Blood test Estrogen/progest Today?? Is it Accurate?

Women's health
1

hi guys having a bad day and grasping at straws....

DO YOU THINK "blood" estrogen/progesterone tests are accurate enough??

i can't afford saliva test yet and given my gastro probs Im DESPERATE to see if my hormones are out....

Todays the day in my cycle I'd need to get them done.

PS il be paying myself direct through the lab as it's cheaper than a Drs visit.

HAS ANYONE FOUND BLOOD hormone tests goven them a good accurate result?

Thank you

2

Hi Ella,

Sorry to hear you are having a bad day.  My Dr told me the blood tests are a waste of time and money.  For really bad days she advised locking the door, taking the phone off the hook and go to bed until things settle.  All very well and good unless you have a job, kids etc.  Apparently HRT does help but not everyone can take it (I can't).  I think you have to follow your gut with menopause, if you are the right age and have multiple symptoms and have ruled out other causes for those symptoms you have to take some time out to look after yourself.  Sorry I am not much help, have many bad days myself and feel your pain.  All the best. xx

3

Thank you. If a dr says that im sure its for good reason ok thanks so much

4

I didnt get accurate blood tests until i was at least 6 years into peri, blood tests are not very acurate due to fluctuations in our hormones, on the otherhand, others on this forum have been down after one blood test and they have been given HRT, all depends on your dr, and at what point in yur cycle the test is done, i bought home kits to keep an eye on it at different times during my cycle didnt get a single test saying i was on the menopause, got fed up with the tests in the end and just got on with it myself,and accepted i was on it.  What sought of gastric probs are you having?

5

Thank you for replying.

The gastric issues are gas bloat constipation sometimes... i think all the problems are tied around the constipation issue as ive always been a very efficient pooper.. but its slowed greatly past few years.

RE BLOODS well i have too read the fluctuate greatly in peri so lets assume maybe im not peri then i wonder if those bloods are a worthwhile exercise...

sorry i know this should be discussed with a dr but theve said NO too many times on account im too young

6

Ella, 

 

I didn't know what on earth was going on with my hormones until I took it upon myself to do the saliva testing. It worked out well for me because my doc put me on progesterone cream when in fact I didn't need it and I was feeling even worse. After the disaster of starting that cream, I took it upon myself to get tested. Im glad I did. When I showed her the results, she told me to stop using the cream and I am SLOWLY coming down from the feeling of being a basketcase from having so much progesterone in my system. I had days I would just sit and bawl my eyes out and couldn't leave the house, 10 times worse then the regular peri emotional days. 

I really feel that it was so worth the money. My doc wouldnt test me and when she saw the results, she looked like a deer seeing headlights. It at least will give you a clue as to what is going on. Im so thankful I did it. I think I would have been put in a mental hospital had I continued on the progesterone cream becuase my "symptoms" showed I was estrogen dominant. This test showed me that doctors should never just rely on symptoms to treat their patients. Good luck and I hope you get answers. 

7

Hi Ella,

I was a good pooper too before all this began then increasingly horribly constipated.

I started with symptoms that began to effect my quality of life at 43 and I was 47 before it showed on a blood test.

For the constipation I had to resort to laxatives.

I don't know if you know but a little overdose of magnesium can do the trick to begin with (they say vit c will also have this effect but didn't make much difference to mine).

If you try magnesium I found a half a dose more than recommended for that product helped a bit early on.

Mine got progressively worse and I was prescribed latchelose (may not be correct spelling) and movicol, also senna. Of the three I prefer the senna, two tablets at night. Movicol second but it takes up a lot of room in the cupboard as it is in little sachets in a box and I needed two a night. Latchelose didn't help much.

What worked nicely and I preferred taking was callifig (syrup of figs). I felt it was more natural tasted ok and worked gently. For some reason you can no longer get it in a chemist but you can get it online. It doesn't keep long and has to be stored in the fridge.

I found if you can keep the constipation at bay the gas is not as bad.

I'm now using HRT which has helped but it's no where near perfect but can manage without laxatives.

8

Gawd you guys are wonderful!! I cant tell you how much i appreciate your help.

IM THERE NOW!!!

9

You know i feel you. Hands down aside from the crazy periods its the crampy gas pains that affect me most. Of course i STRESS about said crampy gas and bowel issues and amplifies everything tenfold

I will certainly go through your suggestions

10

i suffer with terrible gastic issues as well....sometimes i cannot tell difference between that and pain from other areas...

11

It's AWEFUL right. Today was horrific for me. Cutting booze and coffee will help I hope..... I feel for you too. What does yours feel like?

12

snowbell I don't know if I replied it's been one of those days.

im glad you got to the bottom of yours I look forward to my results tomorrow I tell you.

hubby gave me a RIGHT earful, brought me to hysterics actually, the worst bit is if they come back normal he will be right smug about it, doesn't like me self diagnosing ... 

13

My husband and yours must be related. He finally lightened up after he saw my results. Hopefully the same happens for you. xx

14

Thank you, the results are in but I don't understand the progesterone portion, it's over my head, fir the most part it looks quite high... (Go figure) so if I confirm it is then il see what Symptons arise from that. However will know in a few hours when I can get to the naturopath eeeeeeeee

15

Please keep me posted. Ive got high progesterone too.

16

Hi snowbell.

i sent you a private message.

mine is 53 in LUTEAL phase nut the numbers suggest normal is up to 24...

does this mean anything to you based on your results?

mine were blood..

17

Oh Ella,

This was my husband Mr bloody smug (it's all in your head and you area hypochondriac).

I've been reading some of these posts to him and lol now he's suddenly become a meno expert with his mates who's wives he feel could need HRT!

18

Oh dear lol b@@&&dy men lol...

19

Hi Ella, 

Sorry for the delayed response. My tests were saliva so the numbers are very different then yours. But if it is showing normal is up to 24 and you are at 53, that could definitely mean you have elevated progesterone levels. You may have mentioned it, but have you been suplementing with any progesterone? Too much progesterone can cause breast tenderness, depression, fatigue, low sex drive, vaginaldryness, and more.