Posts by Jesse Evans85

I’m looking for a solid endocrinologist—specifically someone who specializes in women's hormonal issues. I'm open to options in either Seattle or Washington, D.C., though I have a strong preference for private practice over anything else.

I truly am sorry that I can't be of more assistance to you. How long have you been taking these pills? Are you on them specifically because of the cysts on your ovaries? Do you plan on continuing the medication after your surgery, or are you looking to stop for good now?

quietbison86 said:How much earlier should I have actually stopped taking these pills before heading in for knee surgery? Would it be enough to just wrap things up at the start of the month—since I figured out that’s when I’d finish my current blister pack—given that the surgery isn't until the end of the month?
I'm honestly spiraling about DVT because I've always been prone to varicose veins, plus I bruise way too easily (like, if I scratch myself even a little bit too hard... you know how it is)
Otherwise, my platelet counts and prothrombin time have always been perfectly normal

I can't give you a definitive answer on that, but have you checked in with your doctor or gynecologist to see what their specific recommendation is?

Adam Jackson80 said:Does anyone actually take Estal? Because I’m currently on them. My doctor prescribed these right after I finished a year of Yaz, and frankly, I haven't seen any improvement regarding hair growth. To be honest, I only agreed to the switch because the price was nearly half, which was a relief since I'm currently unemployed. I've been taking them for six months now and still see zero progress on that front. It’s been bizarre—whenever I stop by local pharmacies, they act like they've never even heard of Estal; if I'm lucky, they might have a single box in stock, otherwise, I have to order them. I spend way too much time scouring the internet for any info beyond the official leaflets, but there’s nothing out there. I genuinely feel like I’m the only person on the planet using this stuff. 😢 I think once I run through this current prescription, I’m heading straight back to Yaz. Or, better yet, can anyone recommend something that actually works for this nightmare chin hair situation? The daily plucking is driving me absolutely insane. That’s why I begged my doctor for a hormone panel, but she refused, claiming there's no point in testing when the only real "cure" is a constant cycle of expensive esthetician appointments and birth control. I’m even starting to worry that this whole mess might impact my ability to have kids later, though she insists there isn't even a connection between the two.

Unfortunately, I’ve never heard of those specific pills. I used Yasmin back in the day—not for hair issues, mind you—but while I was on them, I didn't even realize I had body hair. Once I stopped, though, it practically exploded overnight.😲
If your hair growth is truly severe, I believe Diane is among the strongest options, and there are also anti-androgens available (like Androcur).
Have you seen an endocrinologist yet? Do you actually know what's causing the hirsutism?
Don't just settle for your doctor's dismissive answer; you shouldn't have to stay on birth control for the rest of your life. Demand those hormone tests. Just make sure you aren't on the pill when you go for the bloodwork, or the results won't mean anything.

I really appreciate it. I feel a lot more at ease now. 🙂

This is an older thread, but I’ve started seeing ketones in my urine too. This is actually the third time in the last six months. The first time around, I had both blood and glucose tested, and everything seemed perfectly fine—my sugar was at 4.6, which sits right within the standard range of 4.4 to 6.1. I even went for an OGTT, and all those results came back normal. Yet, despite that, these ketones just keep showing up in my urine. 😢
I’m not fasting, nor am I overdoing it with intense workouts (though I do try to eat healthy, avoiding things like refined sugar and white flour), and I stay active with plenty of walking and weight training. Honestly, I’m starting to get a bit worried about these ketones. What else could be causing this?
I'm not sure how much weight this carries, but my father has Type 2 diabetes.

During my ultrasound today, my gynecologist mentioned that I should be approaching ovulation soon. This caught me off guard because, based on my own tracking—my cycles are usually quite regular, running between 29 and 31 days—I was actually expecting my period to arrive sometime this weekend.
Is it possible she misread something, or could there be another explanation for this discrepancy?
Looking over my report now, it says: the uterus is in AVF position, normal in size and texture. The endometrium is hyperechoic, measuring 11.7 mm. Both ovaries appear normal in size and texture, though there is an anechoic lesion on the left ovary measuring 27*21 mm (perhaps a follicle?). There is no free fluid in Douglas's pouch.

She also made a passing comment that it might actually be a cyst.
Since I don't have any prior experience dealing with cysts, I’m feeling a bit uncertain. Could this indeed be a cyst, and if so, what does that typically imply?

