30-01-2016, 10:21 PM
saliva test question
August 29 2009 at 6:07 PM BeautifulJourney (Login beautifuljourney)
I've been on herbs for nearly four months. I've mainly used the commercial pill procurves plus and have added some stuff like protein shakes, Greenbush's bustea, fenugreek massage oil. I've also started to use extra fenugreek, collagen and GABA and I'm planning to add more, since I've hardly had any growth so far (I think 1cm, but I'm not even sure about that - I do get slight growing pain/tingles, though). I do not intend to reorder any more of the procurves plus pills once the supply is used up.
Although I don't think I have any hormonal imbalance I'd like to do a saliva test. I might have an imbalance without knowing it! I have often trouble falling asleep, so there might be some imbalance there. Otherwise I can't complain about my health.
In order to do the saliva test, do I need to get off the herbs first? If so, for how long before taking the test?
Also, I read somewhere there is a certain time or day in your cycle when it's best to take the test. Can anyone tell me when?
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: saliva test question
August 30 2009, 5:31 PM
BeautifulJourney,
I would say to be off herbs for a month before taking a saliva test that tests for any of the sex steroid hormones.
As for what day to take the test, it depends on what you are testing for. If you want to know generally if have some imbalance, my own opinion on that is that one test will not show the entire picture. And there are several potential imbalances that one test would not show. I don't think that a test to find satisfactory progesterone levels will show signs of PCOS, for example, unless there is a day that will show both.
I'm not a doctor, but it seems to me that you would want to test Estrogen, Progesterone, LH, FSH, free Testosterone, Total Testosterone, SHBG, Prolactin, thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, and maybe even cortisol (to get a complete picture):
Initial sex steroid hormone levels: Cycle day 4.
Estrogen levels: Cycle day 10.
Ovulation health (LH, FSH) : Cycle day 14.
Return to normal: Cycle day 18.
Sufficient progesterone: Cycle day 23.
The other hormones tested would paint a more complete picture if problems were seen in the sex steroid hormone levels. It would be more expensive to do 5 tests for so many things but that is how I would approach an attempt to identify an imbalance. I'm sure a gynocologist and/or endocrinologist would surely have a trustworthy opinion.
Wahaika
BeautifulJourney
(Login beautifuljourney)
Thanks
August 30 2009, 6:01 PM
Thank you so much for your answer, Wahaika.
I think what I will do is to continue with the herbs until I've finished the procurves plus supply. I will also add additional herbs to the commercial pills (some I've just recently added, but will also introduce new ones such as saw palmetto). My supply of procurves plus should last another two months. Then I might take a break in order to get the saliva tests done.
I still have a question, though. If I also want to do a cleanse should I start with the cleanse after I've taken the saliva tests?
And yet another question:
After my test results I intend to start NBE again. I know you recommend to start in spring. Do you think to start anew in February is okay? I guess January is too early?
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: saliva test question
August 30 2009, 6:08 PM
Hello BeautifulJourney,
Do the cleanse before the saliva tests.
January is even OK. Anytime after the winter solstice. The first day of spring is the best day, but not the only day.
Wahaika
August 29 2009 at 6:07 PM BeautifulJourney (Login beautifuljourney)
I've been on herbs for nearly four months. I've mainly used the commercial pill procurves plus and have added some stuff like protein shakes, Greenbush's bustea, fenugreek massage oil. I've also started to use extra fenugreek, collagen and GABA and I'm planning to add more, since I've hardly had any growth so far (I think 1cm, but I'm not even sure about that - I do get slight growing pain/tingles, though). I do not intend to reorder any more of the procurves plus pills once the supply is used up.
Although I don't think I have any hormonal imbalance I'd like to do a saliva test. I might have an imbalance without knowing it! I have often trouble falling asleep, so there might be some imbalance there. Otherwise I can't complain about my health.
In order to do the saliva test, do I need to get off the herbs first? If so, for how long before taking the test?
Also, I read somewhere there is a certain time or day in your cycle when it's best to take the test. Can anyone tell me when?
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: saliva test question
August 30 2009, 5:31 PM
BeautifulJourney,
I would say to be off herbs for a month before taking a saliva test that tests for any of the sex steroid hormones.
As for what day to take the test, it depends on what you are testing for. If you want to know generally if have some imbalance, my own opinion on that is that one test will not show the entire picture. And there are several potential imbalances that one test would not show. I don't think that a test to find satisfactory progesterone levels will show signs of PCOS, for example, unless there is a day that will show both.
I'm not a doctor, but it seems to me that you would want to test Estrogen, Progesterone, LH, FSH, free Testosterone, Total Testosterone, SHBG, Prolactin, thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, and maybe even cortisol (to get a complete picture):
Initial sex steroid hormone levels: Cycle day 4.
Estrogen levels: Cycle day 10.
Ovulation health (LH, FSH) : Cycle day 14.
Return to normal: Cycle day 18.
Sufficient progesterone: Cycle day 23.
The other hormones tested would paint a more complete picture if problems were seen in the sex steroid hormone levels. It would be more expensive to do 5 tests for so many things but that is how I would approach an attempt to identify an imbalance. I'm sure a gynocologist and/or endocrinologist would surely have a trustworthy opinion.
Wahaika
BeautifulJourney
(Login beautifuljourney)
Thanks
August 30 2009, 6:01 PM
Thank you so much for your answer, Wahaika.
I think what I will do is to continue with the herbs until I've finished the procurves plus supply. I will also add additional herbs to the commercial pills (some I've just recently added, but will also introduce new ones such as saw palmetto). My supply of procurves plus should last another two months. Then I might take a break in order to get the saliva tests done.
I still have a question, though. If I also want to do a cleanse should I start with the cleanse after I've taken the saliva tests?
And yet another question:
After my test results I intend to start NBE again. I know you recommend to start in spring. Do you think to start anew in February is okay? I guess January is too early?
Wahaika
(Login Wahaika)
SENIOR MEMBER
Re: saliva test question
August 30 2009, 6:08 PM
Hello BeautifulJourney,
Do the cleanse before the saliva tests.
January is even OK. Anytime after the winter solstice. The first day of spring is the best day, but not the only day.
Wahaika
To test all three it will still be kind of pricey. I have been looking at your syptom page and it seems I have almost all syptoms from Estrogen Dominance list, or at least more symptoms from there. What supplements are best for me if I am estrogen dominant? Right now I am just drinking Bustea 2 bags daily, 1000 mg Fenugreek and massaging w/ borage oil, fenugreek, oatstraw and hops. Is Fenugreek okay for Estrogen dominance or should I be using PM instead? I also take BC, Ortho-cyclen. Any help I would appreciate.