What hormones to have tested? - Menopause Message Board

pixiek · 09-10-2005, 07:31 PM

I imagine this has been asked before but sorry! My doctor was refusing me some tests only was going to do FSH hormone alone and I felt this did not give the complete picture...am I wrong?

Anyway I have many "peri" symptoms and I and really suffering and may need some kind of hormone help. So I want to pin down exactly what like of hormone help would be best for me.

So I thought I need to have thorough

hormone testing.

So that I can educate the next stupid doctor (and stupid me along the way!)....What tests should I have and why? Thank you someone! Pixiek

katherines · 09-11-2005, 01:20 PM

I'm anxiously awaiting an answer to this one as well. My Doctor didn't even suggest hormone testing; she just wanted to put me on the pill right off the bat. Seems to me I should know where my hormone levels are before I go randomly messing with them. Especially since I've had bad experiances with the pill in the past.

pixiek · 09-11-2005, 05:35 PM

Katherine and I are hopefully waiting for any help

Pixiek

chitowngl · 09-12-2005, 01:01 PM

When I had my blood tested my doctor had them screen for FSH and LH. I also saw an osteopathic doctor who tested my pregnenolone, DHEA and testosterone--all were found to be low and I am now on bioidentical homones to replace what I have lost through menopause. I hope this helps a little.
Carrie

katidid95 · 09-12-2005, 02:19 PM

I had a saliva test done for estrogen, progesteron, DHEA, testosterone and cortisol. (All of which were low, by the way.) You will probably have to seek out a Dr. who is open to the idea of natural hormone replacement therapy, to have someone acknowledge that this is important and worth while. To just prescribe synthetic HRT, including birth control pills, is basically a shot in the dark.

Before I had my hormones tested, I was using a naturally compounded progesteron cream prescribed by my Gyn. It worked for a while, but then I started having worse peri symptoms. Why? Because I found out through hormone testing that I was estrogen defficient, not dominant (which is what the progesteron cream helps with). It's very important to have balance in your hormone levels.