I would also appreciate some insight regarding my husband's recent lab results. He is 35 years old and a regular blood donor, but he went in specifically to check his ferritin levels, which have always tended to run low.
He had the exact same panel done as I did, with the exception of a urinalysis.
For clarity, I will only list the values that fall outside the standard reference ranges.

ALP 54 (60-142)
Alpha-amylase 150 (23-91)
Iron 10 (11-32)
UIBC and TIBC 55 (25-54)
Ferritin 14 (20-300)

Given these numbers, would he be cleared to donate blood? (I am assuming the answer is no.) Additionally, what might a spike in alpha-amylase suggest, and are there further tests you would recommend following this up?

Thanks!

Maria Fisher46 said:It would be quite helpful if you could share the actual lab results so we can get a clear picture of what exactly is going on. For instance, seeing positive ketones in urine can happen simply from fasting.

It’s hard to argue that it's due to starvation when I've actually gained three pounds over the last three months. 😵

Alright, I’m not entirely sure if I should transcribe the entire report here—if you all think it would be helpful, just let me know and I’ll get right on it. For now, here is what was pulled from my labs:
Hematology lab results.Red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCV, MCH, MCHC, platelet count, white blood cell count, neutrophil granulocytes, lymphocytes, mid-range cells, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate—all part of the standard CBC Panel. Everything is within the reference range.
General biochemical screenings.Here is a breakdown of my recent lab results: glucose, urea, creatinine, eGFR, sodium, potassium, chloride, total calcium, total magnesium, inorganic phosphates, CK, total Bilirubin, urate, AST, ALT, ALP, GGT, alpha-amylase, LD, iron, UIBC and TIBC, ferritin, cholesterol, triglycerides, total proteins, albumin, globulins, and CRP. Everything is within the reference range except for:
Sodium levels sitting at 135—when the standard reference range starts at 137—can certainly be a point of concern when you're looking at lab results. It’s just enough to fall outside the normal window to make you wonder what’s going on beneath the surface.
My latest labs came back, and I noticed my ALP is sitting at 52, which falls just below the standard reference range of 54–119. It’s a minor deviation, but certainly worth noting.

Urine:
Appearance: slightly cloudy.
Color: yellow
Specific gravity: 1.020 (normal range: 1.002–1.030).
pH level: 6.0 (Normal range: 5.0-9.0)
Leukocyte esterase, protein, Bilirubin, nitrites, and RBC/Hgb all came back negative.
Glucose and Urobilinogen levels both came back within the normal range.
Ketones ++ (negative)
Microscopic sediment analysis: a few squamous epithelial cells were noted.

Thanks!
If it would be helpful, I can type out my entire blood work report.

I have a question as well; I recently had blood work and a urine analysis done because of some ovarian inflammation.
What’s really worrying me is finding acetone in my urine. I know that can be a red flag for diabetes—my father is diabetic, for instance—but my blood sugar came back at 4.6, which is perfectly normal. About six months ago, for entirely different reasons, I underwent an OGTT, and my fasting levels were fine, though ninety minutes after taking the glucose, they dropped to 3.6, which is actually below the normal range.
Could there be some kind of connection here? Should I be looking into additional testing? I’m feeling a bit uneasy about it all.

Justin Castillo9 said:These are my results from day 4:
estradiol 80.6
LH 6.7
FSH 3.9
prolactin (4-23)
total testosterone 1.4 (0.2-2.6)
free testosterone 15.4 (3.5-30)
SHBG 69 (15-120)
androstenedione 11.2 (1-12)
DHEA-S 9.8 (normal range is 2-10)
T3 1.85 (1.34-2.73)
TSH 4.9 (0.34-5.6)
T4 109 (78.4-157.4)

When I asked my OB-GYN to include progesterone in the tests, she refused—said I didn't need it. But I've been reading up online about the symptoms of progesterone deficiency, and honestly, I have every single one... I just can't find a way to explain it to her.

I was prescribed Belara and Duphaston, but I got terrified because the side effects list mentioned even more hair loss. 🤦 As if I don't have enough to lose already...
I'd take something for the rest of my life if I just knew it would fix this—this is becoming unbearable, and I'm at a total loss for who to turn to.
Whenever I mention my hair loss, everyone acts like it's nothing—until they see me without my half-wig, then suddenly it's a huge deal.
The last time I spoke to an endocrinologist, she basically told me my hair is just "like this" and there's nothing to be done—claiming that in 99% of cases, the actual cause is never found.

