Hello again,

Has anyone used saliva testing to test hormones and if so, is it reliable? A local health management pharmacy offers saliva testing, it's over $100 and not covered by insurance so before I rush out, just wondering if it's accurate and helpful? Does anyone have any experience with this test? I am desperate since I cannot get my drs. to order a blood test for me...they keep saying I'm too young!

I would really just love to know what is going on with my hormones. I don't mean to complain, but if I just had someone tell me that my hormones were crazy and I was in fact in the midst of peri, maybe, just maybe I could relax a little. I cannot function nor enjoy life right now, I'm on the edge of my seat. I just want an answer and then fine, I'll deal with the symptoms and agonies that come with peri.

Please help.

Tracey

Hi Tracey:

I am with you. I would love to know if this is an accurate test. I would be willing to pay for it out of pocket too so I would know exactly what is what. My blood work was run but told it is normal. Ugh!!!!

This is the problem with hormone testing of any kind.... whatever your results may be on one day is not reflective of EVERY day. Hormones fluctuate. You may be normal with some hormone on the day of your testing, but if you were to have the test a week later, they may show you were low (or high) in that same hormone.

Diagnosing peri menopause is like convicting someone on circumstantial evidence only. It's not just one thing that brings you to that conclusion... it's the totality of MANY things that does it.

So to answer your question... it may be accurate and helpful... and it may not.

Good luck either way!!

XOXOXOXOXO

Leanne,

Thank you for the information. It seems like it may be a gamble if I choose to have this testing and I may just walk away without any solid results that I so desperately need.

Is it possible to test than to retest again 1 week later and so forth??? I need to know what is going on with my body. My mental health needs some help as well.

Thanks,

Tracey

Leanne,

You could go the other route: get a complete physical and mention any health concerns that you have. If you're "cleared" but still have some symptoms those of us on the board have, you might draw your own conclusions.

No doctor has told me that I'm perimenopausal and I flat-out asked my gynocologist. She sat there and shook her head with a slightly patronizing grin. My friend's doctor did the same thing. And 6 months later, my friend's periods started becoming irregular.

I have too many strange things going on for this not to be perimenopause.

And certainly, certainly, the strange things included changes in my mental health: anxiety, depression, fear of being alone, panic attacks, desperation.

So you're not alone on that front.

Sukie

Tracey... don't panic!! LOL Go see your doctor again. Tell him/her what you're going through. If it makes you feel better to get tested, then by all means get tested! But start with ONE test... get those results, consult with your doctor, if you're not happy with your doctor, get another one.

You are not alone. We ALL have felt like we were losing it. There are HUNDREDS of women here who were told they were too young. I started peri at 36 and NOBODY (doctors) would listen to me. 6 months after my final period they finally confirmed I was in menopause. DUH!

It's a frustrating process.

But remember the old saying... If it walks like a duck, and quack likes a duck ......then it's a duck!!

Your best weapon is KNOWLEDGE!!! Take your time and explore this website. Go to all the links. READ, READ, READ!!

