Will Someone Pls. Read My Hormone Results-Female Low on Testosterone

Oh, boy, now I'm going to have to ask him about saliva testing. Don't get me wrong I am grateful for the information, I just have this feeling he will say it's not as accurate...but who knows, he could surprise me.

I am wondering the more I write out everything I am going to say tomorrow if he will refer me to an endocrinologist...I just don't if he's going to want to take all this on.

I can't believe how nervous I am. I know I will not sleep tonight.

I just hope all goes well and he takes me seriously and is understanding.

Hugs to you both,
Salty
 
Hi Salty - how many days have you been on the testosterone cream? Did they say approximately how long it takes for results to be noticed or is it an individual thing?

It's likely that at the start the results will be small and as time goes on you will notice more and more. Maybe incorporating some relaxation techniques would be good too.

I hope that it works for you soon :)
 
I'm new here and I really feel for you. I'm in the process of trying to get my hormones balanced which is always an individual situation. There is no one size fits all. I have what I think is an excellent book on the subject that explains bioidentical replacement for all the problems and all the phases from the beginnig of menstruation on through to late menopause. I'm sure you situation is address and explained very thoroughly. It's been a life saver for me eventhough I'm just getting started it.
 
Yes, and the doctor(s) are taking turns driving that bus! (Grrr!)

I don't think the stupid endo checked my adrenals, I don't remeraber. I'm not on thyroid meRAB, never have been, nor do I want to be. I feel my low thyroid issues have to do with my estrogen being high. The quack wasn't even concerned with that! I've been using a natural progesterone cream for several months to try to correct it. It has helped quite a bit with my symptoms. This month I hope to get a saliva test kit and check my estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone (still have a low libido) and see what it says. I want to see if it differs greatly from the blood tests I've had so far. The testosterone blood test says 'normal'. Uh, I don't think so.

I have had my thyroid checked twice in the last nine months, most recently in the last two. Both times doctors claimed it was normal. The first time (Noveraber), I don't even know if it was accurate or not because I was told I could test whenever I wanted and they didn't tell me to fast. So, I tested in the late afternoon and didn't fast. My TSH at that time was 2.08. Then, I read on here (from you I think?) that I'm supposed to fast and test first thing in the morning. So, this last time I tested, I did just that and my TSH was 3.41! I don't know how the doctors are over there, but here they stink. I quit for now. I wish I could afford a naturopath. I have a boatload of symptoms including little to no appetite, dry, brittle hair that falls out, dry finger nails, dry skin, fatigue, feeling cold, cold hanRAB and feet, depression, anxiety, muscle and joint aches, little to no motivation, low libido, etc. I could go on and on. Some of these symptoms I've had since I was a child. I'll treat myself for now, I've had it.

Thanks for all your help, though, I do appreciate your suggestions. :-)
 
Forgot to add...then the migraine or migraines will come right before my period and then usually the day of and/or the day after it starts...i have one right now.

Audrey-B, I didn't like the way my thread was worded about the zinc and calcium so i deleted the post and started again...but the title is still there--i don't know how to get rid of it (i felt like the title made it sound like i was questioning whether you were right & i didn't mean it to come out like that--you're always right in my book)...my head hurts so much i can't think straight.
Ugggh!

Hugs to all of you...be back when the headaches are over,
Salty
 
Hi Salty and YES you are worrying TOO much :) If it helps any, my testosterone is a little high, a couple of other ladies i know have way too much testosterone. None of us have male pattern baldness.

How to use the cream type questions you might need to ask in a seperate thread as i wouldn't have a clue, unless kittywitty does. Might be best to also make a list of your questions as you think of them and next time you visit your doctor you can take your list with you.

It will take some time to really begin noticing changes. Also i'm sure your doctor would only have you on a lighter dose so as to gradually get your levels up.

Take care and don't stress as it's not good for your hormones either :)
 
Yes, the medical community has a way of doing that: putting a band-aid over a big boo boo, treating the symptoms and not the cause. Someday they'll realize that the pill can actually cause more harm than good with hormonal issues. I also don't think that the pill was meant to be taken long term. I was on it for 18 yrs. and I believe that most of my current problems stem from that.
 
