many girlfriends suffer bad hormone problems simply because bloods are easy and cheap and subsidised. But not prescribed at the right time of your cycle rendered ineffective.

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Hi Ella! I’m so so sorry I didn’t reply to you sooner… I haven’t been on here for a while   Thank you so much for your reply.

So here’s the thing. Years ago I got a blood test that showed my progesterone was triple the normal amount for women. Although I don’t think it was done at a specific time.

And just received I’ve gotten another set of hormone tests done as I am now working with a naturopath/functional medicine doctor. This time I got a estradiol test on the 3rd day of my cycle and a progesterone test on the 21st day of my cycle. The estrogen was VERY low and the progesterone was on the high range of normal.

I am not sure if I should just suck it up and pay for the saliva hormone test or if the blood test is good enough since it was done on specific days and showed such a dramatic result.

I would have thought I was estrogen dominant because I have tuberous, underdeveloped breasts; my periods are heavy; I had numerous polyps in my uterus that I had to remove; I’m weepy and have mood swings, etc. But maybe I’m wrong? I don’t know any feedback would be great because i'm confused

[EllaC]

Hi. My opinion/experience is this. 
Heavy antibiotic use causes sibo aka ibs aka hormone imbalance. If the gut is in disarray so are the hormones. 
Blood tests are touted to be inaccurate. Saliva is more accurate (so they say) but advise with a functional med dr for the timing. 
I’m in perimenopause (genetic VERY early predisposition) however every blood test said  my hormones are perfectly in range.
With those in mind my periods have changed ie near hemoraging, getting closer together but longer. My iron dropped to dangerous levels, gut issues, hot sweats, horrific pms and breast pains pre periods BUT my bloods were normal so drs told me to “ go away, we don’t believe in early menopause , your fine”...
I’ve been told I need IV iron transfusions due to my low levels on account of more frequent heavier/longer cycles. But bloods showed normal... dont tell me I wasn’t estrogen dominant gut bloods couldn’t pick it up. 

See now my cycles are only 2 days bleeding instead of six. Clearly I’m in a hormonal shift but I for one can’t afford $500 for saliva tests but I know for a fact they are more accurate. 

Sorry for the rant but I do feel strongly having seen many girlfriends suffer bad hormone problems simply because bloods are easy and cheap and subsidised. But not prescribed at the right time of your cycle rendered ineffective.

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14.0px}
Hi Ella! I’m so so sorry I didn’t reply to you sooner… I haven’t been on here for a while   Thank you so much for your reply.

So here’s the thing. Years ago I got a blood test that showed my progesterone was triple the normal amount for women. Although I don’t think it was done at a specific time.

And just received I’ve gotten another set of hormone tests done as I am now working with a naturopath/functional medicine doctor. This time I got a estradiol test on the 3rd day of my cycle and a progesterone test on the 21st day of my cycle. The estrogen was VERY low and the progesterone was on the high range of normal.

I am not sure if I should just suck it up and pay for the saliva hormone test or if the blood test is good enough since it was done on specific days and showed such a dramatic result.

I would have thought I was estrogen dominant because I have tuberous, underdeveloped breasts; my periods are heavy; I had numerous polyps in my uterus that I had to remove; I’m weepy and have mood swings, etc. But maybe I’m wrong? I don’t know any feedback would be great because i'm confused

What does your functional med suggest you do based on these results?

I’d say with al, the polyps etc you want to get the best test irrespective of the cost, I imagine the process of removing them is dreadful.

There’s some reputable female doctors out there  that hVe written books on hormonal tests the dos and donts and effectiveness. I’m half asleep but il try post if I remember who they are. 

https://www.planetnaturopath.com/hormone...-hormones/

That’s an interesting read about the Dutch test assessing how we metabolise estrogen starting only urine can pick that up and in my eyes that’s the most important thing likely in your case too. 

That’s why I take DIM when I remember.

