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saliva test question
August 29 2009 at 6:07 PM BeautifulJourney  (Login beautifuljourney)

I've been on herbs for nearly four months. I've mainly used the commercial pill procurves plus and have added some stuff like protein shakes, Greenbush's bustea, fenugreek massage oil. I've also started to use extra fenugreek, collagen and GABA and I'm planning to add more, since I've hardly had any growth so far (I think 1cm, but I'm not even sure about that - I do get slight growing pain/tingles, though). I do not intend to reorder any more of the procurves plus pills once the supply is used up.

Although I don't think I have any hormonal imbalance I'd like to do a saliva test. I might have an imbalance without knowing it! I have often trouble falling asleep, so there might be some imbalance there. Otherwise I can't complain about my health.

In order to do the saliva test, do I need to get off the herbs first? If so, for how long before taking the test?

Also, I read somewhere there is a certain time or day in your cycle when it's best to take the test. Can anyone tell me when?




Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: saliva test question
August 30 2009, 5:31 PM

BeautifulJourney,

I would say to be off herbs for a month before taking a saliva test that tests for any of the sex steroid hormones.

As for what day to take the test, it depends on what you are testing for. If you want to know generally if have some imbalance, my own opinion on that is that one test will not show the entire picture. And there are several potential imbalances that one test would not show. I don't think that a test to find satisfactory progesterone levels will show signs of PCOS, for example, unless there is a day that will show both.

I'm not a doctor, but it seems to me that you would want to test Estrogen, Progesterone, LH, FSH, free Testosterone, Total Testosterone, SHBG, Prolactin, thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, and maybe even cortisol (to get a complete picture):

Initial sex steroid hormone levels: Cycle day 4.

Estrogen levels: Cycle day 10.

Ovulation health (LH, FSH) : Cycle day 14.

Return to normal: Cycle day 18.

Sufficient progesterone: Cycle day 23.

The other hormones tested would paint a more complete picture if problems were seen in the sex steroid hormone levels. It would be more expensive to do 5 tests for so many things but that is how I would approach an attempt to identify an imbalance. I'm sure a gynocologist and/or endocrinologist would surely have a trustworthy opinion.

Wahaika



BeautifulJourney
(Login beautifuljourney)
Thanks
August 30 2009, 6:01 PM

Thank you so much for your answer, Wahaika.

I think what I will do is to continue with the herbs until I've finished the procurves plus supply. I will also add additional herbs to the commercial pills (some I've just recently added, but will also introduce new ones such as saw palmetto). My supply of procurves plus should last another two months. Then I might take a break in order to get the saliva tests done.

I still have a question, though. If I also want to do a cleanse should I start with the cleanse after I've taken the saliva tests?

And yet another question:
After my test results I intend to start NBE again. I know you recommend to start in spring. Do you think to start anew in February is okay? I guess January is too early?



Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: saliva test question
August 30 2009, 6:08 PM

Hello BeautifulJourney,

Do the cleanse before the saliva tests.

January is even OK. Anytime after the winter solstice. The first day of spring is the best day, but not the only day.

Wahaika

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When to do saliva tests?
March 24 2009 at 6:07 AM Bree (no login)
I just got them the other day, but I don't know when I should take them. I'm menstruating right now. At what point in my cycle would be ideal for me to administer the tests?




Lenas00
(Login lenas00)
Re: When to do saliva tests?
March 25 2009, 1:16 AM

Personally just to be on the safe side I would suggest calling the medical place where you ordered your tests from and asking them. I'm also going to do a saliva test. Can you please tell me where you ordered from? and roughly how much it was and how long till you get the results? thanks!
sorry for hijacking your post!
good luck!



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: When to do saliva tests?
March 25 2009, 2:03 PM

Hi Bree,

Depending on the test you might use them on different days of your cycle. I agree with Lena, the place you got them from might be able to shed some light.

In general, your estrogen level would peak on the day of ovulation. All of your hormones would be at their lowest during the first 3 - 5 days of your cycle - so I would say definitely don't use the tests then.

Just googled this site:

http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com/salivatest.html

It seems to answer your questions rather well.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon



Bree
(no login)
Re: When to do saliva tests?
March 27 2009, 7:02 PM

I got my tests from John Lee MD/ ZRT Labs. It was actually recommended to me by waxingmoon, if I recall (and by the way, thank you so much for helping me out! You've been very kind). The instructions didn't say anything about waiting for a certain time period, which I found to be odd.

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Inexpensive saliva test?
June 25 2009 at 5:10 PM Haley (Login prettypurplekao)
Where can I purpose a relatively inexpensive at home saliva test for homonal imbalance? I really want to purchase one to find out if what I'm doing is right for me and also because I haven't felt any growth and I actually think my breasts are getting smaller. I wore a 32B before but now my bras are not fitting so tightly and my breasts instead of feeling firm (I've been massasing with borage oil, fenugreek, hops, oatstrawpowder), they feel kind of loose. Can anyone link me a site where I can purchase a hormone test? I saw some on Amazon for starting at $65.00 but I think that's a little overpriced...