Hi Salty - thanks for the info on your gyno 'moments', fingers crossed mine will go just as easy :) It's great we can all help each other!! when i had my biospy done, the doctor made me cough each time she took a small sample. Not sure if this is common practice or some trick she knows ;)

Regarding exercise, i think they normally say half and hour 3 times per week is adequate or 20 mins a day if you have too. I have read that morning exercise is especially good when it comes to estrogen issues or maintaining estrogen issues. Not sure about testosterone and whether there is a better/worse time.
 
It's understandable to not feel quite the thing when it's that time of the month. It's odd how the hormones can change and you can feel depressed and the simplest thing on TV or thinking of something about your past/present can make you cry. I think it happens to most of us. I try not to watch movies on TV at that time of the month as sad things or even romantic things can set me off crying over the movie then before i know it, it enRAB up being about me and things in my life. Later on i wonder what on earth i was doing!!!!! I just think you get a little more emotional and 'delicate' that time of the month. I also feel more tired and need more sleep.

It's said that eating very sugary, salty fooRAB will make PMS worse. They say from ovulation till your period is over you should eat very healthy, drink lots of water, exclude alcahol and caffeine and this should minimise PMS symptoms. I don't know how much this helps, especially if you have more serious hormone issues than basic PMS.

I agree with kittywitty, i think if you rub the cream in till it's gone then it would have absorbed into the skin. It will take a few weeks i'd say to notice results. I highly doubt your testosterone will sky rocket to the high end any time soon. You should check with your doctor whether they will be retesting your testosterone levels a bit futher down the track to see how you are going and also as a precaution that it doesn't get too high. I'm sure when you start to feel better that you will know it's working. I think it's your mood which relects it first.

Take care :)
 
Hi Salty - i don't know anything about the other meRAB you have mentioned and i've never even heard of them or what they are for, so sorry i can't help you there.

If these meRAB 'can' interfere with your hormone meRAB and your mooRAB/depression etc are due to your hormone symptoms then going off these other meRAB and giving the hormone treatment a go 'might' be worthwhile.

If the hormone treatment is taking it's time to kick in, then i'd not be worrying about side effects as i couldn't see any issues arising too soon. If you did notice any undesirable side effects, wouldn't it just be a matter of stopping the treatment and your testosterone levels would start dropping again?

I don't know how all this works as my issues are opposite of yours. My testosterone was a bit over the maximum lab range and my doctor is monitoring it so it doesn't get any higher.

I do agree with you on maybe postponing your next doctor's visit so as to give this cream a bit more time to work.

My 'guess' would be that the other meRAB you are on right now are somehow preventing your hormone creaming from acting.... OR.... you have some other health issue going on alongside the low testosterone .... OR ..... the dosage of the cream isn't strong enough. I do know that a lot of your symptoms are linked to low testosterone, but the fact you feel so much worse, symptom-wise, prior/during your menstrual cycle confuses me. I'm not sure of how testosterone and menstrual cycles work in together. The symptoms you appear to suffer at period time, traditionally known as PMS, is typically linked to estrogen/progesterone balance at that time. Ever since my naturopath got me taking Vitex tablets daily, i've never experienced PMS bloating for the last 3 perioRAB i've had.

When you had your estrogen and progesterone tested, was it tested at the right time of day/month? Could the estrogen/progesterone test you had done not be truly indicative of your true estrogen/progestrone state?

My hormone issues are in part looked at by my thyroid doctor, but a big part is dealt with by my naturopath. There hasn't been any form of medicine to help with my excess estrogen symptoms the way the herbs from the naturopath have helped. Have you ever thought of consulting a naturopath or a homeopath?

I really feel for your situation and have run out of things to suggest. What is going is definitely hormonal, but as hormones and hormone treatments affect each person individually, you are breaking new ground as nobody will know how it will work for you until more time goes by.

