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When it comes to optimizing your health, lab testing can help us understand what’s going on beneath the surface, from deficiencies to other important markers. But when it comes to hormones, especially during perimenopause, the story gets a little more complicated. Let’s get into it!

Hormone Testing: A Personalized Journey

Testing hormones like Vitamin D, Thyroid, Insulin, Cortisol, and Testosterone will often give us insight in perimenopause. However, when it comes to the sex hormones (like estrogen and progesterone), things get a bit more nuanced.

For example, if you’re still menstruating, your estrogen levels change literally every day of your cycle. There may be days when your estrogen is at 100 pmol/L and other days when it shoots up to 1000 pmol/L. If you have an ovulatory cycle one month, you’ll produce progesterone, but if you don’t ovulate, you won’t produce it at all. We only make progesterone after ovulation so if you're testing before that in the cycle it's normal for there to be none.

So, in perimenopause, we expect some cycles where you’ll ovulate and others where you won’t. One day, estrogen might skyrocket; the next, it might plummet.

**But, Testing Sex Hormones Can Be Tricky:**
While testing can certainly provide us with valuable insights about your hormones in the moment, it doesn’t give us the full picture of your hormonal health over time. Your levels can change from week to week, or even month to month, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions from a single test result.
That’s where **symptom tracking** becomes *really* important.
Tracking your symptoms throughout the month can provide us with much more meaningful information. By noting how your symptoms change, we can start to identify patterns and gain a better understanding of what’s happening inside your body.

When Hormone Testing Is Still Useful:

There are some situations where hormone testing can still be beneficial. For example, testing on Day 3 of your menstrual cycle (the first day of bleeding) can give us a solid reference point, as estrogen is typically at its lowest point during this time. This can help us gauge the effectiveness of your hormone levels and offer valuable insights.

However, just because we may not test sex hormones frequently doesn’t mean we’re not testing other crucial markers. For instance, iron deficiency and insulin resistance are both common in perimenopause and can contribute to hormonal symptoms. These are important factors that we test regularly, as they can play a significant role in your overall health.

What You Can Expect During Perimenopause:

While we can’t stop the process of perimenopause, and we can’t necessarily regulate your cycles (since they naturally fluctuate during this time), we can make the experience much smoother. By identifying the building blocks of your health—whether that’s through lab testing or tracking your symptoms—we can create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you.

We can ensure you have the foundations to feel your best self, even as your hormones shift. We also have safe and effective treatment options available to help manage your symptoms and support your well-being.

Is It Perimenopause?

If you’re between the ages of 38-50 and noticing changes in your menstrual cycle along with symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, or more, you may very well be in perimenopause. It’s easy to feel like you're “going crazy” during this time, but know that you’re not alone. Your hormones do impact your mood, and there are ways to address these changes in a safe and effective way.

Ready to Explore Your Options?

Perimenopause can feel confusing, but it doesn’t have to be something you face alone. We can work together to understand exactly what’s going on with your body, and explore the best options for supporting you through this transition.

If you’re ready to take control of your health and explore perimenopause in a way that feels empowering, book a visit with me today. Together, we’ll create a plan that works for you.

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