Lowering Testosterone Levels?

mandi78 · 05-08-2005, 03:33 AM

Does anyone know of any alternative remedies for lowering testosterone levels? I just went off Yasmin after 3 1/2 years. I want to use the NPC until we start TTC which will hopefully be in October. I have used it for 1 month so far and am about ready to throw in the towel and get back on the Yasmin. Already my acne, oily skin and facial hair have gotten tremendously worse and I did not even have AF on the days I was off the NPC. I do not want to give up on this just yet but I don't know what else to do.
TIA
Mandi

designchick88 · 05-08-2005, 07:34 PM

Here's my advice, YMMV. This is just my opinion, based on my experiences.

If you are not going to TTC until October, I would get back on BCP until then. If you are having problems on Yasmin, maybe try switching to another kind of pill. (I had problems with my migraines on Yasmin. I was on Loestrin 1/20 last month and felt great on that.)

There are several reasons I say that.

1. All of my doctors - my PCP, my endocrinologist and my OB/GYN - have told me that women with PCOS should stay on the pill unless they are actively trying to conceive. Most if not all of the symptoms we have are controllable with BCP but very hard to control without BCP. Yes, you are not treating the root cause of the PCOS. But I know for me, it becomes nearly impossible to lose weight and keep my energy level high enough to low-carb and exercise when I am not on the Pill. That matters. Also, there are long-term things to consider in regards to estrogen dominance/progesterone lack, high prolactin, high FSH etc. that happen when you're not on the Pill. My endo told me that every month I am off the Pill, I am increasing my risk of breast cancer because of the estrogen dominance. Her words were, "high estrogen and low progesterone causes breast and uterine cancer, end of story." Not saying that is the absolute truth, just what my doc told me. You might want to ask your doc what he/she thinks.

2. The longer you are off the Pill, the more your ovaries can get congested with cysts that will make it very difficult for you to ovulate when you're ready to TTC. My PCP told me to stay on BCP until the last possible minute that I wanted to TTC, because I would be more fertile and likely to ovulate in that first month off the Pill. So far it has proven true with me. I have been TTC for 9 months and I've had three charted ovulatory cycles since then. The first was when I got off the Pill in September, the second was immediately after that cycle (and I actually don't think I ovulated then) and the third cycle is this one - and I was on BCP the cycle prior to this. The small cysts PCOSers have on their ovaries are problematic in two ways: a. they are probably emitting their own hormones that are influencing the body's overall hormonal balance and b. they create a physical barrier that healthy follicular cysts can't break through in order to get the egg out. When BCP is used, the cysts don't form and the existing ones can heal. So when BCP is stopped, the ovarian surface is healthy and healthy follicles can rupture more easily to release eggs.

C. For me, if I was not actively TTC and I had to choose between being on BCP and being off of it, it would be no contest - I would be on BCP. I feel better, I look better, I am better at work, at home and in the gym. I can lose or maintain weight, I don't get crazy hair growth and acne, etc. etc. A large part of TTC stress for cysters, IMO, is that not only are you having to deal with failed cycles, but also having to manage your awful PCOS symptoms. By the time October rolls around, you are going to be stressed from dealing with your PCOS side effects - and then you are going to roll straight into the emotional rollercoaster of TTC. I have been there - I'm there right now, actually

. Just taking off last cycle and being on BCP was a huge stress reliever for me because for 28 days I didn't have to shave my entire body, spend all my spare time in the gym, or stare at my pimply face in the mirror. I also didn't have to go through the freak-out that comes when you realize you're on day 45 and AF is nowhere in sight. That's worth something, to me.

If the NPC didn't work and you really don't want to get back on the Pill, I would recommend trying Vitex (didn't do a thing for me after 4 months on it, but it works like a charm for some people), acupuncture (seems to be helping my cycles so far) or maybe raspberry leaf tea in conjunction with Evening Primrose Oil (drink the raspberry leaf tea every day and add in the EPO once you've ovulated, if you ovulate).

HTH, hope you find a solution that works for you. I know it is tough.

mandi78 · 05-08-2005, 10:36 PM

Thank you for your advice. You sound a lot like me. Did you have frequent migranes on the Yasmin or just once per month? I always had a bad headache about 2-3 days before AF arrived, but it only lasted one day. I just never know....I hear and read that BCPs cause some cancers and prevent some. It just always worried me when I got those headaches once a month, afraid I would have a stroke or something.

I have always heard that BCPs cause weight gain and hinder weight loss but I did have one dr that told me it should help me to lose weight and my current one told me it should not hinder weight loss. I know there are many possible factors in my weight gain...being on anti-depressants for 2 1/2 yrs which I recently stopped, PCOS, emotional issues that lead to emotional eating, etc.

I asked my dr about the Vitex and he told me not to take it. He did not say why, just said no. I did not ask him why because I did not realize how many PCOS women take it until after I had already talked to him and have done some more research. I think he is more of a firm believer in modern medicine than natural remedies....I guess he doesn't know enough about them. He did tell me to go ahead and try the NPC and see how it works and let him know. He said it should keep me cycling but it did not. But again, it's only been one month. He said to give it 3 months but I do not think I can handle this hair, oily skin and acne for another 2 months. I have not decided yet if I am going to give it the rest of May or if I will go back on the pill.
Thanks again.
Mandi

Erin31CA · 05-09-2005, 01:53 AM

There are a couple of alternative methods to lowering testosterone. Drinking green tea has been shown to reduce testosterone. So has eating two tablespoons of flax seeds each day. Also, taking Saw Palmetto will reduce testosterone.

For me, low carb diets and lots of exercise lowered my testosterone from 98 to 59 over three months time.

Good luck.

rkaras · 06-13-2005, 12:12 PM

For me, staying on BCP until I was ready to TTC would have been a bad choice. I did not ovulate my first cycle off the pill. In fact it was over 100 days long and I needed Provera to kick start it also. I think everyone is different with what will work for them. Just keep that in mind.

RunnerDuck · 06-13-2005, 07:06 PM

Before I knew I had PCOS, if I was on BCPs and went off, I wouldn't have periods for months. But since learning all the insulin stuff, taking met, etc - I have found that if I am taking BCPs AND addressing the PCOS, I will have a few ovulatory cycles after stopping the pill.

So I agree with getting back on the pill until you are ready.