Saliva test results: too much of a good thing

Look at these saliva test results:

estradiol 61 (range: 1.5-10)

progesterone 9800 (range 500-3000)

testosterone 149 (range 20-50) UNSUPPLEMENTED


It seems I'm a GOOD absorber. Evidently, too much is like none at all. Doc tells me to reduce estradiol and progesterone from .5 ml 2x a day to .1 ml 2x a day. (Don't ask me for doses!) If anyone can figure the mgs. for me, given my doses below, you win a gift certificate to the compounding pharmacy of your choice!! Needless to say, math is not my strength.

No wonder I haven't been feeling well. Doc wants me to STOP the hormones for 12 to 24 hours or more and then start at the new lower doses. After my last saliva test, I INCREASED the progesterone, which obviously didn't help and made it all worse. Here's an argument against tweaking, Kim.

Feeling hopeful again that one day soon I'll feel less lost in this jungle that I moved into on June 29, 2001.

Hopefully, this finds all who are reading this well, happy, and hormonally balanced.
Love,
Eileen

OMG, no wonder I've been so hungry. With my progesterone so extremely high, it's like I'm a pregnant elephant!!!

Hi Eileen,
Did you wait 24hrs from your last dose to your test? I forgot and did mine at 12 and had elevated progesterone.
When you find out if the progesterone or the estrogen is making you hungry, let me know would ya? I've been ravenous this past weekand need to know why before I start eating the house down.

Susan

Hi I'm relatively new to all this. I had a hysst in Feb but just took what the doc said to. I know dumb! But I don't know what all this talk of levels mean. I take 2mg of estrodiol in a.m. and 1mg of it in the evening. I often go from naseaous to ravenous throughout the day. Am still trying to figure out what I should and should not take to make me feel better; if that is possible; but do I need to get some other sort of tests. Just wondering. Thank you!

Love;
Nat

I took the test 12 hours after my last dose, as directed by the lab and my doctor.

Eileen,
Wow! You do absorb well. I eventually had to tweak my progesterone dose WAY down. I am now just using a *dab*, which amounts to about .50ml a day.

JMHO I do think that for me the creams had a tendency to build up, thus my eventually tweaking my doses down.

I don't understand saliva testing numbers--the only thing i would suggest is do it SLOW if your sensitive to changes. I came down on levels and it was 8-10 days later or more that withdrawel happened, and it lasted for awhile. Felt better, then withdrawel hit. May not happen with you, if your not sensitive. (I was changing delivery method, & i know levels came down for awhile). I have learned what these ladies have said--it can be easier to go up then down..... Even if need to be at a lower level you can feel low when being to high for awhile. Good luck and hope this pops you out of the jungle soon, and think of all the money you will save on the food bill Good Luck down there in Texas!!!

Hi Eileen,
Called my doctor today to ask about a saliva test, they said they dont do them, maybe a chiropractor can. Have you ever heard such a thing. Did a doctor do yours?? I also ask them about progesterone cream, Nope dont do that either, they said could not regulate the dosage that way, so now I dont know what to think about anything. Any ideas?????



LMB

Yes, my doctor ordered it. You can get one through ZRT labs or Aerons labs or ask your compounding pharmacist.

I'm beginning to think that testing is important to use because my symptoms told me I didn't have enough progesterone and I even increased my dose. Well, lo and behold I had way too much and even more estradiol. I was a mess and so very confused and lost in this darn jungle. Hopefully, these new lower doses will work. I have all my fingers and toes crossed.

Eileen

To EWM-TX:

Is it possible that you do not need hormones at all? I had surgery 6-20-01, and have not had any hormones at all. My doctor and I are in close contact and so far I have not displayed any symptoms of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings (might need to ask husband and kids about that), or anything like that.

The reason I didn't want HRT immediately was because I wanted to know how my body felt without the natural hormonal production.

Would love to hear any thoughts on my situation. Thanks!