Hormone Testing?
#256284 - 04/04/06 02:42 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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I figured since this site has a lot of girls on it some of you might know something about hormone testing. I saw my doctor yesterday and they are still concerned about my cortisol levels. So, he's referring me to an endocrinologist but since that might take awhile he ordered some hormone testing in the meantime. They are thinking that *maybe* my estrogen levels are too high and that is what is pushing my cortisol levels up. I think it's called estrogen dominance. So he ordered testing of my estrogen, testosterone, FSH and FH (I think). Anyone familiar with the F tests? I don't know what they are for. It's just so weird to think that maybe my anxiety actually is being propelled by something going wrong in my body...if that's the case, no wonder I respond so poorly to all the sedating medications they've tried throwing at me!
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Hey Kelly -- I'm not of much help here, but I had a few hormone tests done and I was able to find quite a bit of information on the Internet. Start out by typing in the name of each test and then follow it with "blood work" or "blood test". Unfortunately, I can't give you any specific links because it did take a bit of sifting to come up with anything.
I had the FSH and luteinizing hormone checked, as well as testosterone. All of that was perfectly normal. They didn't check my estrogen, but at the time they didn't know I had endometriosis. Since I was having so many problems then I have a feeling my estrogen would've probably been pretty wonky.
Hopefully the doctors come back with something and you don't have to wait six months to see the endocrinologist.
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jen
"It's one of the most serious things that can possibly happen to one in a battle -- to get one's head cut off." -- LC
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Hey Kelly! The FSH level should be done on cycle day three, cycle day one being the first day of your period! It is used to measure ovarian reserve and to see if you are entering into pre or menopause hormones levels. A women in her 30's should be under ten, over 15 is considered pretty much infertile and not good! I'm having mine rechecked when I start my next cycle but this time last year mine was 6.8 to give you a gauge!
I'm not aware of just a FH test? They test for LH hormone just before ovulation but not sure what a FH hormone test would be? Your estrogen will probably be checked on cycle day 3 as well, it should be fairly low at that time, I think usually under 50 is considered good. As each cycle day goes by, your estrogen rises, standard is roughly 200-250 per mature follicle at ovulation time and the "normal" girl will only produce one follicle a month. This rise in estrogen is what makes the LH hormone spike, which triggers ovulation. Once you ovulate, release the mature egg follicle, the estrogen is supposed to drop and the progesterone is supposed to rise. Progesterone is most often checked 7 days past ovulation and it should be at least 10-15 but higher is better, anything lower can mean that you are not ovulating or that your body isn't producing enough progesterone to carry a pregnancy, its called a luteal phase defect. You can also have this LPD if your luteal phase, time from ovulation until your period, is shorter than 12 days.
I don't know the effects of estrogen on cortisol but I have heard of estrogen dominance and it can cause lots of wacky problems! My estrogen is right on but my progesterone runs a bit low and it causes low sex drive and can cause moodiness/depression and I also have insomnia issues, not sure if its related though?!! 
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I'm not familiar with these tests, but you can read about different tests at labtestonline.org (public resource on clinical lab testing). I just checked the list of tests and did find FSH. Here the link: http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/fsh/glance.html
When do you see your endocrinologist and your doctor to go over these tests?
I hope you get some answers! Take care! 
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Maria
#256596 - 04/05/06 05:37 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Thanks for the link...I will check it out. I think I've been there before but it's American and the lab values are often totally different in Canada for some reason 
I see my GP on the 13th to follow-up but will likely speak to his nurse tomorrow just to see if they were abnormal (even though I won't know how to interpret that). As for the endocrinologist, I don't have an appointment set up yet. Usually they just fax a referral requests to all the endos they want you to potentially get in to see and then go with the first available appointment, but my doc has some clout in the community so he said he'd make some personal phone calls to try and get me in sooner. Might mean it'll take longer for me to hear when the appointment is, but should result in a faster appointment.
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Michele
#256598 - 04/05/06 05:40 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Thanks for the info You're a bit of an expert aren't you? It may have been LH he was testing for...I was so tired I didn't ask, just tried to read the form and it was pretty scribbly, so maybe that's what it was.
Problem is, I don't have a "cycle" because I take my birth control pills back to back so I don't get a period (maybe once or twice a year tops) so they just have to take it whenever. Hopefully the result will still mean something though.
He actually didn't order a progesterone test so I think I'll ask about that next time because as far as I know, any of them being off can cause mood issues. And because I'm responding so poorly to "typical" meds, that does sorta point to the anxiety being caused by another source (I think anyways)
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Jen
#256599 - 04/05/06 05:41 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Thanks for replying I'm surprised you had those other things checked and not your estrogen...you might want to have that done. I spoke to a girl who has endometriosis and had estrogen dominance that made her really sick...and now she is on a progesterone only pill and has to be careful about things because it did cause a lot of mood issues (stupid endo eh?). Anyways, did you get my email? I really hope you did...I don't want you to think I was ignoring you...I probably sent it a week or so ago?
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Re: Michele
#256741 - 04/06/06 11:29 AM
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michele
Reged: 06/02/03
Posts: 6886
Loc: southeastern michigan
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Hmm, you know for as long as I took bc pills,almost 17 years, I'm not really sure how the hormones vary through out the month compared to a non bc pill cycle! I would also piggy back my pills and only have periods a few times a year. I don't know this for sure but it makes sense that if you don't actually ovulate, which is the purpose of the pill, then your progesterone wouldn't raise as much, maybe making an estrogen dominance problem worse??? I'm really guessing here but it sounds logical! 
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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