[EllaC]

Hi. My opinion/experience is this. 
Heavy antibiotic use causes sibo aka ibs aka hormone imbalance. If the gut is in disarray so are the hormones. 
Blood tests are touted to be inaccurate. Saliva is more accurate (so they say) but advise with a functional med dr for the timing. 
I’m in perimenopause (genetic VERY early predisposition) however every blood test said  my hormones are perfectly in range.
With those in mind my periods have changed ie near hemoraging, getting closer together but longer. My iron dropped to dangerous levels, gut issues, hot sweats, horrific pms and breast pains pre periods BUT my bloods were normal so drs told me to “ go away, we don’t believe in early menopause , your fine”...
I’ve been told I need IV iron transfusions due to my low levels on account of more frequent heavier/longer cycles. But bloods showed normal... dont tell me I wasn’t estrogen dominant gut bloods couldn’t pick it up. 

See now my cycles are only 2 days bleeding instead of six. Clearly I’m in a hormonal shift but I for one can’t afford $500 for saliva tests but I know for a fact they are more accurate. 

Sorry for the rant but I do feel strongly having seen many girlfriends suffer bad hormone problems simply because bloods are easy and cheap and subsidised. But not prescribed at the right time of your cycle rendered ineffective.

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Hi Ella! I’m so so sorry I didn’t reply to you sooner… I haven’t been on here for a while   Thank you so much for your reply.

So here’s the thing. Years ago I got a blood test that showed my progesterone was triple the normal amount for women. Although I don’t think it was done at a specific time.

And just received I’ve gotten another set of hormone tests done as I am now working with a naturopath/functional medicine doctor. This time I got a estradiol test on the 3rd day of my cycle and a progesterone test on the 21st day of my cycle. The estrogen was VERY low and the progesterone was on the high range of normal.

I am not sure if I should just suck it up and pay for the saliva hormone test or if the blood test is good enough since it was done on specific days and showed such a dramatic result.

I would have thought I was estrogen dominant because I have tuberous, underdeveloped breasts; my periods are heavy; I had numerous polyps in my uterus that I had to remove; I’m weepy and have mood swings, etc. But maybe I’m wrong? I don’t know any feedback would be great because i'm confused

What does your functional med suggest you do based on these results?

I’d say with al, the polyps etc you want to get the best test irrespective of the cost, I imagine the process of removing them is dreadful.

There’s some reputable female doctors out there  that hVe written books on hormonal tests the dos and donts and effectiveness. I’m half asleep but il try post if I remember who they are. 

https://www.planetnaturopath.com/hormone...-hormones/

That’s an interesting read about the Dutch test assessing how we metabolise estrogen starting only urine can pick that up and in my eyes that’s the most important thing likely in your case too. 

That’s why I take DIM when I remember.