testosterone blood test question

[GuardianAngel]

Could you ladies familiar with testosterone testing help me out??

My doctor wants to check my testosterone level because I've become increasingly hairy. What she wrote on my labwork form is "free testosterone" and not "total testosterone". Will only checking my free testosterone be enough to detect a possible problem like PCOS?? I'm confused between the two different kinds of testosterone!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[nlk]

Could you ladies familiar with testosterone testing help me out??

My doctor wants to check my testosterone level because I've become increasingly hairy. What she wrote on my labwork form is "free testosterone" and not "total testosterone". Will only checking my free testosterone be enough to detect a possible problem like PCOS?? I'm confused between the two different kinds of testosterone!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Hi there!

I have had this test done, and as far as I am aware, free testosterone is the testosterone in your blood which is now bound to any other chemical or protein. these levels should be relatively low..i think the appropriate levels are somewhere between 2 and 3 (not completely sure though). I know mine came back as 3.7 and were considered to be relatively high. So basically, you need a balanced amount of testosterone floating around in your blood independently. your doctor may be expecting your level to come back high to explain your symptoms, as they did with mine..

Have you had/are you having any other tests done? x

 

[GuardianAngel]

Hi and thank you for explaining it to me!

I've had my thyroid checked and my doctor would like to check it again. I'm also going for a 2 hour GTT since I had gestational diabetes. I've also had a pelvic u/s done which came back normal, so that is good!

Now the issue is my extra body hair and my hair loss... I don't want to go bald...or grow a mustach!

Can you tell me what your doctor did when your testosterone level came back elevated?? Was it a free testosterone or total??

Thank you!

 

[Cridge]

I have high testosterone which = excess body hair and scalp hair loss. Do you have pcos by chance? I get my testosterone checked frequently. My doc checks both total and free, but she said the more important level to track is free. Almost as important to the free level, is the ratio of free to total, which you won't know if your total isn't checked. But if you're to get one and not the other checked, free testosterone is the one you want checked.

My doc put me on metformin to lower my testosterone. It worked somewhat, but after over a year, it was still high. She tried spironolactone, but it gave me horrible side effects and I had another dr. tell me that in the long run, spiro will actually raise your test., so I went off it. I had OD done in June and at my 6 week blood work, my test. had doubled (I had an active cyst at the time, I'm hoping that's why it was so high), so she upped my metformin and tried to convince me to go back on spiro, but I refused. There are some natural things you can do to lower it. I found this herbal sup that sounds very promising - do research on each of the ingredients and see if it's something that might help you:

https://biotanicalhealth.com/products/cystclear/

 

[Soili]

I only had free testosterone checked too, which came back normal, although I do have PCOS. I do have Androstenedione elevated though. But not much issues with unwanted hair. I could use a bit thicker hair on my head, but I think it's mostly genetics.

 

[GuardianAngel]

I have high testosterone which = excess body hair and scalp hair loss. Do you have pcos by chance? I get my testosterone checked frequently. My doc checks both total and free, but she said the more important level to track is free. Almost as important to the free level, is the ratio of free to total, which you won't know if your total isn't checked. But if you're to get one and not the other checked, free testosterone is the one you want checked.

My doc put me on metformin to lower my testosterone. It worked somewhat, but after over a year, it was still high. She tried spironolactone, but it gave me horrible side effects and I had another dr. tell me that in the long run, spiro will actually raise your test., so I went off it. I had OD done in June and at my 6 week blood work, my test. had doubled (I had an active cyst at the time, I'm hoping that's why it was so high), so she upped my metformin and tried to convince me to go back on spiro, but I refused. There are some natural things you can do to lower it. I found this herbal sup that sounds very promising - do research on each of the ingredients and see if it's something that might help you:

https://biotanicalhealth.com/products/cystclear/

Thank you so much for your reply!! I'm so glad that the free testosterone is the most important one to check! No, I don't have a PCOS diagnosis, but I'm strongly starting to think that's what I have. My doctor doesn't seem to
think that I have PCOS because they found no cysts on my ovaries and although my periods have always been irregular, I don't go months without periods. (But my cycles can be as long as 50 days)

I've been having thick dark hairs growing on my thighs which I never had before (Inner and back of thighs) and also losing a lot of my hair and I find it is noticebly thinner. Also what is strange is that I have been losing a lot of really short and really thin/frale/ hairs. It's like I'm now losing the new hairs that managed to grow back... Have you had this at all?? From what I've read, it would be the miniaturization of the hair follicle and I would have androgen alopecia... Maybe I'm Googling too much...

Anyhow, because of my symptoms, I can't stop thinking that I do have PCOS! I can't wait to get my testosterone levels checked!

Thank you so much for the link as well! I really appreciate it!

 

[GuardianAngel]

I only had free testosterone checked too, which came back normal, although I do have PCOS. I do have Androstenedione elevated though. But not much issues with unwanted hair. I could use a bit thicker hair on my head, but I think it's mostly genetics.

Can you tell me what Androstenedione is exactly??

 

[daviess3]

I feel the same i have no cysts on my ovaries i do have regular periods 32 days max! But i have suddenly started to develop black hair on thighs front an back im not a hairy person either im fair skinned fair haired! I have notice blond hair on my lip which i swear wernt there b4 clomid! An i also get hair on my big toe!! Lol good job im bloody married!! lol i feel like i should b tested to!! xx

 

[GuardianAngel]

I feel the same i have no cysts on my ovaries i do have regular periods 32 days max! But i have suddenly started to develop black hair on thighs front an back im not a hairy person either im fair skinned fair haired! I have notice blond hair on my lip which i swear wernt there b4 clomid! An i also get hair on my big toe!! Lol good job im bloody married!! lol i feel like i should b tested to!! xx

It's embarassing isn't it?!! So you never got your testosterone tested? I would ask to get it checked just in case! The way you described the hair on your legs sounds just like me. xx

 

[Soili]

I only had free testosterone checked too, which came back normal, although I do have PCOS. I do have Androstenedione elevated though. But not much issues with unwanted hair. I could use a bit thicker hair on my head, but I think it's mostly genetics.

Can you tell me what Androstenedione is exactly??

It's another male hormone. If elevated, it could indicate PCOS. They usually get it tested together with Testosterone.

 

[GuardianAngel]

I only had free testosterone checked too, which came back normal, although I do have PCOS. I do have Androstenedione elevated though. But not much issues with unwanted hair. I could use a bit thicker hair on my head, but I think it's mostly genetics.

Can you tell me what Androstenedione is exactly??

It's another male hormone. If elevated, it could indicate PCOS. They usually get it tested together with Testosterone.

Ah ok thank you!