Results of Hormone Testing

Like I promised, info on the hormone testing that I had done.

I had saliva testing done. There are people who agree with it and people who do not. Like everything you hear the good and the bad.

Because I was going through such a hard time with emotions, moods, symptoms, headaches, etc. I did chose to do hormone testing. I researched the different testing procedures and I felt it was the best one. I also spoke with my Naturopath and the Compounding Pharmacist.

If you are not sure what a compounding pharmacy or pharmacist is - click on this link What is a compounding pharmacy

The compounding pharmacist wanted to make sure that I had some knowledge of hormone replacement therapy so he recommended I read a book that he felt was full of good information. The reading was a little dry but very important and informative

My nauturopath and the compounding pharmacist recommended saliva testing so that is what I did.

Saliva Testing and Prodedure
I got the kit from the compounding pharmacy. I had to wake up early and fill a vile with saliva. Try doing that - it takes time. You are not really allowed to drink anything either. I got it done and then it was sent off to the lab. This test cost me (in Canada) just over $200.00. It is a very comprehensive test and instead of me or anyone else "guess" the levels of my hormones, I figured this is what I should do.

Once the lab completes the testing, the test results are sent back to the compounding pharmacist and he/she complies a detailed report and they then recommend what you should be taking. He sent me my test results, which was very cool. I then made an appointment and went in to speak with the pharmacist. I spoke with him for about 1 1/2 hours! He thoroughly explained everything to me. A lot of information all at once. My head was spinning. (Before I did the testing I also met and spoke with him about it)

He was completely confident about the bioidentical hormones. He had attended numerous conferences, studied the topic in great length and has worked with many women helping them relieve their symptoms. Bioidentical hormones are made in the pharmacy by the compounding pharmacists. They are formulated to be exactly like what our body produces (biologically identical) so they cannot be bad for you. I think that if you take them and not sure how much to take or do not follow the strick instructions given with them then you could have some wild symptoms. Just like anything else.

Test Results
My results showed that I was low on basically everything. Low estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. No wonder I was not feeling well at the time!

He explained how hormones are produced in our body and how our body requires minerals, vitamins and nutrients to produce hormones properly. He recommended I take zinc and selenium which is very important in hormone production. He also recommended a good fish/salmon oil (I take a good omega oil blend with DHA).

If our health is suffering, if we are not eating right, if our adrenal glands are being overworked (stress), if our thyroid is not functioning properly - this all affects our hormone levels which in turns affects the severity of the symptoms.

Did you know that thin women produce less estrogen as they age. Estrogen is also produced in body fat. The less body fat you have the less estrogen you will have. Probably the more hot flashes too.

For someone my age (I am 45), it was a surprise to him that I was so low in all of these hormones.

He made me up a dose of estrogen and progesterone. I decided to wait on the testosterone because when estrogen and progesterone levels are balanced, testosterone can begin to naturally increase and sometimes become balanced. He gave me a 3 month supply of the cream (you can get pills but go with the cream because dose can be controlled much easier). The price was only about $97.00 (CAD).

Synthetic Vs Bioidentical Hormones
Please don't get confused between synthetic hormones and bioidentical hormones. They are so very different. Doctors do not receive any training or knowledge on bioidentical hormones unless they chose to research themselves. When articles, etc refer to HRT (hormone replacement therapy). They are often referring to synthetic hormones. When someone is referring to bioidentical hormone therapy they will use BHRT.

If you want a good web site to learn more, the web site is

Dr Erika Swartz at www.drerika.com

She is a medical doctor and is a big advocate for woman's health.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn, to research, to educate yourself about what is out there to help you. There is a lot of information and it can be overwhelming.

I am so glad I have chosen the natural way to deal with the weigtht gain and symptoms of perimenopause. Even if you think you are too young to have low hormone levels but you ARE experiencing symptoms, then please get it checked out by someone you trust and someone who knows and is educated themself in the field of hormones.

Below is a link for compounding pharmacists in Canada and the US. They may not all be listed on the link but it is a good place to start.
Compounding Pharmacies