Literally, menopause means the cessation of the monthly menstrual cycle for six missed periods or more and signals the end of a woman's natural childbearing years. Menopause is neither a disease nor an illness, it is a natural and usually gradual change in glandular function. It has its origins in the beginning of menses and culminates in a series of hormonal changes that result in the cessation of menstrual flow. This transition produces a variety of bodily manifestations and symptoms, and is due to changes in production of hormones and the timing of their release.

Various body parts undergo change and can produce one or more of the following symptoms:

Endocrine:

Bleeding irregularities

Vaginal dryness

Hot flashes / sweats

Changes in sex drive

Nervous system

Insomnia

Nervousness, irritability

Headache

Mood Changes

Depression

Metabolic changes

Skin aging / cosmetic changes

Osteoporosis

Altered fat and carbohydrate metabolism

Atherosclerosis

What can you do about it?

Here are your options:

There are several therapeutic options which may minimize or even eliminate many of the symptoms:

Treat symptoms using synthetic hormones without hormone level testing.

Treat symptoms using natural hormones without any testing.

Treat and correct symptoms using natural hormones with testing for hormone levels before & after treatment.

Why should you test?

Hormones are powerful substances that control multiple functions throughout the body. Hormone levels should be sufficient and balanced. Too much or too little of them is not conducive to long-term emotional, mental and bodily health.

By not measuring the hormones before and after treatment your hormone picture is, at best, an educated guess, since hormone levels from woman to woman can vary 200 - 1,500%. In fact, many women need only one hormone, while others require 3 or 4 different kinds.

Just as you cannot balance your bank account without numbers on your bank statements, hormone testing provides both a basis for treatment and proximity to your goal.

One can then: Customize natural hormone dosing to meet individual needs. Optimize hormone levels for minimum dose to relieve symptoms. Avoid overdosing.

Achieve appropriate and compatible physiologic levels of several hormones.

Increase sense of "well being" by removing underlying hormone deficit and imbalances. What do we test for in the Post menapausal profile: and what does it tell you?

The test utilizes your saliva as a sample for measuring hormones:

Testosterone

DHEA

Progesterone

Estriol

Estrone

Estradiol

Saliva hormone values reflect the tissue concentration of your hormones or FREE HORMONES. These are the active hormones in your body.

Blood and urine contain only the total combined hormone picture and not the free active hormone results. Active fraction measurements are superior to blood and urine measurements both in diagnosis and treatment.

How can we help you?

Let us take a common example:

A woman suffers from several symptoms-migraines, hot flashes and emotional fragility. Her doctor treats her with natural estrogens, but he does not do any testing to determine quantities or types of hormones that will meet her specific needs. The symptoms are under control, but her risks are the following: Increased blood pressure

Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer) Fibroid growth Gallbladder disease Over 15 years, at least twice the risk of breast cancer

What could we have found out if we had tested her saliva hormone levels? We would have known that she has too much estrogen, not enough progesterone to balance the estrogen, low DHEA, and marginal testosterone.

But, she felt good on the estrogen, many will say. Yes, however, the silent killers (cancer, blood pressure, heart disease) rarely make anyone feel bad at the start. Her best course is a new treatment plan, designed around the objective saliva hormone measurements.

Ask OUR OFFICE for the Post Menapausal Panel to measure your hormones.

How do you benefit? There are five distinct areas that you will benefit from using the saliva tests.

They are affordable and less expensive than blood or urine tests. Blood testing for 6 hormones costs $250-$300 more than saliva testing.

Collection procedure spares you the pain of venipunctures with a needle.

Results are more clinically reflective of your hormone status and needs.

Results can lead to an individualized and customized treatment plan using natural hormones.

You will minimize overdosing and underdosing. This will insure that you use only the proper hormones in the appropriate amounts.

With salivary hormone testing, guesswork is past news.

All fees include doctor/patient consultation with test results.