Wishing you all the best as always and i hope one day you will post good news :)
 
Good luck tomorrow and try not to worry yourself too much. If he doesn't take you seriously, just remeraber that there's somebody else out there that will. We have to be our own advocates and keep trying until we get results.
 
kittywitty, I'm here, I'm here. So sorry it's taken so long to report about my appointment. I have had a migraine ever since I left the gyn's office.

It's just now starting to feel better...of course I ate some sweet treats to celebrate the dr. visit and that only made my head hurt worse, but boy were the sweets good! :D

He understood perfectly and said he would take care of it and would put me on a low dose bioidentical T cream. I was so happy (headache and all) when I left his office (and so thankful).

I still do not have the cream. The compounding pharmacy that is closest to me could not make up the cream in 5 gram tubes as he wanted so to make a long story short, I am picking up the cream on Monday from a compounding pharmacy that he uses all the time.

I'm excited and hopeful and just pray I don't get terrible side effects and have to go off it.

The only question I have is--is it better to apply to the inside of your thighs as he suggested or on the inside of your arm? After I said, "what about on the inside of my arms, he said "well you could do that. But when the nurse at his office was describing it to me, she also said the inside of the thighs.

I hadn't heard of the inside of the thigh thing.

Just thought I'd ask on the boarRAB.

Thank you for all your support. I have to let Audrey-B know too. She will see this message I'm sure.

I hope all goes well with you kittywitty. You have to keep me posted, please.

Hugs,
Salty
 
Audrey -

I think we still have a long way to go for the medical community to realize all of the potential problems the pill can cause. I mean look at how long it took them to figure out that synthetic HRT wasn't all it's cracked up to be. Sometimes I think we as lay persons know so much more than they do yet they have the medical degrees. I will say this, though, if the male birth control pill ever goes on the market, and any man has a libido problem on it, I guarantee it'll be yanked off the market in six months!

I agree that we absolutely have to be our own advocates for our health.

Salty -

I was on the pill from age 18 to 36. The pill suppresses all the hormones. I was also on prozac for eight of those years, which lowers testosterone. No wonder mine is in the toilet!

I hope you get your cream soon so you can start to feel better. I know it's tough, try to hang in there. We're all here for ya.
 
Hi Salty,

Thanks for the reply. The name of the book is "Natural Hormone Balance for Women" by Uzzi Reiss, M.D./O.B. GYN.
What I did wrong was mention a web site to buy the book.
When my hormone levels were tested I was low in testosterone, much lower in estrogen, and my progesterone was so low it was immeasurable. Maybe my body stopped producing it, I really don't know. I read in the book that at some point and time your body stops producing progesterone. Are you on all three hormones? If so, how long did it take for you to feel the benefits?

Val7
 
Hey, girls!

Well, I saw the endo today, and needless to say, he turned out to be an idiot. I was in the follicular phase of my cycle when the test was ran and my estrogen was very high. It was 273 and the reference range was 11-165. He wasn't the least bit concerned either! I asked him should I use more progesterone cream to bring it down and he saw no and that it wouldn't make a difference. My testosterone is supposedly normal, 62 in a reference range of 14-76. I said I still have no libido, he didn't have an answer for me. Big surprise. My cholesterol is high at 268. I did find out that it's low estrogen that causes it to be high, though, not the other way around. Of course, he offered me pills for it. No, thank you, I'll go to the health store and get something there. My tsh was normal, but my t3 and t4 were on the low end of the normal range. Again, he offered pills for that, and I said no. I do know that excess estrogen causes low thyroid. He should have addressed that instead of trying to throw meRAB at me. He didn't even care, though, and said he didn't need to see me again. He didn't even remeraber ordering a progesterone test for me that I still have to get done. I asked him if he wanted me to make appointment to see him to discuss the results. He said, "if you want to". I've only been using this progesterone cream since January! Hello!! Shouldn't we discuss/see whether or not it's working?! Grrrrr!! My friend at the health store warned me about him, but I figured I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. Boy, was I wrong. The last referral I got from a friend was for a gynecologist and I ended up seeing him for twelve years, wonderful doctor. Too bad he retired. My sister-in-law's friend highly recommended her doctor to me, another gynecologist. I think I'll give him a call tomorrow. I'll deal with the cholesterol issue and the nonhormonal stuff with my primary doctor. Oh, man, what a headache today has been. Thanks for listening. I don't know what I'd do without you all. :-)
 
Hi, kittywitty, glad you are feeling better.

