Hair growth, hair loss, oil skin etc, throughout the month spotting and frequent periods. As I explain (in detail) in my book, and in many places on this blog, I do not view hormonal birth control as valid treatment for almost any condition. Lara, I see that you get many comments but I hope you will respond to my question! Is it autoimmune thyroid disease? I was a week late, tender breasts (very unusual for me) lots of cramping and 1 day of spotting midway through cycle. However, my testosterone levels are a lot higher than they should be and so are my SHBG levels. TSH 1.600 (range 0.450-4.500) My skin is now much better except for the odd neck/chin spot at ovulation. In fact, that blood work in January 2006 was the only time in the past 11 years that my total testosterone has come back elevated. PCO remains the commonest cause followed by excess working Adrenal glands or androgen-secreting tumours from Adrenals and Ovaries. So that is definitely a test to ask your naturopathic doctor for, if she hasn’t done it already. I am currently taking Spironolactone 100mg prescribed by my dermatologist . Could it be adrenal hyperplasia? Can that take some time while my hormones adjust back to normal? Which supplements can you recommend to get rid of the acne caused by pregnancy? I’m on the pill now for about 5 years and I really want to stop taking it. I know a vegan diet can cause a lower growth hormone, but is it low enough to suspect something is wrong such as a tumor? I had irritability, mood swings, food cravings & fluid retention. I discuss that in Chapter 7 of my book. Estrogen is good for skin. Hi. And is IR treatment still work me? It should improve with an anti-inflammatory diet. Thanks for any thoughts you can share. 2 hour ogtt is 62. But if I had it just once is this hair loss temporary, and how long do you think it would take to see it stop and regrow? So, I went to my endo today to discuss this and she informed me my estridiol was NOT low (205, 18th day of cycle) and that I should not take them as I don’t need more estrogen. Test all three and see which are elevated. Last year, I had a lot of stress as well and like an idiot decided I would stop the pill at that time. Hi Laura, I’ve been dealing with chronic hair loss and mild acne along with a host of other health problems for about four years now. Just got off of Loestrin in October 2015 and still have not seen my period since the last withdrawal period same month. Which one is better for PCOS? This tumor tends to occur around the region of the ovary where the blood vessels enter the organ otherwise known as the hilum. Iron Binding Capacity 306 mcg/dL Do you think because of the relatively higher testoestone it’s ovarian androgen excess instead? I just want my hair to stop falling out and I don’t now where to go from here. I have seen this come up in some medical articles, and wonder if the pill irreversibly altered that as well, which maybe accounts for the seemingly increased androgens and persistent sebum production. Do fruits and vegetables also have Inositol? I have a fat stomach now too and never did. So informative and full of great suggestions and detail. What does this mean? I am also depressed and irritable and I have insomnia. I’ve tried Rogaine and other hair grown treatments. (e.g. If so I could email you and we could discuss it there? I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 17, and straightly prescribed birth control pills. Also just a reminder that I have very extensive family history of diabetes. If I see only DHEA and androstenedione, then I would usually treat as adrenal androgen excess. I was either pregnant or breastfeeding for 3 years, and had very clear skin. I do yoga, meditation, Tai Chi and light Pilates. I discuss estrogen deficiency in my book and in my latest post: The Ups and Downs Of Estrogen. Dr. Lara, how do you decipher how to treat your stress? In addition, the blood work showing high Total Testosterone and normal free testosterone was not run after the withdrawal bleed. I have been following your blog for a while now and appreciate all of your great insight! That was my story. For anxiety, please consider magnesium (see my magnesium post). Despite not having SHBG levels from that time (2006), she was able to calculate shbg based on my total T and free t. That calculation showed shbg would have been high at the time of the bloodwork. This can cause excess hair growth, acne, and ovulation problems. My main problems are I’m so tired. I was convinced I had a miscarriage and went to my GYN for pregnancy test so I’d know for sure. It was run 3 months later and taken at random. Any comments are helpful. Equivalent Chromium 50µg My serum cortisol has been high, but I recently had salivary testing done that showed depressed cortisol and DHEA and one doctor has suggested I may be in early stages of adrenal fatigue due to recent stressors in addition to the hyperandrenogism. Could