PCOS, hormone levels, thyroid, lab work

[mmhinton]

I was dx with PCOS when we were ttc ds1. After ds1 and ds2 were born, my periods were more regular (at 30-40 days apart) than ever in my life. However, I also began to have symptoms that I'd never had before. (hypothyroid, sometimes with some hyper symptoms, similar to perimenopause or severe PMS). And, fwiw, my mom has hypothyroid... symptoms I am now having are what she had at my age. So, I asked my PCP for blood work.

All my lab work (of course) came back "normal". Lab work was taken on day 30 of my cycle...which ended up being a 40 day cycle. So, what "phase" of the cycle was I in? How do I know if I ever even ovulated (I don't usually "feel" ovulation and am not sure I even do so)? Does any of that make any difference?

The good news though is that the dr. has made a referral to a hormone specialist and (at my request) an endocrinologist as well....but those appts are not til March and Feb!

I have read some of the links posted in the thyroid threads and they've been very helpful...BUT at times I wonder if I'm just crazy?!?! I mean, if there is (and my gut instinct does say "yes! there is") a problem shouldn't *something* show up somewhere in blood work???

[tanyalynn]

It can take a long time for things to show up in bloodwork. And what your doc interprets as normal may not be normal among people who feel healthy. In general, it seems like TSH under 2 (some would say closer to 1, for me that was the case) is normal in healthy people, and free T3 and free T4 in the upper third of the reference ranges are what you want. Get a copy of your labwork, it's the only way to know for sure.

For me, it took more than a year of feeling horrible, really not functioning well, for my TSH to drift from 1.05, where I felt good, to 4.5--still not outside the reference range, but when I pointed out the trend (had a couple data points in between) they conceded "maybe" it was related. Helpful, thanks.

If the endo isn't alternative-minded, you may not get a lot of help there. Many endocrinologists seem very labwork-driven, certainly the office I saw was. Not all, but it's something to keep in mind.

If your gut says something is off, then I'd work with that. Bloodwork only measures what it measures--if you don't feel good, and your cycles sound atypical so that's a solid thing to hang your hat on, then working to change the things that seem wrong seems very rational. You may want to chart your BBTs if you don't already, see where they are--seeing just how far off from normal my body temps were (both BBTs and daytime temps for me) was another tangible piece of evidence that I wasn't nuts.

For me, because the bloodwork was so slow to change, I didn't get a lot of help from conventional docs (I don't have PCOS, just used to be hypo and a lot of subtle stuff that was wrong, but hard to quantify), and I eventually looked to non-conventional HCPs. On average, they listened better and had more tools to help me get healthier.

[JaneS]

What were the test results exactly? sounds like you need to get tested for anti thyroid antibodies.

You'd know if you were ovulating if you have lots of EWCM - egg white cervical mucus. http://www.fertilinet.com/Cervical%2...0Fertility.htm

Tanya,
I thought the recent TSH normal limit is 3 according to the Amer Academy of Clinical Endocrinologists but a lot of labs still list 5 as upper limit?

[tanyalynn]

That rec doesn't seem very binding. I pointed out the page to the endo's office and all I got was a "we don't use that" response. From a practical standpoint, docs don't seem bound by it.

[JaneS]

seriously how do these people sleep at night?!

[eireann]

I'm in the same boat. "Normal" labs, abnormal feelings. They (HCPs) neglect to look at the numbers in reference to one another, nor do they ever seem to account for the adrenals. I just got BW back - low t3 & t4s, and high aldosterone. Bad thyroid symptoms, great blood work....ugh. You know its present when DH calls and says "I just saw the front page of CNN. They had an article about sleep and mentioned something about PP thyroiditis...hon, you have all these symptoms..." which I've been saying for months to slave to the lab result docs.

Below website will provide some resources on HCPs who are in your area. There are a lot of great women on that site. Definitely worth a visit.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...yroidHormones/

[subtlycrunchy]

Hugs to you mama! Here's a good article on PCOS from Women to Women -- you can call them for referrels too. Good luck!

[mmhinton]

Ok Mamas - here are my lab #'s (oh, and lab work was done at about 2:30 p.m. on day 30 of a 40 day cycle) (fwiw - I am 5'8" and about 155-160lbs)

Sex hormone Binding Glob, Serum 94.6
DHEA-Sulfate 191.3
Testerone, Free & total 37
Progesterone 22.8
Estradiol 194.2
LH 8.3
FSH 2.5
TSH .91
T4, Free 1.0
T3 92

Those are the hormone labs - they also did a CBC and CMP....if those are relevant, let me know and I'd happily post them too

I have not yet started to track my BBT, but plan to. I do know that when I tracked it with ttc ds1 it was consistently on the lower side (like my "normal" temp is around 97.0 F). However, at that time, I was still ALWAYS HOT as in, wearing short sleeves in the middle of winter, sweating easily, hot flashes, etc. NOW, though, I am getting to the point of being always cold - basically, I have no body temp regulation. If I get hot, it takes awhile to cool down, but once I'm cold, I cannot get warm. And, now too, my hands and feet are always FREEZING (to the point of feeling numb)...but it is not my circulation - that is good.
Other symptoms - I get really angry really easily (NOT normal for me) especially at my boys which just makes me sad as I love them more than anything!); feeling tired/worn out/fatigued even with "enough" sleep; zero sex drive during PMS (again NOT normal for me) with a very dry, itchy/raw feeling (internal, like on the vaginal walls); and some 'typical' PMS symptoms too.

I am hoping to get a endo that is alternative minded....but will have to at least start with this referral. I'm glad though that I will get to see an endo and, separately, a "hormone specialist" (she is a PA who is highly recommended by several people I know).

Anyone have any thoughts re: the lab work??? Most of it means zilch to me...especially since as the dr said "it's all normal"....

[mmhinton]

got a call yesterday from the hormone specialists office. They are moving my appt up 3 months (from March to December). Said they "talked to my doctor and wanted to get me in". Now wondering if they 1)got me in earlier just due to talking to the dr 2) had a cancellation or 3) they saw my lab work/history and saw a problem?!?

I suppose I should not worry about it and jsut be thankful that I can get in earlier