type 6's from the menopause type quiz-please respond

hello everybody! i think that my type is 6 from the quiz. estradiol deficient and excess testosterone. does this mean that i shouldn't be using progesterone? it says progesterone is a precursor to testosterone. it sounds as though the progesterone may be converting to excess cortisol and testosterone. it seems like i should have SOME kind of desire if i had excess testosterone. isn't that what some women take for libido problems? i thought perhaps you other 6's could tell me if you do/don't use progerterone. i've noticed that i feel great within an hour of using it, but then start getting flushed and hot. geez, i wish i could find a knowledgable doctor. on the upswing, i convinced my doc to let me try the bi-est, so hopefully the estrone won't be giving me a double whammy! it would be so much easier if he'd just let me have a saliva test! oh, well, what can i do? i can't order my own labwork! thanks!

Julie,
But you can order your own labwork. Talk to your compounding pharmacist, you should able to purchase a saliva test kit from them. While it is best to work with a doctor, you do not need a doctor's prescription to do saliva testing.

Formerly Julie,
The menopause test is just one clue. Testing is probably a good idea if you are not sure what is going on. I believe that testing and symptoms should both be considered to give us a fuller picture.
Next point: If you have to convince your doctor to give you something you want to try and he won't let you use a saliva test that you feel you need, why not do yourself a huge favor and find a doctor who CAN and WILL work with you. I loved my gyn who did my surgery. I felt thankful to her for taking my pain away. I had some sort of misplaced sense of loyalty about it and stuck it out as she "let me" try whatever I wanted. The truth is I am not a medical professional and I did not have the training to be choosing my own HRT. After a year or more of being miserable, I found a new medical professional to help me. I see a nurse practioner and we do saliva testing and use a compounding pharmacist. I can call her any time...and if need be they will fit me in to see her. You need to find someone who is knowledgable and available. Going to the doctor for HRT is not like some other things it requires a close working relationship with lots of communication. If you want to find a doctor who is knowledgable about hormones I would suggest finding a compounding pharmacist first http://www.iacprx.org/ A compounding pharmacist is skilled at making made to order hormone preparations for women and will know the doctors in your area that are experts in prescribing them. If you already have a compounding pharmacist check with him as to the doctors that he works with that seem to really know their stuff. Also Dr. Collins has some doctors listed on his site that follow his protocol which I know includes saliva testing.
Best wishes to you

Becky in OHIO

thanks kim and becky for your replies! i wish i could see someone who was more receptive, but because of my location, i don't have too many choices. today, my dr. thought my asking for a saliva test was ridiculous and told me so. when i asked him about whether the progesterone might be causing a problem, all he says is to wait at least three months before wanting to change anything. although i can see his point, i don't understand what harm it would have done to at least get a baseline test. as far as the pharmacist, i already have to drive almost two hrs. to pick up my creams and she can only reccomend one dr. who is two hours in the opposite direction. she doesn't know this dr., but he does phone in compounded hrt rx's. my primary care dr. is referring me to an endocrinologist for another set of problems, so maybe he can help with the hormones(the endocrinologist). i'm very happy that i can order my own test! i guess if everything is out of whack, i'll worry about what to do about it then! thanks again!

oh, and btw, i guess i consider myself lucky that he "let me"try the compounded creams, as he had me on premarin .625 for waaaaaaay too long. only after having a breakdown in his office did he switch me. this after i lost two cup sizes, most of my hair, gained 50 lbs., and was continuously ill because of my low immune system! i really don't know anything about hrt, either, but i did know i needed more estrogen! thanks again! julie

Julie,
Have you checked to see if there are any new compounding pharmacies in your area since you last checked? Have you recently asked your current compounding pharmacy? If both of those turn up no leads then I think I would start making phone calls to all the gyns, and primary care doctors out there. I would not be pleased if my doctor told me that my wanting to check hormone levels was ridiculous. The message I have been given is to wait 4 weeks before changing anything. This is pretty standard advice in the jungle. 3 months seems a long time to suffer. I know there are not a lot of choices but if you ask around enough you never know what you might find. I personally would drive 2 or 3 hrs to see my current doctor. After the initial visit most of it can be done over the phone...and my compounding pharmacy sends me my hormones in the mail so perhaps that is one drive that could be avoided.

Becky

What quiz are you talking about??

the quiz is available at www.yourmenopausetype.com



Becky in OHIO