Posts by Jamie Barnes60

Does anyone happen to know which hospital here in the States lets you get your sex hormone levels checked without needing a formal referral first? Thanks!

Noah Diaz22 said:Hey everyone! I’ve got an order for these hormone tests: LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone, prolactin, T3, T4, TSH, testosterone, androstenedione, DHEA, and cortisol. I would be super grateful if anyone could give me a ballpark idea of what this costs out-of-pocket—and maybe suggest a hospital where I can get all of this done at once? Thanks in advance! :-)

I actually had my hormones checked over at Mercy Hospital—you just call them on the first day of your cycle and they get everything scheduled for you within a few days. I honestly have no clue about the cost since I have private insurance, so I didn't end up paying a dime.

Laura Mendoza32 said:Hey, does anyone know roughly how long you have to wait for a reply when ordering via email? Specifically, I’m trying to book an appointment for some thyroid hormone testing—sent an email over to Mount Sinai this past Monday, but still haven't heard a peep.

They were lightning fast with me—I shot off an email Sunday night and had a response by Monday morning!

Does anyone have a solid recommendation for a dermatologist in NYC? Specifically looking for someone who can actually do a thorough scalp exam.

Carol Scott98 said:it's impossible for a Bartholin gland to be in the bikini area. They are located right between the labia minor Bartholin gland

I'm totally losing my mind here 🙈

driftingraven12 said:I have a question. When you're doing those routine blood tests (because of the pills), who actually sends you? Like, who gives you the referral—your OBGYN or your primary doctor?🙂

Your OBGYN should be the one handing you that referral.

It could honestly just be an ingrown hair—I had a friend go through this once where it was so bad she could barely walk.

Or, if we’re looking at other possibilities, maybe you're dealing with a Bartholin gland issue? I actually found this link right here that covers everything about that specific gland.

Amanda Cruz52 said:Can someone please give a 17-year-old girl a quick rundown of what her first gynecologist appointment is actually like? Like, how long does it take, what do they actually do, and honestly—how does it feel?

thanks.

Look, you've got this thread right here.

All in all, it’s really not a big deal—the actual exam itself is super quick.

Grace Chase97 said:Look, I’m just going to say it because someone has to—this isn't a job for men. Period. It’s a woman's field, plain and simple, and honestly, women are the ones who actually need to be doing this work. It’s just common sense!☕

Honestly? This sounds a little... meh. I don't know, it just feels kind of pointless to me. 🙄

I wouldn’t say I’m exactly comfortable during the exam—it’s definitely not my idea of a fun afternoon—but honestly, it isn't like I'm in any intense agony or anything. It's just... awkward.
Honestly, it’s just... kind of mid. A total letdown, really. Not even a huge disaster, just that annoying, underwhelming feeling when you realize something isn't nearly as good as the hype made it out to be—you know what I mean? It’s like ordering a premium burger at a fancy joint in Chicago only to have them hand you a soggy slider that looks nothing like the picture. Just disappointing. 😁

You've got this whole topic about cosmetics, but let's be real—that's purely an aesthetic issue, not some kind of medical emergency.

Actually, it’s not even like that, right here you can see exactly what those girls ended up paying for their ultrasounds.

Chloe Grant30 said:... so, I'm in my early twenties—should I actually be starting those gynecological exams yet, or am I getting ahead of myself? 🤷

It’s definitely not too early. Honestly, you should be getting a breast ultrasound once a year just to stay on top of things. And for heaven's sake, do your own self-checks once a month!

I’m pretty sure the prescription lasts for a full year—at least it did for me—but honestly, I wasn't getting my pills for free, so there was that 😕>

Look, I’ve been staring at this screen for way too long, and honestly? My head is spinning. It’s like when you’re driving down a backroad in rural Nebraska—you think you know exactly where the turnoff is, then suddenly, boom, you’re staring at a cornfield and realize you missed the exit three miles back. That’s how I feel right now. Just completely lost in the weeds. And don't even get me started on the sheer amount of nonsense flying around lately. It’s exhausting! You try to have a normal conversation, a decent little exchange about something that actually matters, and instead, you get hit with a wall of absolute gibberish. It’s like trying to read a manual written in crayon while someone is playing a drum kit right next to your ear. Total chaos. Anyway, I’m just venting. I need a coffee—a real one, not that watered-down sludge they serve at the local gas station—and maybe some peace and quiet. But let’s be real, we all know that’s not happening, right? We’re stuck in this loop. Typical. kaže:
So my gynecologist comes up to me and starts pushing this specific set of tests—totally out of the blue! And honestly? I was just like, "Look, I’m feeling fine. No side effects, no issues, no nothing. Why on earth would I want to go through all that hassle for no reason?" I mean, if everything is running smoothly, why mess with the system? It feels like one of those unnecessary errands you only take if someone forces your hand.😉

Look, seriously—get a new gynecologist. I don't care if you feel like a million bucks and haven't had a single side effect—you absolutely have to get regular checkups while you're on the pill. It’s just common sense! It’s like driving a car and saying, "Hey, the engine sounds fine, I don't need an oil change," even though you know deep down that maintenance matters. You can't just ignore the underlying stuff just because you aren't feeling nauseous or moody right now. Get those tests done. Period.