XOXOXOX

I'll let you all know once mine are back...I just picked up the kit today!!! However, I did get the doctor to state that since levels fluctuate, no test is a sure fire perimenopause predictor but rather the host of symptoms and using the saliva test to see what I have bio available at the time. ****BUT**** I had the weirdest thing ever happen today! I finally got into this clinic (I had an appointment set for December they are that booked but they called me today with a cancellation)...it is an MD practicing with an ND and they are all about holistic treatment. (Yeah!) Anyway, we were going over the log-book of what I have been experiencing when the MD says, "I know this might sound strange to you, but there is evidence that some people can be allergic and ultra sensitive to certain hormones...so besides running the usual level test I'd like to do some allergy testing on you".
Yes, I thought it was odd but I am desperate so I thought what the hay. If you have ever had allergy testing (which I had not before) they inject certain strengths of the allergen (in this case hormones) and gauge your reaction then look for the point where you don't react at all in order to create an antigen (anti-allergy dose of the same stuff to desensitize your body and stop the allergic response. I am allergic to estradiol...no lie. I had no reactions to the progesterone injections (Thanks goodness!) but they gave me the first estradiol shot and I immediately got flushed, face and neck red....they gave me a second dose and I had an "episode" like what I keep suffering with around the time I ovulate....I got light headed, flushed, heart racing...the works. It was so instantaneous it took me by surprise and I nearly had a panic attack on top of it! They immediately gave me an antigen dose and it stopped!!!!!!!! Granted, it took a few moment to die down, but those episodes can last for me anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or more. Given my reaction, they decided to stop there and not test me on a reaction to LH. So now I have a little bottle of antigen drops to use once daily in order to start short circuiting the overall response and then one drop under the tongue every five minutes for up to 25 minutes when I have symptoms (hot flash, crying, headache, anxiety, etc...). I am trying hard not to be excited by this as these cardiac episodes are the worst for me, more so than the insomnia even. Since they happen on almost the same exact day or two during the week I ovulate, I have been living in dread of that whole week for months. This month "Hell Week" as I have been calling it is right at my sister's wedding and I am the MOH....I have been sweating bullets about this and terrified I was going to have an episode. Hopefully, these drops will help along with the progesterone cream and I can at least manage some of my worst symptoms. I have to wait until around that week to take my saliva test as I started my sad excuse for a spotty period today and the test recommends you take it at a particular point in your cycle if you are cycling and can calculate it.
I will keep you posted ladies if anyone is interested in how it all turns out!
I did poke around online looking for information on allergies to hormones and did find the study and some other information showing allergy reactions to estradiol and progesterone along witha few others. Too weird but I'll go with it if it helps! Please, at this point I would pay a witch doctor to shake a chicken claw over me if I thought I would get some relief!!!!

You are too funny! I would join you in paying that witch doctor if she gave me some solid answers!!!
Please let us know what you find out as soon as your results come back. I can't take hormones due to breast cancer in the family...could I then test for these allergies???

Anyway, I really appreciate your post and your info. Can't wait to hear what you find out!

Tracey

Hi Tracey,
I have saliva test about every 6 months or so. I take them on the same day of the month every time and they have been helpful for my compound pharm.
This last time they came back really low on prog and high on estrogen so I had a blood test to compare the two and the prog was really low but my estrogen seemed ok....so all in all I've been happy with the saliva testing. Be sure to do it on the 20 to 24 day of your cycle first thing in the morning and follow the directions carefully so you don't contaminate it. If you have a hard time getting enough spit (such a lovely thing to do in the morning!) cut a lemon and just keep smelling it....really gets the juices flowing! LOL

I just submitted saliva samples (for cortisol level) to Quest Lab (my dr gave me a Rx for 24 hr adrenal saliva test) I do have Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance, you mean that won't cover it? Sorry just had to chime in with that as now i'm kind of worried that i'll have to pay out-of-pocket, although the lab techs didn't say when i handed my insurance card over.

It most likely depends on the insurance company and your specific plan (I work in insurance). The general rule of thumb for coverage of something is 1) was it prescribed by a medical professional (MD, CNA, DO, etc) 2) is it a reputable lab 3) is it medically appropriate for the diagnosis attached to the procedure or test. That said, you can always appeal a denial. If you should have to get that far, I would submit some of the studies that show saliva testing is more accurate in terms of what is bioavailable than a blood serum level test along with your letter. If they still say no, you can either go over the insurance company to the group (i.e. the employer if you have a plan through your work or a spouse/partner's) and find out who to stage an appeal to there or the Department of Insurance (Commissioner of Insurance in some states) for your state of residence. Believe me, no insurance carrier likes when the DOI comes knocking on their door with a complaint! Good luck! I have heard good things about Blue Cross in particular paying for the saliva assay tests.

Thanks for the info. Since my cycles are so irregular (from 14 day cyles to 36 day cycles) how will I know when to test...obviously if I haven't gotten my period by the 20 to the 24th day...do I just wait until I have a longer cycle? I also have Blue Cross insurance, I think that I will give them a call to see if this is covered, better them pay than me!

Take good care!
Tracey