Curlyseuss
January 20th, 2012, 01:41 PM
Hi all. Since I was a young teenager I have had very long cycles. Over the past few years, I've "normalized" at usually O-ing around CD 24. It really is almost always between CD 20 and CD 28, so I am a little consistent as far as that goes, and I do actually O (as confirmed by OPKs, temp-ing, etc.), so I am happy about that. However, I wish my cycles weren't so freaking long, as it really minimizes my chances to conceive.
Also, as a young teenager when I was on acne medication, my blood was tested and my dermatologist determined I had higher than average testosterone (still within normal levels but definitely on the high side for a young female). She suspected my testosterone might be high because of the acne. I was also overweight all of my teenage years, and have had excess body hair (some on my neck, etc. in weird spots from a female, and hairier than normal arms...I am blonde so that helps, but it is definitely more than normal). I then went through an anorexic stage in my young 20s and lost nearly 100 lbs to the point that I weighed only 90 lbs. My cycles stopped altogether at that point, for an entire year. After I got married I gained back to a healthy weight (about 118-120 lbs at 5'3") and when I told my gynecologist I was TTC, she told me I might have PCOS due to my long cycles and the hirsutism. I then went to a fertility specialist and he did testing for insulin, glucose, testosterone etc. and told me I do NOT have PCOS ... which makes sense to me as I have never actually had cysts on my ovaries, lol. My testosterone was, again, on the high side but still in normal ranges.
I've then gone on to have three pregnancies, the first ended in miscarriage (blighted ovum) and the second and third resulted in my beautiful boys. I did have to go on progesterone for the first trimester for the second and third, though. As an adult, I am a healthy weight, on the thin side.
I guess what I am wondering is...could my higher than normal testosterone result in my O-ing so late all the time? If so, if I took saw palmetto and it reduced my testosterone, would that possibly prompt me to O earlier and thus improve fertility? Just wondering if saw palmetto is indicated for me, not only for TTC a girl but for TTC in general.
Also, as a young teenager when I was on acne medication, my blood was tested and my dermatologist determined I had higher than average testosterone (still within normal levels but definitely on the high side for a young female). She suspected my testosterone might be high because of the acne. I was also overweight all of my teenage years, and have had excess body hair (some on my neck, etc. in weird spots from a female, and hairier than normal arms...I am blonde so that helps, but it is definitely more than normal). I then went through an anorexic stage in my young 20s and lost nearly 100 lbs to the point that I weighed only 90 lbs. My cycles stopped altogether at that point, for an entire year. After I got married I gained back to a healthy weight (about 118-120 lbs at 5'3") and when I told my gynecologist I was TTC, she told me I might have PCOS due to my long cycles and the hirsutism. I then went to a fertility specialist and he did testing for insulin, glucose, testosterone etc. and told me I do NOT have PCOS ... which makes sense to me as I have never actually had cysts on my ovaries, lol. My testosterone was, again, on the high side but still in normal ranges.
I've then gone on to have three pregnancies, the first ended in miscarriage (blighted ovum) and the second and third resulted in my beautiful boys. I did have to go on progesterone for the first trimester for the second and third, though. As an adult, I am a healthy weight, on the thin side.
I guess what I am wondering is...could my higher than normal testosterone result in my O-ing so late all the time? If so, if I took saw palmetto and it reduced my testosterone, would that possibly prompt me to O earlier and thus improve fertility? Just wondering if saw palmetto is indicated for me, not only for TTC a girl but for TTC in general.