Hey girlies! My lovely sister purchased an cortisol and Dhea saliva test for me. I’m really low on funds as I haven’t be able to work for past 5 months and don’t want to mess this test up. The test needs to be returned before 19th Of Dec. And I’m just about to start my period. I can feel myself getting more irritable and more stressed. A few days before my menstral cycle my energy levels always seems like it gets a burst and my fatigue symptoms lesson. I googled to check if menstral cycles spike cortisol levels and it said it does. Has anyone got any experience with this or done a saliva cortisol test during or just before period, did it have any effect on the result?
I would have waited till after my cycle but due to test needin to be sent back before it I don’t really have a choice. So my question would be do I do it before or during?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated 💛
Yen
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Yennn
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Which company are you doing the test with? If it's Regenerus you can email them with your query and they will advise. If it's Genova they will probably tell you to 'consult your practioner'.
Why does it have to be done before 19th December? I have one from Regenerus to do, and I am waiting until after the new year. I asked if there was a problem with me delaying it and they said it was fine.
The company my sister used was also regenerus. It came with a slip last date for samples to be revived before Xmas is Tuesday 19th any samples after this date maybe rejected. Reopens on 2nd jan Then my form says expires 2nd jan 2018 🤷🏼♀️
I will email them tmro to enquiry as it also said in form to put inside of the Styrofoam shell and mine just came in a box.
I just wondered if menstual cycle changed cortisol if it didn’t I would juat Go ahead with the test.
I sent for my test at the beginning of November. There is nothing on my form about an expiry date nor does it mention a styrofoam shell, it just mentions the pre-labelled box.
There is an instruction leaflet which says
"Women with menstrual cycles:
Collect saliva during one day of the mid-luteal phase (day 19-23 of a 28 day cycle) counting the first day of your period as day 1. If your cycle is irregular, contact your provider for direction on when to collect your samples."
I had 4 little tubes, 4 little straws, all inside a polythene bag. There is also a small 'cold pack' which is to be frozen, the samples are to be frozen, and then all the frozen stuff to be placed in the polythene bag and placed in the box for return. My leaflet has the date 4/2017 printed in the top right hand corner of the back page of the leaflet where the guidelines are and instructions about menstrual cycle are.
My number 3 just mentions the box.
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Does your box have a return label to Regenerus lab in Reading?
Did your sister order this kit in the UK?
What is the date on the leaflet? Mine is on the back page, top right hand corner (4/2017). I'm wondering if there's be a reprint of the leaflet and you have an old one.
My form definitely doesn't have an expiry date and after I checked with them they are absolutely fine with me delaying doing the test. I ordered early November and I will be doing it in January.
Il post a pic of the form with expiry date up now and after that il post a leaflet that came wit it sayin to post before the 19th Of Dec. Iv just woken up so il call them once I’m up properly and enquirer.
Mornings wakes are always a struggle for me 😬 with Brain fog.
Yeh my sister is from UK too, and also bought it in Uk. The box has a label to be returned to Redhill RH1 5JY
IL post a pic of the expire form then of the one sayin about th 19th Of Dec.
My mistake, mine is Redhill too, I was trying to be clever and remember the address rather than go and get the box to check!!
The only difference is that mine was ordered with ThyroidUK as my 'practitioner' and yours is 'private'. I didn't have an invoice like yours, just the kit and a form where ThyroidUK is named as my practioner and I have to either send a cheque in payment or give credit card details when I send the kit back.
I would just contact them and explain about your cycle and that it doesn't seem possible to do it by the expiry date and can they extend it.
Hey Sea side susie. That ok I just happened to have my box beside me.
I just phoned the lab and spoke to an operator who said the cycle doesn’t effect the results🤷🏼♀️
I Defo think i feel different before during and after my cycle.
I also asked if I could extend it till jan and she asked why and again I said regards my cycle and wanting to aim between Day 19/23 she said it was not needed to just go ahead😬
I've just double checked my leaflet - have you checked the back of yours?
At the top it says
FOR ADRENAL FUNCTION PROFILES ONLY (CORTISOL and/or DHEA): Complete the test on any day. See cortisol supplementation section below.
[The last bit is for people taking cortisol supplement]
So it looks like you can do it any day. The section about menstrual cycles doesn't say if it's only for sex hormone testing so it's not easy when it's midnight to work that out as it is a bit confusing. Apologies for that.
However, if you do want to delay it for any reason then I have been in email contact with Emma Price if you want to ask to speak to her. I don't know why you have an expiry date and my test doesn't.
If you want to go ahead, then I would choose to return by Special Delivery Guaranteed Next Day by 1pm which costs £6.45 and you hand it over the Post Office counter and get a receipt to track it. I always send all my tests back using that method. Occasionally it fails and takes 48 hours but as long as you have your receipt with tracking number you get a refund of the £6.45.
How strange I just called again and spoke to a girl called emma.
She said to ignore the styrofoam shell she doesn’t know why that would be there.. and that no adrenal test normally have expiry dates so told me to ignore that as well. I must have gotten a diffenrent leaflet 🤷🏼♀️
She did say with xmas coming up and post it couldn’t be guaranteed next day so Defo be better to wait till jan. Result! ☺️
She mentioned the recorded 1pm special delivery and not to opt for 9am as if it comes earlier no one will be there to collect the samples and to pay for postage at post office. She was really nice and helpful.
Thank you too for your help! ☺️
Il prob be back on here once I get my results back 💛
Another thing to think about is posting time. Some samples (don't know if this applies to adrenal tests or not) need to be tested quite soon after collection so you don't want to post them on a Friday because they will be sitting around over the weekend. I would check with the company as the xmas post could delay things even more. Sorry to add another complicating factor you don't need but it would be awful to find you'd solved the menstrual timing problem only to be scuppered by the xmas post. Good luck with it all.
There was a leaflet that came with my kit about the xmas period and times to post before the 19th any test received after received after this date may be rejected. On my form also said expiry on 3/1/2018 but the lab only reopens on the 2nd and with my menstrual cycle none of these dates work. Once I am awake properly I will give them a call and enquire all of the above.
Thank you for your message ☺️ Il Defo aim to post after xmas period and at the right cycle and preferably on a Tuesday with next day delivery recorded🙏🏽
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