Can I be polycystic? Very confused (long)

MashaND · 03-07-2005, 03:02 PM

I am very confused. And I feel very anxious because I don't understand what's going on...
I got my b/w results today.
I do ovulate although kind of late - anywhere between cd 18 - cd 28.
Testosterone is normal (although I have 4 and normal is 3.0-4.0)
Free testosterone is normal though - 6.7 (normal is < 9.0)
DHEA - 9.7 (normal < 11.0), however once I turn 30 (in 6 months) normal will change to <7.3 and I will become abnormal!!!
Androstenedione - elevated=13. (normal 1-11.5)

My doctor does not think I am polycyctic, but he does not know why androste...... is elevated. I am confused. What is androstenedione and can I have polycyctic ovaries?
Oh, LH/FSH ratio is 1. On u/s my ovaries don't look polycyctic, but they don't look normal either (i.e. increased number of little cysts, but not as much as in polycystic..)
I will get my IR tests on thursday..
If you have similar experience or know someone who does, please let me know... Doctors don't seem to know anything..
Yours always, Nd

eaglet · 03-08-2005, 07:40 AM

Nd - it seems as though you may be slightly pcos.

-slightly polycystic ovaries? (by the way, does the u/s picture look like a "string of pearls" - the cysts hugging the outside wall of the ovary? how many cysts would you say were in each ovary? more than 5? more than 10? did they count them? why did they say it wasn't as many cysts as usual pcos?)

- slightly high testosterone - I don't know what true normal is for the version of testosterone that you got measured, I just remember that true normal for total testosterone is well below half of the measurement for the normal range at most labs (total testosterone should be well below 50, maybe even well below 30, whereas the high end of the so-called "normal" range is like 80).

-you ovulate on the late side (by the way, I'm on my third cycle of tracking ovulation, on metformin, and in every one I O'd on cd 18 - my RE is satisfied with that, though I'm considering asking for an increase back up to 1500mg).

I don't know anything about the andro- one. Is that from the adrenal gland? THat, with the DHEA number, would point more toward a problem in that area. I can't remember what the disorder there would be - is it Cushings? - just one of the random things that has symptoms similar to pcos but has a different cause.

If the IR tests show IR, then obviously there is some sort of pcos issue. If the IR tests don't show anything, I don't think that tells you one way or the other. make sense?

i'm sorry nd, this probably doesn't get you anywhere. Except for ruling out a problem with the adrenal area, or wherever that andro- one comes from, I'd say that it can't really hurt to treat you as though you do have pcos.
-eaglet

JulieB2 · 03-08-2005, 08:27 AM

Since PCOS is a syndrome its possible to have only one or all of the symptoms of the disease.

When i was first diagnosed i did not present with many of the symtoms. The defining factor for me (5 years or so ago) was the IR test. My insulin levels came back extremely elevated. I did have the hair issues and some of the other cosmetic symptoms of PCOS. At that time i didnt have the telltale cysts (besides one now and again) on my ovaries. Five years later i have had numerous cysts, lost an ovary to durmoid cysts (not related to PCOS) but still dont present with elevated androgen lvls. IMO, you will have to look at the entire picture when all the tests come back. Then sit down and go over them all with your dr. Hopefully you will have more information when the IR test comes back.

Best wishes!

MashaND · 03-08-2005, 03:05 PM

HI eaglet and Julie
Thanks for your replies,
I did some research on elevated andro.... And it seems that it is a sign of a PCOS. There is this great website if you are interested,
http://www.infertilityphysician.com/androgen/pcos.html
It has a thorough description of pcos and goes into genetic factors of it. I'll wait for the IR test to come back and I guess take it from there...
I'll keep you posted
Nd

03-07-2005, 03:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
MashaND Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,063 Blog Entries: 7	Can I be polycystic? Very confused (long) I am very confused. And I feel very anxious because I don't understand what's going on... I got my b/w results today. I do ovulate although kind of late - anywhere between cd 18 - cd 28. Testosterone is normal (although I have 4 and normal is 3.0-4.0) Free testosterone is normal though - 6.7 (normal is < 9.0) DHEA - 9.7 (normal < 11.0), however once I turn 30 (in 6 months) normal will change to <7.3 and I will become abnormal!!! Androstenedione - elevated=13. (normal 1-11.5) My doctor does not think I am polycyctic, but he does not know why androste...... is elevated. I am confused. What is androstenedione and can I have polycyctic ovaries? Oh, LH/FSH ratio is 1. On u/s my ovaries don't look polycyctic, but they don't look normal either (i.e. increased number of little cysts, but not as much as in polycystic..) I will get my IR tests on thursday.. If you have similar experience or know someone who does, please let me know... Doctors don't seem to know anything.. Yours always, Nd

03-08-2005, 08:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
JulieB2 1000-4999 post queen of hearts Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,607 Blog Entries: 10	Since PCOS is a syndrome its possible to have only one or all of the symptoms of the disease. When i was first diagnosed i did not present with many of the symtoms. The defining factor for me (5 years or so ago) was the IR test. My insulin levels came back extremely elevated. I did have the hair issues and some of the other cosmetic symptoms of PCOS. At that time i didnt have the telltale cysts (besides one now and again) on my ovaries. Five years later i have had numerous cysts, lost an ovary to durmoid cysts (not related to PCOS) but still dont present with elevated androgen lvls. IMO, you will have to look at the entire picture when all the tests come back. Then sit down and go over them all with your dr. Hopefully you will have more information when the IR test comes back. Best wishes! __________________ Julie My one and only beautiful dd

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03-08-2005, 07:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
eaglet Registered User Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 755	Nd - it seems as though you may be slightly pcos. -slightly polycystic ovaries? (by the way, does the u/s picture look like a "string of pearls" - the cysts hugging the outside wall of the ovary? how many cysts would you say were in each ovary? more than 5? more than 10? did they count them? why did they say it wasn't as many cysts as usual pcos?) - slightly high testosterone - I don't know what true normal is for the version of testosterone that you got measured, I just remember that true normal for total testosterone is well below half of the measurement for the normal range at most labs (total testosterone should be well below 50, maybe even well below 30, whereas the high end of the so-called "normal" range is like 80). -you ovulate on the late side (by the way, I'm on my third cycle of tracking ovulation, on metformin, and in every one I O'd on cd 18 - my RE is satisfied with that, though I'm considering asking for an increase back up to 1500mg). I don't know anything about the andro- one. Is that from the adrenal gland? THat, with the DHEA number, would point more toward a problem in that area. I can't remember what the disorder there would be - is it Cushings? - just one of the random things that has symptoms similar to pcos but has a different cause. If the IR tests show IR, then obviously there is some sort of pcos issue. If the IR tests don't show anything, I don't think that tells you one way or the other. make sense? i'm sorry nd, this probably doesn't get you anywhere. Except for ruling out a problem with the adrenal area, or wherever that andro- one comes from, I'd say that it can't really hurt to treat you as though you do have pcos. -eaglet

03-08-2005, 03:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
MashaND Registered User Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,063 Blog Entries: 7	HI eaglet and Julie Thanks for your replies, I did some research on elevated andro.... And it seems that it is a sign of a PCOS. There is this great website if you are interested, http://www.infertilityphysician.com/androgen/pcos.html It has a thorough description of pcos and goes into genetic factors of it. I'll wait for the IR test to come back and I guess take it from there... I'll keep you posted Nd