7 posts shown.
So, here’s the deal... I’ve gone through the whole gauntlet of bloodwork—checking FT4, FT3, TSH, TPO, androgens, DHEA, prolactin, testosterone, free testosterone, SHBG, ACTH, you name it—plus an ultrasound. According to the results, everything looks perfectly fine, except for my cortisol levels, which came back high on a 24-hour test. My endocrinologist basically brushed it off as just being stressed out, telling me that from their perspective, everything is normal and I should just come back in three months to run the same battery of tests just to be safe. What’s actually bugging me, though, is whether the Yasmin I'm taking could have skewed all these results. Since I was on the pill while getting all this blood drawn, is it possible it threw the whole system off balance?
Can anyone give me the lowdown on ala Ageel, MD? He’s a dermatology specialist working at KBO but also runs a private practice. My esthetician recommended him, so before I go booking an appointment, I wanted to see if anyone here has actually been to see this guy. What are your experiences like? Is he worth the trip, or should I keep looking? etc, etc...
Harold Stewart3 said:Let us know how the endocrinologist visit goes! I'm curious if they think the birth control pills are causing any issues. 🙂
👋
So, I finally made it in yesterday. The doctor went through everything with me—I laid out the whole story from day one—and then she sent me off for a battery of tests: prolactin levels, thyroid stuff, an ovarian ultrasound, and a few other hormones. She mentioned that being on birth control can actually send your prolactin levels spiking way higher than what’s considered "normal," so where you are in your cycle matters a lot. Now I just have to go grab all my referrals, get the bloodwork done, and once I have the results in hand, I'll head back for a follow-up. So... yeah. That's the plan.
I’ll definitely be there. I'll let you guys know how it goes!
Lisa Barrett22 said:When I had my first appointment with an endocrinologist, I was also on birth control. Honestly? They aren't going to tell you anything different. If we're talking about hormones that aren't gynecological, there's no reason to stop taking the pill.
Thanks, I feel way better now!🙂
Harold Stewart3 said:Since you're going in specifically for prolactin, I don't think the birth control is really the issue here, but I’d definitely mention it to the endocrinologist just to be safe... plus, they'll probably run thyroid labs too, because sometimes high TSH can actually bump up your prolactin levels.
Good luck! 😘
Thanks. Honestly, I'm just totally lost. My OB-GYN told me that if I want to get my hormones checked properly, I might need to pause the birth control, though she didn't see any reason to stop unless I was planning on getting pregnant. My last hormone panel was way back in July 2007 because I've been on the pill ever since. Then, in January 2008, during a physical, my doctor suggested I see an endocrinologist and come back for a Pap smear in four months because some inflammation made the initial results hard to read. When I finally went back to ask for a referral, my gynecologist just gave me this patronizing little smirk and asked, "Oh, did they scare you?" Then I went to my primary care physician and laid out the whole story. She also gave me that same "why did you wait so long?" look, but she did give me the referral for the specialist, noting that my old labs were basically ancient history and I needed fresh ones. What's tripping me up is the birth control thing—I'm terrified the endocrinologist is going to roll their eyes and wonder why I even bothered coming in if I'm still on hormonal contraceptives. I have no clue what to do, so I'm looking for anyone else who's dealt with this kind of runaround. Thanks in advance.
So, what’s the deal with an endocrinology appointment? I'm assuming the first step is just getting sent off for a massive blood draw. But here's my dilemma: if you're on birth control, doesn't that basically mask your actual hormone levels? If the data is skewed, is there even any point in seeing a specialist at all? Honestly, after bouncing between my OB-GYN and my primary care doctor, my takeaway was basically: "Let's just wait until you actually want kids before we deal with this mess." Which, frankly, sounds completely nonsensical to me...😕