it be the estrogen? I’ve asked my GP if I could have any other treatment for my condition apart from the pill and I’ve been said thad in UK contraceptive pills are the only treatment for my condition. Hi Lara, In other words; can estrogen deficiency be a cause for androgen excess to? What Causes High Levels Of Androgens In Women? The progestin drospirenone in Yaz is just spironolactone by another name, so perhaps your specialist thought your were doubling up. I was the person who always went over and beyond the distance. If aromatase is inhibited there will be less estrogen and more testosterone. Anyway, i researched a bit more, and checked the SMPC for the Nexplanon and noticed that hair loss affects between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 women on the implant. My blood labs also show low platelets, Vitamin D deficiency, low T3. In that case, improving insulin sensitivity could potentially slow hair loss. I too have high levels of androsterone and would love to know how to reduce this! Aside from that, I wash with St. Ives Apricot Scrub ( the one without sayllic acid) both morning and before bed. I’m 35 years old. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the Ashwagandha – at this point I am hoping to try to heal my adrenals over time through magnesium, rest, diet, exercise and stress management and see how that goes. The hair loss may have slowed down but over the last year it has gotten progressively worse. It primarily grows in the stomach and intestinal regions. But I don’t know which Androgen is high in my case. I have been to so many naturopaths and they all give me different things and half of them never heard of PCOS very frustrating. I have also reduced my meat intake (to avoid any extra hormones from meat). Other than that I am eating regular Indian food, that I cook myself. Free Testosterone (Direct) 2.2 (range 0.0-4.2) I’m 36 with 5 children. I am starting to think serious about my health. And if so, do I need to be off the birth control pill and the Spironolactone to have those tests done? I have a concern about unwanted body hair (my score on the ferriman gallaway chart is about an 11) but all my blood lab work is normal (dhea sulfate 181, testosterone free, testosterone, tsh 3rd generation, prolactin, lh, and fsh). The hairs are starting as little baby hairs and growing out long gray. In your experience do you feel the pill can really mess with your body that it can take more than a year to recover and have my hair recover? The naturopaths here didn’t recommend me these plants and I don’t know how to take them and how much… If you take Magnesium do you have to take calcium? My theory is that my body got used to high serotonine level and when i quit at a time when i was very stressed my bodys hormonesystem collapsed. Hi Mimi, Your hypoglycemia symptom suggests a problem with adrenal glands or HPA axis. (But my progesterone is abnormally low, so could that be making it seem like testosterone is high?). My skin was very clear while on the pill and Armour together. In contrast, acne completely disappeared in male – female transgenders who received androgen-reducing treatments. Being too thin may be part of the problem, and even your low iron can impair ovulation. I am venturing a guess that I have androgen excess. I’m desperate. Perhaps the SHBG is a red herring. I am very curious about something. (Mirena stops bleeding, but it doesn’t stop the underlying hormonal fluctuation, so it is possible to still test hormones while on Mirena.). When high androgen levels cause hirsutism, other signs might develop over time, a process called virilization. My sex drive is significantly higher than my husband’s, and it is causing problems. I have no other symptoms, maybe just some mild pimples. My periods are regular, I eat healthy, exercise, all my blood work is within normal ranges. And I have some hairy issues..that is: the peach fuzzy hair on my upperlip is slowly turning into ..well..something less peach fuzzy. I’ve had severe acne and also my hirsutism has gotten worse (much worse). I wonder if I’m missing something here? 7 Along with showing signs of high testosterone, adrenal gland dysfunction can raise your cortisol levels and cause high blood pressure, digestive problems, or trouble sleeping. Dear Dr. Lara, You’ll know from reading my blog and my book, that I almost never think the Pill is the right solution for PCOS or any other period problem. I have irregular periods.and with pills or progesterone cream only I will get period.my fasting glucose is 90 and fasting insulin is 7. The only thing that was not was my testosterone level which was 60 and my estradiol was 43. Testosterone, Serum 29 (range 8-48) Even for weight gain as well? Androstenedione Lcms, Endo Sci 139ng/dL (there was no reference range given) There was also follicles on my ovaries found on an ultrasound, mild acne, mild hirsutism, and have ovary pain sometimes! Yes, it’s