DHEA evelated- any info appreciated - Page 2

jnswd · 06-27-2008, 08:32 PM

HI. I have high DHEA-S too and that is how I was diagnosed. I never had an ultrasound or anything. I too have had anxiety at different times in my life. I am now on met and thyroid meds and I feel pretty good- not perfect, but better than I have in a while. I was diagnosed by an internal medicine doctor. I went to my ob/gym with my symptoms and she said nothing. My internam med doctor was a bit horrified that the ob dismissed the symptoms and didn't try to find a cause. Anyways, I don't really understand the whole DHEA-S thing. I dont' know how to lower it other than taking met and losing weight??? Does that even lower it? Thanks for sharing!

mamacat01 · 06-27-2008, 09:39 PM

Does the DHEA family deal with weight? I am not sure. Then I am thinking how ALL my issues problem stem around this extra poundage on my organs. I'm really serious about losing weight now. I haven't felt right in a while and even my insecurity level is annoying for me. My husband made a comment about buying me lingerie and I got all mad- at him and me. I didn't want him getting XL or telling some girl XL and he's in good shape so I'm the oddball.

I see my doctor again Tuesday. She said she would keep digging for why my DHEA-S was high even after the US showed nothing. She said about going for a MRI. Seems like nobody knows the answers.

sapphirepl · 06-28-2008, 02:49 PM

Well, weight is one problem I don't have, so I know that can't be causing it, at least for me. While it is good to be a healthy weight, it does seem to make docs scratch their heads a little more as far as telling me what's causing my PCOS symptoms, and what I can do.

splashsmama · 07-02-2008, 07:13 PM

Mamacat,
You may want to look into LOCAH (Late Onset Congential Adrenal Hyperplasia). A previous poster mentioned it. It's also called NCAH (Nonclassic Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia).
Here's a link to a website about it: http://www.caresfoundation.org/produ.../pc/index.html

There's a simple blood test to see if you have LOCAH or not. Or you can have a genetic test done to see if you have the genes for it.

What they recommend for treatment, to lower the androgen (male sex hormone, like DHEA-S) is a glucocorticoid, like dexamethasone for example.
It's worth checking into.
I'm having my dr look into it, since all my bloodwork came back normal except for slightly elevated DHEA-S levels.

HTH.

mamacat01 · 07-03-2008, 12:24 AM

Wow, it's so funny you mentioned that the LOCAH because my doctor mentioned it too. She's so nice, she laughed and mentioned me googling it because she knew I would. We are pointing in 4 directions:

LOCAH
PMDD
PCOS
Diabetes

I don't know much about LOCAH at all. I can say I feel horrible and here comes my period again in a week and a 1/2 and it's kicking in hard. I always say how all of this is so out of character for me but it's been my character now for 2 years which annoys me. I remember just getting up and living and thinking everyday things . I can see why I feel so suicidal and how people get there, you get sick of thinking. It's hard to see hope or even someone curing me. I get so scared I could just be going crazy. This board has been great, I appreciate all the replies SOOOOO much.

I had a TON of bloodwork this morning. I think she checked it all, even my Celiac Panel which I've had IBS for years and apparently that causes depression. This has been such a journey but I am happy I am looking into medical issues and just didn't run to the mental ward and get put on tons of drugs. Sure, I have Xanax but if I followed the first 5 docs, I'd be on Zoloft and nobody was looking at much with me or even paying attention to me. This new woman is so wonderful. it means everything to have a doctor listen to you.

splashsmama · 07-03-2008, 07:54 PM

Mamacat,

That's wonderful to hear about your new doc. You'll have to let us know how things work out with your tests.
It's interesting the dr is also testing your celiac panel. There's some thought that women diagnosed with PCOS are actually gluten sensitive, because gluten sensitivity also creates similar effects as PCOS. And intolerance to gluten can lead to celiac disease in some individuals. Here's a link to an article I read about it:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1507.asp

HTH.

mamacat01 · 07-04-2008, 12:08 AM

That's even more strange about the Celiac. I just don't have cysts and regular cycles however my DHEA is raised to over 500, I have the insulin resistance, acne, hairloss (that started after my daughter 6 years ago and keeps going, it's not obvious), depression, severe anxiety. It's just so hard, you get torn in so many directions.

