Elevated DHEA and PCOS

ansleigh · 07-19-2007, 05:49 PM

Does everyone with PCOS have elevated DHEA? I started seeing my doc due to hair thinning, acne, oily skin and HBP. My periods were abnormal but are now regular again. My doc did tons of bloodwork and the only thing abnormal was the DHEA. She refererred me to an endo. The endo did more bloodwork and I am still waiting on results. Does this sound like PCOS or some kind of adrenal problem?? How can they lower DHEA? I am not taking BCP's currently...

geneva10 · 07-20-2007, 12:16 PM

I have a really similar problem as you do. Same symptoms (plus excessive thirst/urination -do you have that by any chance?) except, I don’t have high bp and my periods have not returned to normal/I haven't gotten mine since April. But yeah I went to the gyno, got an ultrasound and blood tests that showed high DHEA-S, and she sent me to see an Endo because she suspected an adrenal problem. At the Endo I did another round of blood tests and a 24 hour urine test, which showed high cortisol. I then did an overnight dexamethasone suppression test for Cushing's, but my Endo said that was normal. I moved so I am waiting to see a new Endo in August ... but still not sure what the heck is going on with my body? My old Endo gave me a very vague "well so far, from the test results and your medical history, it is possibly PCOS". Oh, and to answer your question about what you can take to lower DHEA - from my understanding, DHEA is an androgen, so anti-androgens like Spiro can be used to suppress the excess DHEA.

I hope you are able to find some answers ... keep me posted on your progress, I am interested to see what happens to a fellow excess DHEA-S sufferer.

ansleigh · 07-20-2007, 01:15 PM

Thanks... I should hear something next week about the bloodwork. I have not done a 24 urine test or anything though. Is DHEA and DHEA-S the same thing? Good luck with your tests too. I think the waiting to find out is the worst. Especially because I read all the bad things it could be on the internet.

~Kitty~ · 07-20-2007, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Does everyone with PCOS have elevated DHEA?

No, I do not, but many (perhaps most) do.