Hormone testing: Need some help!

coppernomad7 said:It’s a bit all over the place. I don't think it's quite that simple, but you really do need to know where you are in your cycle. (And obviously, your doctor needs to know which phase you were in when they checked your hormones.)
Basically, when you get your results, if you see your levels on the left and the standard ranges on the right, those ranges are usually broken down by specific cycle phases. So, I guess you just look for the value that matches your current phase to find your baseline.

At least, that’s how my lab reports looked, and neither of my doctors actually told me specifically when I should go in.

I suppose you can test any time if it isn't an emergency; it's pretty easy enough to adjust the math. But some hormones are only at their baseline for about three to five days, so it might be easier to catch if they're elevated during that window. Honestly, nobody wants to deal with the headache of recalculating everything, and some tests are just more reliable that way. Every hormone fluctuates throughout the cycle—they aren't constant. They rise and fall naturally. It just depends on what you're trying to catch and when. Your OB-GYN probably knows best what they want to see.
I had to go during that three-to-five-day window myself. I think it was for FSH, LH, and androgens, though I'm not entirely sure.

quiethound45 said:You can actually test at any point during your cycle if it isn't an emergency. It’s pretty easy to adjust the math afterward. But honestly, some hormones sit in a baseline state for about 3 to 5 days, which makes them way easier to spot if they're running high compared to other times. I just don't feel like dealing with the headache of recalculating everything, and frankly, certain tests are just more reliable that way. Every hormone has its own rhythm throughout the cycle—nothing stays still or constant. They naturally spike, dip, and then settle back down. It really just depends on which phase you want to catch them in when you go for testing. (Your OB-GYN usually knows exactly what they're looking for)
I had to go in on day 3 or 5 myself. I think it was because of FSH, LH, and androgens, though I can't say for sure.

Exactly. For FSH and LH, you absolutely have to get those checked around day 3 to 5 of your cycle.

As for progesterone, you either test on days 3–5 or around days 20–21.

Everything else? Any day works fine.

I made sure to ask my doctor to walk me through everything. I did my homework by reading through this entire forum before my appointment, so I showed up with a massive list of questions ready to go. 😁

Ugh... I’ve been through this whole "testing" thing myself too. Anyway, I just got back from a quick follow-up with my OBGYN today to go over those prolactin levels, and she basically sent me back for another nuclear scan for the third freaking time. And honestly? She still didn't bother to mention that I actually need to schedule it for a specific day in my cycle. Like, seriously?

Btw, I know this isn't really what we're talking about here, and I don't really feel like starting a whole new thread (though maybe I should), but I wanted to mention something. I was hoping to get switched from Diane-35 back to Yasmin since I've been on the former for three months now and Yasmin feels way easier on my system... but my doctor totally shut that down. She told me that just recently, two girls over in San Diego had some massive health scares specifically because of Yasmin—one of them even ended up with an embolism. So, she's insisting I stick with Diane for a while longer if it's working okay for me.
So, yeah, just a little heads-up for anyone else taking Yasmin (and I know there are plenty of you out there since I just found out about it on this forum). I don't know if it's some kind of manufacturing defect or a bad batch, like when you see those recalls with other products in the US, or if it's something else entirely, but it's pretty scary stuff to hear.

coppernomad7 said:well... I went through that too. I just had a follow-up appointment with my OBGYN today to discuss my prolactin levels, and she sent me back for a third nuclear scan. She still didn't mention anything about needing it to be on a specific day of my cycle.

Anyway, I know this isn't really the topic, and I don't want to start a whole new thread (though maybe I should), but I wanted to mention something. Since I've been on Diane for three months now, I was hoping she’d switch me back to Yasmin because it feels a bit easier on me... but she told me that recently, two girls from a town near San Francisco had serious health issues caused specifically by Yasmin—one even ended up with an embolism. So, she suggested I just stick with Diane if it's working for me.
Just a heads-up for anyone taking Yasmin (and I know there are some here since I just found out about it on this forum). I don't know if it was a bad batch or some kind of manufacturing error, but whatever happened, it's pretty scary to hear.

I guess I'm not sure. Your doctor probably knows best, though. It seems like she isn't checking your FSH & LH levels, which makes sense if you're already on birth control—you wouldn't have natural levels to measure, or at least they'd be totally skewed.
And honestly, all these different pills have such varying hormone concentrations... I suspect they all carry some risk of blood clots. It probably just depends on how your body reacts, especially your blood chemistry. That's why doctors usually advise against pills if you have circulatory issues or things like varicose veins. Maybe those women were in that category and just decided to take them on their own... I don't know.

PS: Ladies, I'm just talking here—if I get anything wrong, please don't hold it against me. I'm just sharing what I know based on my professional background and general medical knowledge. It might be right, or it might be off, but we do use stimulation to help with ovulation. 😉 😬 🤣
Besides, I love badgering my doctor just as much as you do; it can drive a person crazy. I'll just keep sharing whatever I know. 🙂

@quiethound45/">@@quiethound45

Hey, once you get yours, let's do a side-by-side comparison, okay? 🙂
The timing should work out perfectly.

darkpuma5 said:@quiethound45/">@@quiethound45

Sure, once you find them, we can compare them, right? 🙂
They'll probably arrive right around the same time anyway.

Yeah, sure... sounds good. 😉 😘

coppernomad7 said:Well, at least that was how my own results looked, and honestly, not a single soul bothered to tell me when I was supposed to head back in for the follow-up both times.

I remember going through a very similar experience myself; I can't recall exactly which day it was, but when I had my labs done, everything appeared perfectly normal on paper—even though I was feeling all the symptoms quite intensely. However, once I switched doctors, my new physician insisted that we run the tests specifically on the fourth day of my cycle. It turned out that my LH levels were actually three times higher than they should have been, along with a few other irregularities I can't quite recall at the moment. To make matters even more frustrating, they didn't have enough sample material for one particular hormone, which left me stuck waiting for two whole months just to get the results.😛 What a silly thing to suggest; of course I had to be at my therapy session already.

Because my cycle has been acting up lately, my doctor ordered a full hormonal panel. I just received the results today, but since my follow-up appointment isn't until next week, I find myself wondering if anyone here might be able to make sense of these numbers... It appears there's some sort of imbalance between my estrogen and androgen levels, as one set seems a bit low while the other is running high. A friend suggested that I'll likely be prescribed birth control pills, much like she was after her own tests...

FSH 2______(31 - 134 IU/L)
LH 11______(9 - 75 IU/L)
E2 346_____(389 - 984 pmol/L)
Pg 11,6____(16,2 - 76,3 nmol/L)
PRL 21_____(5 - 30 µg/L)
T 2,5______(0,7 - 2,5 nmol/L)
free T 37,4____(0,19 - 8,9 pmol/L)
DHEA-S 6_____(0,95 - 11,67 µmol/L)
A4 12,2______(2 - 9,25 nmol/L)
SHBG 46_____(20 - 118 nmol/L)