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 25 2009, 6:45 PM

Hi Haley,

Here is a site that has several single hormone test kits for about $30:

http://www.johnleemd.com/store/prod_stest.html

I know there are some others out there as well but I really haven't run across anything lower than this. Some kits seem to give a discount while doing several tests together, but the costs do mount up.

If you were wanting to run the least amount of tests, depending on what you were suspecting of yourself you would concentrate on estrodiol, progesterone and testosterone. You could skip the testosterone if you did not have excess symptoms.

Remember that the estrogen test is best done in the first part of your cycle (day 4 - 7 in a normal 28 day cycle) and the progesterone test is best done in the last part of your cycle (day 23 - 25 in a normal 28 day cycle). Since these are saliva tests you can easily order them both and then do them at separate times during your cycle.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon



Haley
(Login prettypurplekao)
Waxingmoon <3
June 25 2009, 7:18 PM

Hey, waxingmoon thanks so much for this. To test all three it will still be kind of pricey. I have been looking at your syptom page and it seems I have almost all syptoms from Estrogen Dominance list, or at least more symptoms from there. What supplements are best for me if I am estrogen dominant? Right now I am just drinking Bustea 2 bags daily, 1000 mg Fenugreek and massaging w/ borage oil, fenugreek, oatstraw and hops. Is Fenugreek okay for Estrogen dominance or should I be using PM instead? I also take BC, Ortho-cyclen. Any help I would appreciate. I'm struggling w/ figuring out what is right for me.



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 25 2009, 8:49 PM

Hi Haley,

Fenugreek is estrogenic according to sources I have researched recently. The hops is also rather estrogenic. Whatever you do, don't use PM because this is a high potency phytoestrogen and would likely make your symptoms worse.

If your symptoms are very problematic you might want to think about balancing your hormones first and then proceeding with NBE later. You could of course do non herbal NBE without upsetting your hormone balance. Things like massage, hypnosis, magnets and suction all have good results so look into those methods.

Go back to that thread where I posted the estrogen dominance symptoms. Read down through all the posts I made on that topic. It will give you a good idea of how you might proceed to get your hormones balanced and then to do a NBE routine that won't upset that balance.

It would also be a good idea to get your hormones checked to see what you are dealing with.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon



Haley
(Login prettypurplekao)
BCP having an effect on my hormones?
June 25 2009, 9:08 PM

Waxinmoon, I actually use BCP as I said before Orth-cyclen/Sprintec, and this is something I've read abotu it :
"Sprintec combines both progestin and synthetic estrogens, similar sex hormones that are produced in the woman’s body. Ethinyl estradiol is the estrogen while norgestimate is the progestin. These elements prevent pregnancy and ovulation."

In this case since I am getting estrogen and progestin does this mean that a saliva test would be worthless to me? Also does this mean my symptoms may be brought about by my birth control? I do need birth control as an alternate BC method, do you have any suggestions for BCPs that work well w/ NBE programs? I've heard A LOT say they use Yasmin w/ their program. What does this contain? I took it when I first started BC at age 15 or 16 for acne (I still do have acne, horrible break outs right before my period and no BCP has helped really, I gave up), so I twitched to Ortho-tri cyclen for the acne then to Ortho-Cyclen as my doctor said there are less hormones in it. None of them have really made a difference with the acne to be honest. But just wondering since I have 1 refill left on my BCP and will be getting my annual pap, should I switch to another BCP? Should I ask my doctor for Yasmin??



Haley
(Login prettypurplekao)
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 25 2009, 9:18 PM

I also just ordered some PM, should I cancel it? :O



Haley
(Login prettypurplekao)
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 25 2009, 9:19 PM

Sorry to spam, but will I not get growth from PM if I am estrogen dominant?



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 25 2009, 10:03 PM

Hi Haley,

Sorry I don't know about BCP types. I have read others talking about Yasmin before. Perhaps someone else will chime in here.

As far as PM - for those who have estrogen dominance it can make it much worse.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon



Hopefulgurl
(Login hopefulgurl)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 26 2009, 1:56 AM

Waxingmoon, I was wondering, do you have to send the Saliva test back to the lab then at additionnal costs?

Thanks,
Hopefulgurl



waxingmoon
(Login waxingmoon)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: Inexpensive saliva test?
June 27 2009, 2:32 AM

Hi Hopefulgirl,

I think the cost of these online include the lab cost. There may be postage, but that should be all.

Best wishes,
waxingmoon