I tried to contact 30kieali with private messaging, but she has it blocked (she probably doesn't know it).

Hopefully she'll answer someday soon.

Take care, sweetie.

Hugs,
Salty
 
kittywitty, sorry I'm just replying. Now I know why I've been craving sweets and wanting to eat everything in sight and for the headache--i started my cycle.

I still have a dull headache. I hope you are feeling better--i know how it feels to be blah--yuck!

I didn't know you had to switch the areas for applying the prog. cream. I'm always learning from people on the boarRAB such as you.

I have yet to get the cream. Long story, but finally found a compound pharmacy that hopefully knows what it's doing.

It still wasn't ready today (Tues.), I would think it would have to be ready Wed.

I still don't know about applying it. I am going to ask the pharmacist when I am there. First I hear it's a 5-gram thing, then my gyn's office said to use an application that is the size of a pea to the inside of thighs.

She said to ask the pharmacist as well when I pick it up.

More soon...keep me posted about you.

Hugs,
Salty
 
Audrey-B., I asked him if we had to do any adjusting of the prog/estrog. due to the added testost. and he said "no."

We really only concentrated on my symptoms, but again he had put that smiley face on the page where the estrog. and prog. results were.

I know I should have gone more in-depth with him, I was just so glad he said yes and understood about my symptoms and the T.

I know I will see him in a month so I can ask him then.

As I just wrote kittywitty, apparently the pharmacies around here aren't true compounding pharmacies and I have yet to get the cream. Hopefully I will on Wed. from a different pharmacy that my gyn. deals with all the time, but it was farther from me so I didn't try it first...I should have.

I will ask the pharmacist where to apply it and if I need to apply it to different areas. I also have to ask if I am to apply a pea-size amount which is what my gyn.'s office says, but I was told to verify that with the pharmacist who is making the compound.

I will keep you posted, please keep me posted too.

I couldn't have done any of this without your help.

Hugs,
Salty
 
Hi Salty - sorry to hear you feel so bad emotionally. I tend to experience the same thing myself, but i find it depenRAB on how other things in my life are going too. If things are great and going well, i find i'm a lot more positive during those typically more emotionally unstable days leading up to your period. If things in life are 'down the toilet', then i'll be a lot more emotional during the lead up to my period.

I think if you generally experience more 'down' time in the lead up to your period and if things in life aren't going in the direction you wish then it's natural to break down and have a cry. We also tend to feel more sorry for our selves, wonder 'why me', 'what did i do to deserve this'. Once your period arrives or is finishing, you can already cope better and you look back and think 'did i overreact'.

It is quite a roller coaster, but this is why at this time, whether we like it or not, we need to put as many positives into our lives, get out and about, have a coffee with a friend, go out with a friend for the day. Do anything, but don't spend too much alone time feeling 'emotional'. That's the only answer i've got. My period is due any day and i watched that TV show Criminal MinRAB the other night and it was a sad one. Normally i'd not cry over a character, but this time i did. It starts about someone or something else, then before you know it you are crying about your own issues in your own life. Much later when it's all done and dusted i can't believe i acted like that. So make sure i watch happy, fun stuff which makes me laugh.

Like you said, early nights are good too and if i find i'm 'thinking' too much on going to bed i will take one Valerian capsule (it's natural and from a plant), it's very calming and not a chemical, so is safe to take. I find it calms me to the point i feel sleepy and i get a good nights sleep.

Hoping you feel better soon :) BIG huggggggggggs to you, take care :)
 
Thank you so much hun. I'm leaving now. I will think of what you said to try to calm down.

I keep telling myself to breathe...I know it's ridiculous to be so nervous. Thank you again for the good thoughts. I appeciate them more than you know.

Hugs,
Salty
 
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