Question about hormones, spotting and weight loss

[fierrbugg]

Hello ladies!!

I hope it's ok to ask this in this forum. It's not really a ttc issue, more a hormone insanity problem.

I have serious hormone deficiencies - low progesterone, too much estrogen, high prolactin. I was dx'd w/ PCOS in 2002, but my most recent nmd said that she actually didn't think I had PCOS, just hormone problems. Anyway, TMI but I've been spotting for 15 days. It started out slow and pink/brown. I have had days of heavier bright red blood and it's now just varying between heavy/light brown/red. Not alot of clots. I don't chart - because it got too frustrating so I don't particularly know what my hormone situation looks like. I am between dr.'s right now, but Dh and I are planning to make an appt w/ an RE that a friend of ours used and loved to see about treatment for hormones/ttc. We haven't made that appt. yet. I did feel nauseous for a few days last week, but nothing major. Other than the frustration from the spotting I feel fine. I have taken 5 hpt, all bfn's.

The other issue is that I realized this morning that I've lost 18 pounds. I don't regularly weigh myself, so it's 18 pounds since like 6 months ago. It's a big window. And I went part-time at work in July so I'm eating better, trying to work out. I'm sure that has alot to do w/ it. And I only did it because everyone at work kept asking me if I'd lost weight.

Has something like this happened to anyone else and how concerned would you be? I’m really not that concerned right now, because like I said I feel fine – but I will be making an appt. w/ that RE asap. It's all so frustrating and confusing:

[cristeen]

Why did she say that she thought you didn't have PCOS?

Have you had your hormones tested recently? Including your thyroid and testosterone levels? Have you had your hCG Levels tested via blood test, since HPTs won't show low levels? Is it possibly you have/had uterine cysts or fibroids, those may also cause bleeding...

Spotting that long is not unheard of, but it does generally indicate an imbalance of some kind if it's not a miscarriage.

[airmide_m]

It sounds to me like hormone issues as you suspect and could also be adrenal fatigue and/or (especially with the weight loss) a thyroid issue. I just made a big post about that on this thread so you can check out a lot there:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=764776

Since you already know you have hormonal issues I would suggest you look up Diagnos Techs website. They have a long list of healthcare providers who do saliva testing (which is most accurate for hormones and adrenals) and would probably be more likely to prescribe bio-identical hormones. You can also check that post I listed above for lots of other ideas on finding a good doc, learning about thyroid issues etc.

Also you can go to www.yahoogroups.com and look up the group Hormones and Health Naturally , and they have a lot of great info there.

[fierrbugg]

Cristeen: I honestly forget why she said she didn't think I had PCOS, might have been because I don't have cycsts, and only a few of the issues, but what's funny is that I have the classic body structure and unexplained weight gain (40 pounds overnight almost) after my first mc. I had my whole hormone work-up done around Aug/2006 - so the knowledge that I have about my issues is fairly recent and hasn't changed much since my initial tests in 2002/2003. My nmd did say that I was 'a little hypothyroid' - but I wasn't able to get in to see her, before she split her practice between FL and AZ - and it's very hard to get in to see her now, and we've decided not to see her anymore. I know that my testosterone is higher than it should be, simply because I've been dealing w/ a 'beard' since I was 16 and all tests have confirmed that. I haven't gone for hcg blood tests, and when I last had my hsg (2003?) I didn't have any cysts at all. Of course I realize that could have changed by now.

airmide: Thanks so much for the links and info!! I'm going to check them out. I have heard a bit here and there about adrenal fatigue. It's certainly something I'm going to have to look into. Thanks so much!!

Since I'm still spotting dh and I have decided to go see an RE that a friend of ours sees. He reportedly employs both conventional and more traditional/natural methods to help w/ issues. We need to see someone if for no other reason than to run the tests that you suggested, Cristeen. I can't wear panty-liners forever. :

Thanks, ladies!!