My IBS started in my teens, I am sure it was anxiety induced mostly. If I was close to home it always hit. Now it's home and out and when we eat out. And 16years later, still dealing with it.

This is overwhelming. I want a medical reason I feel so depressed and my anxiety is so bad. I read up on the LOCAH and apparently those are symptoms but I don't to get my hopes up that I might have an answer.

mamacat01 · 07-04-2008, 12:10 AM

Splashsmama- What are they saying about your DHEA being elevated? What was the number? You said it was the only test, did they run ALL of them even the diabetes ones, etc?

splashsmama · 07-04-2008, 01:52 PM

Mamacat,
Yeah, they ran everything on me and said all my blood levels checked out to be fine. The only thing that was off was the DHEAS levels. They didn't give me the number, and I forgot to ask. I planned on calling to make an appt with the dr on Monday to talk to her face-to-face about this and see what she thinks. I'll get the DHEAS number then.

mamacat01 · 07-05-2008, 01:04 AM

Splashsmama- I've had alot of docs not care about the DHEA levels and what bothered me was mine went up another 100 in a year which shows something is going on. So unless DHEA goes up gaining weight then it's something else with me.

Whatever you do, don't take no for an answer. I did that and some of these docs have no clue what things are. One read out of a book to me... an endcrinologist and told me to relax and chant at night.

sapphirepl · 07-05-2008, 03:04 AM

I actually called Dr. Drew Live recently and asked him about my situation with PCOS, anxiety, and elevated DHEA. You don't get a whole lot of time to talk, but he did confirm that elevated DHEA *could* be causing my anxiety, but everyone who has it is affected differently. I have the clip on mp3.

mamacat01 · 07-06-2008, 09:13 PM

I would love to hear that mp3. Not a lot of docs know about DHEA it seems.

I'm going through such a hard night, the OCD, anxiety and depression are on high and I feel horrible. I'm so sick of the suidcidal thinking. It feels like a way out, sometimes I don't feel like I have a cure and I'm just going crazy. I watched some video on Youtube with Andrea Yates and her home videos and she's laughing and playing with the kids, dressup, etc and then she went nuts. I get so scared. Then if nothing is wrong with me I feel ashamed I would need anti-crazy pills to be normal.

sapphirepl · 07-07-2008, 10:18 PM

mamacat - Keep hanging in there. I'm sorry you have to go through all this. I'm with you in that my anxiety has been getting worse lately, to the point where my OCD symptoms started recurring by the end of my 3rd month of BCP, and that scared me. I hate, hate, hate OCD. I'm not completely giving up on relaxation techniques and stuff, although I know there's a lot more to it than that--and I would love to send you that mp3. You can PM me your e-mail address if it lets you. If not, let me know.

mamacat01 · 07-09-2008, 11:20 PM

I sent my e-mail on your visitor page, it wouldn't let me send it because I didn't post enough-

splashsmama · 07-10-2008, 02:13 PM

I talked to the dr's office this week. According to the dr, she doesn't know if I may suffer from LOCAH or not. She said she has a list of RE's she could recommend me to and they could run the ACTH blood test on me to diagnose LOCAH. But she said that if I did have it, the treatment would be similar to what she wants to do regarding my PCOS.
So I haven't decided yet if I want to endure yet another dr, pleading my case, being re-examined and re-tested, especially if the treatment is going to be the same. I trust the dr I have now, and I went through a tough time just trying to find her. I hate having to deal with incompetent drs. And being smack dab in the middle of Arkansas, I'm surrounded by imbeciles.