If anyone knows of any other tests I should run, or can recommend a good specialist—even a private practice—please let me know. I'm truly desperate and don't know what else to try. 🙂🙂🙂🙂🙂

-In what way did your friend's condition improve? Did the shedding stop, or did she actually get new growth?
Because I'm going to need some kind of heavy-duty therapy given the state of my poor hair...

I was just quoting a portion of your post—technically, these values fall within the reference ranges, but you also have to look at the ratio between FSH and LH. If the LH level is significantly higher than the FSH, it can be an indicator of PCOS, which seems to be trending slightly elevated for you. Have you had an ultrasound done? Are you dealing with any other symptoms, like increased hair growth or acne?
If you're also experiencing cycle irregularities, then there's clearly a hormonal imbalance at play.
I'm curious if you've experimented with any natural supplements, herbal teas, or botanical remedies?
I’m not trying to push anything specific, but you have to keep in mind that you can't stay on birth control pills forever; they might not even be the right fit for you, or you could end up facing unwanted side effects.
Regarding my friend, her situation improved in the sense that her hair stopped falling out and she actually started seeing new growth—you could visibly see the little baby hairs coming in. While her hair never became thick, it certainly looked better. During her worst period, you could literally see her scalp, but once she started the pills, that changed.

I really am sorry you're going through this. I know how draining it is because I dealt with hair loss myself (though nothing quite as severe as yours). For me, the fallout from the pills was actually increased hair growth elsewhere, which is just as frustrating.

Did you ask her if she’s also been managing her other hormone levels? What does her testosterone reading actually look like?
I suppose if we’re talking about effectiveness, any contraceptive with anti-androgenic properties—something like Yaz, Yasmin, or Belara—should theoretically work. A friend of mine dealt with the exact same issue and was prescribed Diane; it cleared things up initially, but once she stopped taking them, everything became even more problematic than before.
So, you have to consider the possibility that the pills might provide relief while you're actively on them, but there is a significant chance that once you stop, everything will revert to how it was, if not worse.
If you do decide to go the pill route, I’d suggest taking a folic acid supplement alongside them, as they tend to deplete your folate reserves.
Have you had a chance to sit down with a gynecologist to get a professional opinion yet?

Where's the most affordable place in San Francisco to get a venous color Doppler done?

Bubeta, if you don't mind my asking, how old are you? Are these the very first pills you've ever tried?

Are these some kind of new pills? There isn't much information about them online.

Could someone please clarify what it means when a urine culture shows Gram-positive cocci at approximately 500 CFU/ml?

Lisa Bailey3 said:I started taking Yaz about six months ago—partly for birth control, but also to deal with some unwanted hair growth. Honestly, when it comes to the hair situation, the results have been pretty undeniable. But now I’m sitting here wondering: if I decide to stop taking it, is everything just going to rush back? Does the hair return in full force? Has anyone else gone through this or dealt with the fallout?

I suspect that, unfortunately, it will. That was my experience, and quite frankly, things actually seemed to get worse for me afterward. I think that’s just how it goes with these pills; while you're on them, everything seems fine, but once you quit, it's a complete disaster.

velvetmoose9 said:The deviations from the standard reference ranges aren't particularly concerning here.
Given that there was a recent viral infection, it would be sensible to re-run these tests in about 6 to 8 weeks.
Make sure to stay hydrated—stick to plenty of water and unsweetened tea.

Thanks so much!

I recently went in for some routine blood work at age 32. I also just finished fighting off a case of chickenpox about two weeks ago.

Most of my results came back perfectly normal, falling right within the standard range, with just a few exceptions:
RBC 5.18. Ref. Range 4.86-5.08

Glucose 4.0. Ref. Range 4.4-6.4
Sodium 136. Ref. Range 137-146

But what’s really weighing on my mind is this one: urates at 345, where the ref. range is 134-337.

Could someone help me make sense of these numbers? Specifically, what's the deal with the urates? Every time I try to Google it, I just end up spiraling with anxiety, and my follow-up appointment isn't until I get my other results (hormone levels) back.
Thanks in advance!

In principle, yes. You generally need to have your sex hormones drawn between days three and five of your cycle—though it can vary depending on whether you're looking at day 21 or not—but you can test your thyroid levels at any time.