Grace Thompson57 said:I'm with you on this. That prolactin level isn't even high enough to be a major red flag. Honestly, seeing a slight bump like that happens all the time when you're dealing with constant, grinding stress—it’s just how the body reacts.
The smartest move is probably just to run the test again in a few months or so to see if it stays steady or actually starts trending upward.

Thanks for the input. 🙂

Brenda Harris81 said:Look, it isn't actually that high. It could just be stress—honestly, life's been a mess lately for everyone.

Thanks for the input.

Can someone please take a look at these labs for me? 🙂 My OB-GYN is out on vacation for another two weeks and I'm just sitting here staring at this stuff.

TSH 2.8 (0.46-4.68 mIU/I)

estradiol(E2) 161 *
(note: women: follicular phase 98-592
ovulatory phase 685-1404
luteal phase 120-738
postmenopause 20-141)

prolactin 634 (64-395 mIU/I)

testosterone 2.7 (0.2-2.7nmol/l)

DHEA-S 12.0 (0.9-11 µmol/l)

FSH 3.8 *
(note: women: follicular phase 2.0 -11.6 IU/I
luteal phase 1.4-9.6 IU/I
postmenopause 21.5-131.0 IU/I)

LH 14.5 *
(note: women: follicular phase 2.6-12.1 IU/I
luteal phase 0.8-15.5 lU/l
postmenopause 13.1-86.5 lU/l)

I can see for myself that my prolactin is way up there—super high—and from what I've been digging up online, the explanations aren't exactly making me feel great about this... 😢

Ashley Moore8 said:I'm in the exact same boat regarding my partner and the timing. I stopped taking the pill too, and I'm planning on picking up some Cilest and starting it a few days before my period is due... just to push it back.

That is absolutely not how you delay a period.

Look, I’m just going to say it—because someone clearly has to—this whole situation is driving me absolutely up the wall! It’s like when you’re trying to follow a simple recipe for chocolate chip cookies, right? Everything seems fine, you’ve got your flour, your sugar, your butter... then suddenly, out of nowhere, someone decides to swap the baking soda for salt. Just total chaos for no reason at all! That’s exactly how this feels. It’s messy, it’s unnecessary, and frankly, it’s exhausting. I feel like I’m shouting into a void here—just constant, repetitive nonsense that could be avoided if people actually used a shred of common sense. Honestly, it’s enough to make you want to just throw your hands up and walk away from the keyboard entirely. Does anyone else feel this level of pure, unadulterated frustration, or am I just sitting here losing my mind alone? Because seriously, it's getting ridiculous! kaže:
Look, I’m going to be straight with you—I’m not a doctor, so don't go taking my word for it like it's gospel written in stone, but honestly? This whole idea sounds like a recipe for a massive headache, both physically and mentally. It’s that classic "temporary fix" trap, right? Like trying to patch a leaky roof with duct tape just because it's raining today, only to realize later that the structural damage is still there and now you've got sticky residue everywhere. You're talking about cycling through three or four boxes of pills just to get through the summer months—basically treating your hormones like a seasonal subscription service—and then just hitting the "stop" button once he's out of the picture? It feels... I don't know, a little reckless? And let's be real, a bit chaotic. Your body isn't a thermostat you can just crank up in July and shut off in September without some serious side effects. Hormones are finicky things—they're more like a delicate ecosystem than a simple light switch. You start messing with the levels like that, and you might find yourself dealing with mood swings that make a roller coaster look stable, or skin issues, or just feeling completely "off." And the emotional logic behind it—doing this specifically because of *him*—that’s the part that really sticks in my craw. It’s like setting a timer on a bomb and hoping it doesn't go off until you've moved to a different state. It’s risky, it's probably going to be a wild ride for your system, and frankly, it sounds exhausting. Just... please, talk to an actual medical professional before you decide to play chemist with your own biology. It's not worth the fallout.

Exactly! You’re basically just sending your system into total shock—like, you can't just flip a switch and expect everything to run smoothly without a massive reaction. It's like trying to jump straight into an ice bath when you're sweating in a sauna; your body is just going to freak out.

Lately, it feels like OB-GYNs are just handing out birth control pills like they’re freaking candy—no blood work, no questions asked, nothing! It’s honestly ridiculous. I mean, how many women on this forum have been totally blindsided because they weren't told they actually needed tests done while on the pill?