CD8 Fertility Hormone Test Results - any input?

CD8 Results

E2 - 62.00 pg/ml
Progesterone - <0.15 ng/ml
Prolactin - 10.40 ng/ml
LH - 9.70 mIU/ml
FSH - 8.4 mIU/ml
AMH - 4.57 ng/ml [equivalent to 32.64 pmol in American units]
Testosterone - <0.1 ng/ml (0.1 - 0.8)***
DHEAS - 24.80p- ug/dl (25.9 - 460)***
Androstendion - 0.83 ng/ml (0.4 - 3.4)
SHBG - 180.00p+ umol/l (15 - 120)***
17OH - Prog - 0.37 ng/ml (0.1 -2.3)
Cortisol - 27.60- ng/ml (43 - 224)***
TSH Ultra - 1.10 uIU/ml
fT3 - 3.10 pg/ml
fT4 - 10.20 pg/ml (8.9 - 17.6)

The clinic here claims it doesn't matter what CD blood is drawn but I disagree and plan to get my E2, LH, and FSH redone on CD3 along with a AFC if possible.

Background: I just turned 34, always conceived very easily with prior partners (my latest hasnt had a SA yet), I've been charting since I was 20 and while I O every month, my O moves around a fair bit. On average I O a bit late, around CD18 and have a short 9-10 day LP. 6 weeks ago I stopped swaying after over a year of hardcore pink swaying.

The starred results above are those outside of normal range (everything else being normal, or even great for my age in the case of my AMH). The abnormal results are undetectable testosterone (too low), elevated SHBG, low DHEA and low cortisol. I'm assuming/hoping my FSH & LH levels are higher than expected bc I was on CD8 - they seem high in respect to my other numbers. I don't understand what the p- & p+ after some numbers mean, anyone know?

I'd appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. I'm on a sway break until September, taking a good prenatal, fish oil (I eat no seafood), extra vitamin D and eating a healthy, nutritious diet including plenty of good fats and red meat. Should I add DHEA and if so how much? Any other recommended supps? I'm still potentially considering IVF except I'm really against ICSI and apparently no dr will allow natural fertilization if I want PGD testing done on the embryos. If I did do IVF I'd probably go to SIRM in NY.

I think this is due to so long on diet and will probably rise over time. Some of the numbers are in line with anorexia (I'm not saying you have anorexia but high SHBG and low T and cortisol is what shows up on blood tests) I think you should have thyroid checked as well if you haven't already.

I don't want you to take DHEA. I think that is throwing fuel on a fire because you need the raw materials and not the finished product, if htat makes sense, keep doing what you're doing and I would even increase fat a bit more than you ahve.

That was pretty much what I found when searching myself - being underweight/undernourished. My normal, now current diet is very high fat. But unfortunately I'm worried it could be the opiates I'm on, as apparently they can have a similar effect. I guess all I can do is eat up and get retested in a couple months

My thyroid results are up there, they're great! Maybe my fT4 is a little low? But strangely, in the write up below my results they said my TSH was in the grey zone bc it should be below 2.0 for optimal fertility, but my TSH is 1.10! They suggested 50mcg levothyroxine.

Thanks for weighing in, I really appreciate it. I was worried about wherher I should take DHEA or not bc I read some disturbing things about it. I can't even find it for sale here.

I have seen good results with people treating thyroid stuff that seemed borderline. I totally understand though that it feels strange to take meds when not strictly indicated. :fx:

I AM tired, lethargic, and sleep too much...but I attribute it to my pain, meds, and depression (plus occasional borderline anemia...really I should get my ferritin checked as I never have, but I'm eating red meat at least 3x a week now anyway). I'll talk to my GP about thyroid supplementation, I can always stop taking it if it doesn't help or I respond badly. About 10 years ago I was super cold & tired (after a few months of near-anorexia during which I lost no weight) and self supplemented with 25mcg for a few months with good results. I wouldn't know if I'm cold now bc opiates keep me warm. I wonder if I need more iodine, since I have always used sea salt and don't eat fish? I'll see if it's in my prenatal...

The great thing is I have a much healthier attitude towards eating since my lipo. I'm actually looking forward to added curves in the right places! Every day I look at my nearly flat abdomen and rejoice.

Definitely get your ferritin checked as low iron can cause poor egg quality and the symptoms are pretty much identical to low thyroid-- extreme fatigue/exhaustion, hair loss/thinning, depression, feeling cold all the time, joint/muscle pain, headaches, pica, brain fog/memory problems, shortness of breath. Optimal for women is 70-90 and under 50 you'll feel like crap. Mine was an 8 after a decade of heavy periods and then being on the LE diet for several months and then my miscarriage made matters worse. I'm now on high dose iron (500mg) a day and my ferritin has only risen to 36 after 5 months of supplementing. I still feel like crap and have to nap daily, but the shortness of breath and being freezing all the time has resolved. I just made an appointment with a hematologist to see about switching to IV iron infusions.

Yes def. get ferritin and I really want you to check with a doc before starting the iodine as not all people with thyroid stuff should be taking it.

My one a day prenatal contains 100% RDA of iodine, so I definitely won't supplement further. I'll go off the prenatal in a few months anyway. I'll get my ferritin checked, probably when I redo my CD3 FSH, LH and testosterone. Trying to decide if I should do that next week as AF should come in a few days or if I should give myself longer off swaying/on healthy supps first? I stopped swaying just 2 months ago so maybe I should wait another month? I'll get my vit D level checked too as it has been a few months and I wasn't taking any while swaying.

Thank you ladies! Hopefully I have all good or at least helpful news to report soon. Then I just need some clomid/femara for my short LP and a new donor!

Iron can take a good while to come back once you get low so that could still be going on (it took me over 2 years to get off the iron supps fully after I had pretty bad anemia with my daughter)

I think your chart looks nice this month - we are def. seeing higher prog production, don't you think??

My charts usually look good until CD8-9 at the earliest. I've never had low P to my knowledge and I've had it checked on 7DPO multiple times but not since 2012. I am expecting AF to arrive any day, I.e. too soon, especially since I Oed later than ever before. I truly think my short LP is just genetic but if it helps me get meds I'm all for it!

I am pretty worried about my ferritin since I grew up vegetarian, have only been eating red meat since college and until now only had it once a week at most. I did/do eat lots of leafy green vegetables/other veggie sources of iron, but considering I am mildly anemic whenever I'm vegetarian, obviously that doesn't cut it. I am very curious indeed to see how deficient I am.

I'm finding it is hard to eat red meat every other day, it's quite an effort! I begin to understand the challenges of blue swayers. I'm struggling to gain weight too, I think mostly bc my stomach shrunk from being on the LE. I feel like my appetite hasn't yet recovered from when I was so sick a few months ago with that strep/virus combo.

Eating meat 1-2 times a day when I was anemic was one of the hardest things I ever had to do! I did have a whole new appreciation for HE Dieters.