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Post by JC on Jan 4, 2010 11:07:06 GMT -5
I'm just curious, we get put on these drug treatments to correct the "imbalance" but have any of you actually had your hormone levels tested? I'm just curious because we're all are on different treatment methods some being estrogen/progestin or just progestin only. Before they put you on progestin only stuff, do they even check your blood serum levels or do they just pump us full of this crap?
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Post by JC on Jan 4, 2010 11:09:09 GMT -5
I asked my doctor to run blood tests before we started all this birth control crap because I want to know exactly what I'm deficient/overloaded in before we start all these drugs. He just said no matter what they found he would still treat me with the nuva ring. I was kinda upset; why would you treat something without knowing what it is? Someone want to shed some light?
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 4, 2010 13:14:44 GMT -5
I can't - I've had mine done once or twice in the past. Came back slightly off normal. But it's been several years. None done recently. I totally agree - they treat us for hormone imbalances but don't check what's what!
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Post by JC on Jan 4, 2010 15:08:51 GMT -5
My doctor just didn't want to do it. I'm really frustrated about it especially since I hold my doctor in such high reguard.
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Post by hellsbells on Jan 4, 2010 16:32:32 GMT -5
Perhaps he's not convinced the tests are accurate enough to base a diagnosis/treatment on? Clutching at straws, I know.
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Post by uncomfortable on Jan 4, 2010 17:39:34 GMT -5
you know I asked my doctor this exact same question 2 weeks ago, and I was told that even if she ran the blood tests she wouldn't be able to determine if anything was off balance or not because hormones fluctuate so frequently throughout the day and month. I think this is kinda a load of crap though because she also said she would only be able to tell if something was different if I were in menopause. But how can you say nothing will come back noticeably different if you never check it in the first place? Obviously I have something going on that is different from the norm if Provera suddenly makes me stop being excessive nauseous. But even still, I got told it wouldn't tell them anything.
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Post by Karen on Jan 4, 2010 19:17:07 GMT -5
I'm with you girls... I asked my doc a while ago and she said it wasn't worth it to check my levels because I'm not trying to get pregnant. Seriously? I think there's a HUGE link to endo/hormone imbalance and will continue to look for a doc that dives further into this...
I've heard blood tests can be inaccurate since levels fluctuate so much, but I've also read that if there's a slight fluctuation on any one of the results, that it's assumed that there's something off with that hormone level. There are places where you can submit saliva samples via mail for hormone testing (some claim those are more precise), but it can be kinda costly. I've thought about it, though.
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Post by sunshine78 on Jan 4, 2010 22:23:59 GMT -5
I've never had one, and I'm actually quite surprised (though, I shouldn't be, since endo is also the last thing on any doctor's mind, even in this day and age) that none have checked/suggested I get mine checked.
Kinda seems to me they push birth control, no matter what, as a cure-all, even though some of us may have major deficiencies/surpluses that cause all kinds of crap.
Pisses me off what they won't do, just because you're not trying to get knocked up.
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Post by JC on Jan 5, 2010 13:33:12 GMT -5
I can see what they mean about fluctuating hormones but what if something is WAY out of wack? I'm starting to think if I want any blood work then I'd have to see an endocrinologist. But even then, they are so retarded about doing this stuff unless you're trying to get pregnant. I'm sorry but my life doesn't revolved around having freakin babies! What strikes me as annoying is that all they ever want to do is push birth control onto us as this magical cure. Is there really NOTHING else for us? Is that it? Is that really all there is for us?
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Post by Karen on Jan 7, 2010 8:00:14 GMT -5
I meant to say that a year or so ago, I was home sick and saw an episode of Oprah all about hormone levels, etc. It was geared more towards pre-menopause, but she had a few specialists on talking all about how hormone imbalances screwed women up, and Oprah even sent a few viewers to a specialist who tested their levels (via saliva, I think) and came up with a plan to balance hormones using bio-identical hormones (non-synthetic). The results these women had were amazing, even in as little as a week. They said they felt SO much better almost instantly.
Now that I'm on a new insurance plan, I'm going to see if I can find a doc that specializes in hormones a bit more. If anything, I know there's a hippie pharmacy in town that compounds bio-identical hormones. Perhaps I can ask them which doctors they'd recommend. There HAS to be something there, some sort of connection to it all!
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Post by cware000 on Jan 7, 2010 12:09:04 GMT -5
It would be wise if they did test our blood - but doctors can be lazy. I had been on the pill for over 20 years and then diagnosed with Stage 4 endo in August so the pill is not a cure all nor does it prevent it. My doctor played around with my harmones for 2 years switching pills back and forth and finally sent me for a trans-vaginal ultra sound in July 2009. I have an appointment with her tomorrow and I am requesting blood work, just to see where I am at and what has changed. With being on narcotics so much, it can affect alot of things and I need to make sure that my liver is OK. I have found that unless you ask for it - you will get nothing. Well, here in Canada anyway - that's why I am looking for health care in the US!! We need to stand up for ourselves.
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Post by cherry on Jan 7, 2010 12:44:34 GMT -5
I've decided that if I go back to the gynae I will request this treatment. He's big on trying stuff but fingers crossed I won't need it. I agree Cindy, my GP is the laziest/stupidest doctor I've ever met.
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Post by Karen on Jul 10, 2010 7:19:26 GMT -5
I'm just curious, we get put on these drug treatments to correct the "imbalance" but have any of you actually had your hormone levels tested? I'm just curious because we're all are on different treatment methods some being estrogen/progestin or just progestin only. Before they put you on progestin only stuff, do they even check your blood serum levels or do they just pump us full of this crap? I'm reviving this thread as I'm starting to make a tiny bit of headway understanding hormones. Here's why they don't bother testing hormone levels before putting you on the pill... A hormone test will measure the hormones that naturally occur in your body - progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone - whether it's through a saliva test or urine test. But think about it - if you're on BC, BC uses progestin, a synthetic form a progesterone, which does NOT naturally occur in your body, therefore, it will not show up in a hormone test. Bio-identical supplementation will. And how many doctors in our traditional healthcare system will prescribe one of those? So why would they even bother to monitor your hormone levels? Also, the hormone test only takes a snapshot of your hormones at a particular moment, and since they can fluctuate so much throughout the day, it's hard to tell. But, I'm finding a few sources that suggest the <i>ratio</i> of your sex hormones might be a much better indicator of what's going on.
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Post by Karen on Jul 10, 2010 7:19:54 GMT -5
Oh, and I should add that if I could change my vote, it'd now be a yes!
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Post by hellsbells on Jul 10, 2010 12:17:38 GMT -5
Yeah, mine were tested a couple of months ago and were all low. Got a referral to an endocrinologist in a few weeks.
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