[leila.b]

Hi. My opinion/experience is this. 
Heavy antibiotic use causes sibo aka ibs aka hormone imbalance. If the gut is in disarray so are the hormones. 
Blood tests are touted to be inaccurate. Saliva is more accurate (so they say) but advise with a functional med dr for the timing. 
I’m in perimenopause (genetic VERY early predisposition) however every blood test said  my hormones are perfectly in range.
With those in mind my periods have changed ie near hemoraging, getting closer together but longer. My iron dropped to dangerous levels, gut issues, hot sweats, horrific pms and breast pains pre periods BUT my bloods were normal so drs told me to “ go away, we don’t believe in early menopause , your fine”...
I’ve been told I need IV iron transfusions due to my low levels on account of more frequent heavier/longer cycles. But bloods showed normal... dont tell me I wasn’t estrogen dominant gut bloods couldn’t pick it up. 

See now my cycles are only 2 days bleeding instead of six. Clearly I’m in a hormonal shift but I for one can’t afford $500 for saliva tests but I know for a fact they are more accurate. 

Sorry for the rant but I do feel strongly having seen many girlfriends suffer bad hormone problems simply because bloods are easy and cheap and subsidised. But not prescribed at the right time of your cycle rendered ineffective.

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Helvetica Neue'; color: #454545; min-height: 14.0px}
Hi Ella! I’m so so sorry I didn’t reply to you sooner… I haven’t been on here for a while   Thank you so much for your reply.

So here’s the thing. Years ago I got a blood test that showed my progesterone was triple the normal amount for women. Although I don’t think it was done at a specific time.

And just received I’ve gotten another set of hormone tests done as I am now working with a naturopath/functional medicine doctor. This time I got a estradiol test on the 3rd day of my cycle and a progesterone test on the 21st day of my cycle. The estrogen was VERY low and the progesterone was on the high range of normal.

I am not sure if I should just suck it up and pay for the saliva hormone test or if the blood test is good enough since it was done on specific days and showed such a dramatic result.

I would have thought I was estrogen dominant because I have tuberous, underdeveloped breasts; my periods are heavy; I had numerous polyps in my uterus that I had to remove; I’m weepy and have mood swings, etc. But maybe I’m wrong? I don’t know any feedback would be great because i'm confused

What does your functional med suggest you do based on these results?

I’d say with al, the polyps etc you want to get the best test irrespective of the cost, I imagine the process of removing them is dreadful.

There’s some reputable female doctors out there  that hVe written books on hormonal tests the dos and donts and effectiveness. I’m half asleep but il try post if I remember who they are. 

https://www.planetnaturopath.com/hormone...-hormones/

That’s an interesting read about the Dutch test assessing how we metabolise estrogen starting only urine can pick that up and in my eyes that’s the most important thing likely in your case too. 

That’s why I take DIM when I remember.

Through testing i have discovered there are a ton of things going on with me - fatty liver, very low hemoglobin and iron, multiple indicators of inflammation, high cortisol, and insulin resistance (along with the other things i mentioned above lol).

My doctor recommends taking black cohosh to up my estrogen. And going on an antihistamine + fodmap diet. He also wants me to get panels done for infectious disease and digestive health that will run upwards of $1000. He believes my iron is being consumed by some sort of bacteria. Once the results are back for that he will give me an overall plan but he believes more in diet than supplements to heal the body. 

I am also working with an ayurdvedic doctor (as a second opinion). He prescribed a herbal blend for me that is for overall detox/a boost to my health (step one) and fish oil. 

My idea was to research and create a plan for breast growth and run it by them to make sure nothing interferes with the protocols they've set for me. It just makes it a bit difficult and overwhelming when there's so many different factors.

Since I will be in day 3 of my cycle, I was also thinking to possibly test my estrogen one more time and compare the two results? The problem I see with the saliva hormonal panel is since I am starting so many changes in my diet, in combination with my herbal blend... the results may be skewed anyways this month. But I also don't want to just continue bad habits this month for the sake of accuracy lol.