Testing hormone levels

bravria · 07-13-2006, 11:03 PM

Hi,

I was diagnosed with pcos just over 7 years ago (I'm now 24), and had a blood test to measure my LH and FSH levels (I think) as well as an ultrasound scan. I've never had issues with my weight, have always been normal, and find it quite easy to lose weight if I want to. However, my main symptoms are adult acne (only just started getting it 2 years ago), severe hair loss and irregular painful periods. I also got excess hair growth on my chin, however, after having laser hair removal, this is virtually gone.

I've been on and off bcps, including dianette and yasmin, for the past seven years, however, haven't had a great experience on them.

What I wanted to ask is how I can get my hormone levels tested. Many people on this board are saying that they have excess-oestrogen, or too much testosterone, but can doctors actually measure these? My GP said that he can't, but he isn't the sharpest tool in the box, so am not sure whether that's true!

Thanks, and sorry for the long post, it's my first!

shellygirl · 07-14-2006, 05:12 AM

Hi bravria,

Welcome to SC!

Firstly, doctors can measure hormones by taking a blood test. I have been told that the problem with this is that it only shows what your hormones are on the day when the test was taken, and since hormones can fluctuate a lot, it doesn't really prove much (unless they are really out of whack!). It has been suggested to me that a more accurate way of testing your hormones is to have them tested everyday of your cycle - that will show any problems clearly. But I don't know that any doctors do this - unless you have Billings method people near you? They were the ones who suggested it to me, but I didn't go through with it.

My hormones on any given day appear normal, but most cycles I get I don't ovulate. I am healthy weight, but insulin resistant. The only tests that suggest I have PCOS (apart from my symptoms and family history of type 2 diabetes) are the ultrasound and the insulin resistance one (the oral glucose tolerance test) - all of my hormones and my cholesterol / triglycerides etc. come back normal on any given day. I would recommend that if you are going to a doctor to get your hormone levels checked, that you might like to consider asking for an oral glucose tolerance test as well, to see if you are insulin resistant (if you haven't had this test done before). It was the test that enabled doctors to say with confidence that PCOS was what was wrong with me.

I hope this helps...
Michelle