4 posts shown.
Can someone who actually knows how to read hormone panels give me a hand? I’m dealing with some skin issues on my face and decided to get some bloodwork done to see what's going on:
* Day 3
LH 3.6 follicular phase: 2.4-12.6
FSH 5.0 follicular phase: 3.5 - 12.5
Estradiol 156 follicular phase: up to 854
Prolactin 792 (102-496)
PEG (prolactin after sedimentation) 395 (75-381)
Androstenedione 12.15 follicular phase: 3.6-10.20
* Day 22
Progesterone 16.5 luteal phase: 5.3 - 86.0
Testosterone (total) 1.5 (up to 1.7)
Testosterone (free) 1.2 (0.7 -2.2)
SHBG 63 (32-128)
*I’ve been drinking herbal tea to try and bring that prolactin down; my period came in on time (after six months of it being a complete mess, though it used to be regular before that), but lowering the prolactin doesn't seem to be doing much for my skin.
If anyone notices anything out of the ordinary, please help me out
Thanks in advance
Huge thanks to Nicholas Myers for the reply!
..🙂 you really are!
Later...
restlessangler said:Change doctors? That’s my advice right there. If you don't mind me asking, which Dermatology Clinic did you visit?
Hey! Thanks for reaching out. It's no problem at all. I went to see Sanja Gregurić over on Fijanov Street. Honestly, the only reason I'd recommend her is if you're looking for someone to avoid at all costs; she's wildly overrated. Once I realized my stomach issues had absolutely nothing to do with my skin, I sent her an email to figure out our next steps, but I haven't heard a single peep back to this day. Plus, trying to snag an appointment takes about a month. Not to mention, she completely botched the local treatments, leaving my face in even worse shape than before. I've officially crossed her off my list, and my bank account is still recovering from the shock.
I get it, I know I need to find someone else, but I figured I'd check here to see if anyone might know what these three outliers (Ferritin, ALP, RWD) could point to, besides just stomach issues, or if anyone can suggest a seasoned pro who actually knows what they're doing. I'd be incredibly grateful.
Thanks in advance....
Hi there.
I’m reaching out because I could really use some perspective.
It all started with a trip to the Dermatology Clinic regarding some stubborn skin issues—specifically these tiny, closed comedones popping up along my cheekbones and chin.
To get to the bottom of it, they ordered a massive battery of tests: a full blood panel, metabolic markers, liver enzymes, bilirubin, amylase, iron levels, and Ferritin, plus a hormonal sweep during my cycle including FSH, LH, estradiol, androgen, prolactin, and thyroid markers like TSH, fT4, and Anti-TPO.
After waiting for the results, everything came back perfectly normal, with just a few outliers:
RDW at 15.3 (normal range is 9 to 15)
ALP at 51 (normal range is 52 to 119)
Ferritin at 8.8 (normal range is 10 to 120)
And quite a bit of bacteria showing up in my urine test.
Because of that low ALP and Ferritin, the Dermatology Clinic sent me off to a gastroenterologist, suspecting my stomach might be the culprit. After a round of testing, I was diagnosed with peptic gastritis (though I tested negative for H. pylori). I’ve been dutifully taking Zipantol and supplementing with various herbal remedies targeted at gut health, only for the doctor to eventually conclude that my skin actually has nothing to do with my stomach. Now, she’s too buried in her schedule to look into my case any further.
So, I’m turning here to see if anyone can make sense of these numbers that refuse to stay within the lines.
As for how I'm feeling, I'm dealing with intense PMS symptoms and one pretty painful day per month. My immune system feels like it's hanging by a thread; if someone leaves a window cracked even slightly while I sleep, I wake up with a throat so tight it feels like an infection is already setting in. It’s exhausting. I feel completely lost, staring at my skin like it's a map that refuses to lead anywhere, especially since we're always told the skin is a mirror of what's happening inside.
If anyone has a recommendation, a direction, or even just a thought on where to turn next, I’d appreciate it.
Thanks for listening.