possible to have both ovarian (testosterone and androstenedione) and adrenal androgens (DHEAS). My TSH tends to come in around 0.9 mIU/L. You may have been given the diagnosis of PCOS but there are actually several different reasons for androgen excess in women including androgen hypersensitivity, adrenal androgen excess, and hormonal birth control with a high androgen index. Not just in not having enough intercourse, but I am frustrated at feeling aroused all the time. She prescribes me Cyclo-Progynova (Estradiolvalerat 2mg/Levonorgestrel 0,15mg) and assures me that it helps to get an ovulation and then after the bleeding, she will do the tests. I finally got my period back but I still have symptoms of unbalanced hormones such as slight hirtutism, hair loss and difficulty losing weight. The combination of everything seemed to slow down the hair loss, but not back to normal. The most well-known androgen is testosterone, which is a vital hormone for the development of male sex-specific features. It was unnoticeable to me for two years, and then the next 2.5 years were nightmarish until I removed it myself in the bathroom. I’m essentially concerned that I either just have a genetic sensitivity to high androgens because I’m losing hair, or that my blood test results appear normal right now because I’m on the pill. Do you ovulate regularly? And I have a very regular yet painful cycle and I do ovulate each month bc I monitor cervical mucus and temp. It is true that stopping or changing any hormonal medication can trigger temporarily worsened hair loss. Thorne Berberine i just bought! I suffered from PMS before going on the pill. Something definitely happened with your hormones back in March-April, but it’s not clear now what that was… I know that makes it difficult to treat going forward. High testosterone levels have been seen to be associated with obesity, hypertension, amenorrhea (cessation of menstrual cycles), and ovulatory dysfunction, which can lead to infertility. I was also happily surprised to get my period 34 days after leaving the pill :). Hi Renee, See if you can find a Naturopath or herbalist to prescribe you Peony & Licorice formula. I have been trying to sort out symptoms of hair loss for several years. And my BS seems to be good and I did have an insulin sensitivity test done and I’m actual insulin sensitive not resistant at all. Did you use them at the same time?? My cycle is regular. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thyroid hormones change all the time, now (2019)i have high TSH. In the second part (from ovulation to menstruation) I ate 1 tbs sesameseed and 1 tbsp sunflowerseed and a evening primrose supplement. I can’t live a normal life. She said that she’d be on board with more natural ways if I could find them, I don’t know about saw palmetto, but I have been drinking Spearmint tea 2 cups per day and have noticed a dramatic decrease in facial hair. Is your thyroid function okay? I have excessive hair growth: chin (I have to pluck my chin daily), belly, upper lip, chest etc. Values are changing, because when i stopped eating Diane35 four years ago(2015) i had low TSH, high LH, high testosterone.Then just four months later TSH normal. Did your doctor also give you some natural progesterone? but only 12 days on bcp, now my tsh is a 10. The anti-androgen diet is made up of foods that reduce the production of male sex hormones in the body, which may be particularly relevant to those with PCOS. I didn’t see this case in your article. At the three month mark, I began to experience the dreaded massive telogen effluvium hair shed from coming off of the pill and also developed acne that has continued to get worse and is cystic at times, especially around my mouth and jawline and also on my forehead. I had my insulin tested with a fasting glucose test. It seems this adrenal androgen excess is so hard to conquer! It could be that your SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) levels were elevated. Moreover there are theoretical possibilities that low testosterone in men and high free testosterone fraction in women may play a role in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Hirsutism can occur if the mix becomes unbalanced with too high a proportion of male sex hormones (androgens).Hirsutism can be caused by: 1. Hi – I’ve had problems with chest/back acne for many years, especially while on various types of “the Pill” (in college, 20’s, early 30’s). Potential causes include: Neurotransmitter imbalance. It’s been a year and it feels as if my body has aged 10 years . All my bloodtests are fine, also my hormonal levels. You have adrenal androgen excess, and as I explain in the post, it’s not caused by insulin resistance. My gynecologist suggested that the above, total testosterone level being too high might be why. I suggest you head over to the Vitex blog written by Lara. 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