21day blood test...picked up high testosterone?

[sammynashley]

So ladies pretty much what the title says I had a 21day blood test, the doc gave me my results today , they said my progesterone was satisfactory that I'd ovulated and also that my thyroid function was fine but they said my testosterone levels were high and it could mean PCOS?

I have another blood test tomorrow that has to be done between cd1-5 to check for LH and FSH but does anyone know what happens after this? Where do we go from here?




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[unicornwish]

Depending on results I would say they will refer u for ultrasound to confirm pcos diagnosis and then maybe try u on metformin & clomid to help u conceive if needed. The fact u are ovulating is good though and I would say unlikely with pcos as a big symptom of it can be annovulation. Good luck!

 

[sammynashley]

Thanks Hun, I do have an ultrasound scheduled for next week, I was told at 16 my ovaries were polycystic but never given any other diagnosis, I do have quite a few of the symptoms for PCOS only thing that doesn't seem to match is I seem to have ovulated.

Can a gp prescribe clomid etc or do you have to see a specialist? I'm totally new to this conceived DS and DD pretty quickly DD was even conceived on the pill so after 16 months and nothing happening we're not sure what to expect.

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[Gaige]

If it helps, I was diagnosed with PCOS when they found a couple of small cysts on my ovaries.
A few months after I was diagnosed with diabetes and the first medication they gave me was Metformin.
When I went for scans last year to see if they could find a cause for some heavy prolonged bleeding there were no cysts at all.
Could be coincidence but my thinking (and my GP's) is that the Metformin had something to do with it.

 

[rosegarden620]

This post hits home to me actually, if I may I'd like to share with you my story:

I stopped BCP in April to regulate my period, I was starting to get my period in the middle of my BCP packs as a results of missing a pill "every once and while", I started bleeding (again) and thats the day I just stopped. The bleeding lasted a normal period and I went on to have my normal 29 day cycle. I assume with ovulation because mid cycle I got severe O pain....I hadn't started temping yet because we hadn't officially decided to try. I went on to my second cycle off BCP (decided to TTC) and I started to use BBT. This cycle was text book, 26 days (shorter than my norm) but otherwise perfect.. Perfect temps, perfect dip, perfect rise.... Hit all the right days... no pregnancy.

Third cycle was really off, and my period came 2 weeks from the last. I went on to my 4th cycle, and on what would have been my 21 day, I got my blood work tested and it confirmed what I had suspected-I hadn't ovulated that cycle and so I was spotting a trend of annovulation, though it WAS still early. The blood work showed I was still virtually stuck in the follicular phase (1st half) of my cycle, with a level 82 of testosterone. Lab range was 2-42. So, I started researching. I figured that my high levels of testosterone were preventing me from O'ing! It had to be, I mean...right?!

SO I found that Core Saw Palmetto (a herbal tincture) and spearmint tea would lower levels of testosterone naturally... of course I came across the typical PCOS diagnosis that came with high testosterone via my internet searches...but I also know ( I am Registered nurse) that PCOS is commonly genetic, present more prominently in overweight females who have insulin resistance. I knew that the diagnosis of PCOS was a tricky one, and if made in error can freak you unnecessarily out and put you in the path of treatments you may not need. I read Clomiphene (Clomid) to stimulate ovulation and metformin to lower insulin resistance were common modes of treatment....and I knew that diagnosis was based on the bigger picture versus one symptom by itself....and bc of this...I was skeptical that I had PCOS....I mean, I know I had been on BCP for 5+ years and I didn't want to jump to conclusions...but that testosterone....freaked me out, though I didn't fit any other portion of the categories for PCOS.

I took the core saw palmetto for 2 weeks and the spearmint tea for a total of 4 times.... I gave up easily lol

Well, while I was tested on day 21....I progressed steadily, taking my temp, to day 36. Erratic temps, i rechecked my testosterone and results were 61 (range 2-42)....OK GREAT! I thought, its going down! Did more research, and did more blood work. My Thyroid, SHBG, DHEA, was normal.... (have these checked out as well if not already done in addition to: LH, FSH, Free T3/Free T4, Progesterone and Estrogen)....

So it was JUST my testosterone! I mean everything else was normal.

Well, I started getting frazzled.... paying no mind to my charts bc "whats the point"...and now, just this past monday....I finally did take a GOOD look at my chart and noticed, that I did ovulate....9 days ago. LATE, WITH HIGH TESTOSTERONE....and just today? I got a BFP....faint....but there.

So, high testosterone CAN be a problem because it can affect the health of your eggs, but clearly it doesn't stop you from ovulating (it can hinder in some cases, and obviously everyone is different).... I think some women just have higher levels. I've always had a high libido, dark thicker hair t/o body... I mean, maybe its just me...

And for kicks? testosterone is one of THE harder hormones to test due to its testing process. If you took blood for this test and sent it to 3 different labs, you would get back 3 different results....


So what can you do?

Further testing....if the labs I mentioned weren't drawn I suggest you get them drawn (they will paint a better pic).
Natural testosterone lowering remedies, like the ones I've mentioned.
BBT charting to catch O days


Hope this helps...feel free to ask questions and sorry for the incessant info....its my nature lol....and also I had my free and total testosterone tested and my total testosterone was the one that came back high....free was normal.

 

[sammynashley]

Thank you for the info, I find it annoying when the gp doesn't give you the full info feels like your just left there hanging, sadly I do have a lot of the symptoms of PCOS so I'm thinking it is probably that. I have my CD 1-5 blood test this morning that will check for LH and FSH and some other things. And I have an ultrasound next week so hopefully I'll get some answers soon, not sure how far I'll get as the GP did mention about hubby doing a semen analysis but he has point blank refused to do it so feel like we won't be helped, we have 2 children already so not sure why this would be needed



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[unicornwish]

My GP prescribed it for me, as I had to have it to conceive my DS (now 3).
Sometimes they like to refer u first but my doctor was happy to prescribe for me and see how it went. Luckily I conceived on my first cycle of it 50mg