Saliva Hormone Testing – Patient Instructions

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

  • Fast 12-14 hours prior to test
  • Do not brush/floss your teeth or drink anything (including water) prior to testing.
  • Do not apply any topical cream or cosmetics to the mouth area.
  • Do not exercise.
  • Do not take any vitamins or minerals for 48 hours.
  • Avoid drinking coffee, tea, alcohol, & smoking for 24 – 48 hours prior to testing.
  • Do test as early in the A.M. as possible.

SALIVA COLLECTION IF YOU ARE TAKING HORMONES

  • You need to be on hormones for at least three weeks in order to get a hormone level that properly reflects your hormone use.
  • To get baseline (unsupplemented) hormone levels, wait at least 3 days after discontinuing oral or patch supplementation and 2 weeks after discontinuing cream supplementation.
  • Apply your topical hormones around 10 PM the night before collection. If you normally apply cream in the morning wait until evening and apply cream around 10 PM the night before saliva collection. You may apply your hormone cream as usual after you give your morning saliva sample. Do not apply topical hormones to face or neck the night before collection, and change your pillowcase the night before collection to avoid possible contamination.
  • Take your hormone pills around 10 PM the night before the test. If you normally take your tablet(s) in the morning; wait until evening and take around 10 PM the night before saliva collection. You may take your hormones as usual after giving your saliva specimen.
  • If you use hormone patches, collect your saliva in the morning regardless of when you put your last patch on.
  • If you normally take oral progesterone (e.g. Prometrium™ or compounded progesterone), in the evening, take your regular dose the night before saliva collection.
  • If you use sublingual (under the tongue) or troche (lozenge) hormones, talk to Dr. Swetlikoff for advice on collection times.

WHEN TO COLLECT SALIVA

WOMEN:

  • Who are post-menopausal and not taking hormones can collect saliva at any time of the month.
  • Who have had a hysterectomy and not taking hormones (with or without removal of ovaries) can collect saliva at any time of the month.
  • Menstruating with regular cycles (˜ 28 days) must collect saliva between days 19-21 of cycle (first day of bleeding is day 1).
  • With long menstrual cycles (>28 days) should collect saliva 1 week before next period is due.
  • With shorter menstrual cycles (<28 days) should collect one week (7days) before next period is due.
  • With irregular or missed periods should wait until menstruation occurs and then collect between days 19-21. Call us if you’re not sure what to do.
  • On cyclical hormone replacement (e.g. days 1-25 of month) should collect saliva towards the end of the hormone treatment cycle.
  • Who take hormones every day can collect salvia at any time of the month.
  • Who have gone 3 months or more without a period can test anytime.

MEN:

  • Who do not take hormones can collect saliva any day of the month
  • Who take hormones cyclically (e.g. days 1-25 of the month) should collect saliva towards the end of the hormone cycle (e.g. days 20-25)
  • Who take hormones every day can collect saliva any day of the month.