29 with FSH of 42

[LOZXO11]

Hi,

I am quite scared about what's going on with my hormones.

I stopped the pill last year and had more or less regular periods since (maybe some shorter/longer ones, or a week early/late.)

However, they stopped suddenly 3 months ago, and I've just had test results showing high FSH (42), high LH (130) and slightly elevated prolactin. The one that's scaring me is the FSH as I'm worried it means I'm infertile.

My periods stopped for a year when I was a teenager due to weight loss, and I'm worried this has damaged my follicles.

I'm going for a scan on Sunday but not sure I'll get any feedback right away from the radiographer.

Can anyone help?

@Smashpumpkin that's really good to hear! Kind of hoping a lot of the stuff on the internet I've read about FSH are quite old...No AMH yet but hopefully the endocrine person will check that.

Do you know what your LH was out of interest? Please let me know how you get on, wishing you all the best!

Sorry I name changed recently but this is smashpumpkin! The internet is a blooming scary place. I had myself in tears reading everything. The gynae was so nice and understanding and told me not to worry as FSH was nearly worthlesss.
You can’t get an AMH test done on the NHS so I had to go privately and it costs £32.
Sorry don’t know my LH.

How was your ultrasound @LOZXO11 ?

You're doing well @Yippeeayeyeah because an AMH cost me £100 privately!

£100! I am from NI so maybe it’s cheaper here? Seems like a lot for blood test

@79andnotout my scan is this afternoon, will update this evening. Cross fingers for me!

Weird they don't do AMH on NHS if it's such an important determining factor! But well worth paying the extra if that's the case!

@Yippeeayeyeah I'm from NI too, and going home for Christmas so might look into it!

I paid £150!

Also from Ireland but the republic.

@LOZXO11 - ah great, good luck!

They do the blood test on the nhs but only the fertility clinic will do it once you've been referred. I was desperate to know and paying to find it earlier meant I had the result when I saw the consultant on nhs so he was able to skip straight to planning. Anything to speed things up!

@LOZXO11 good luck today and I’ve got all fingers crosssd for you!
You can get the test down privately via 352 healthcare on the Lisburn road in Belfast .

@yippeeayeyeah amazing, thanks for the tip!!

@79andnotout just had the scan, she didn't say much except that it looks like polycystic ovaries - she said there are eggs there but look a certain way, too much (or something like that)...so I hope that's all it is! Don't know much about it but I think that would be the best possible outcome...

My goodness. I have a new appreciation of what women go through sometimes!

Thanks for the reassurances, it really got me through the last few days! Hopefully I'll see the endocrine person soon and get a better picture. Xx

That's great @LOZXO11 - hope you get to the bottom of things soon.

So I saw the endocrinologist today. I got the speech that FSH was high and estrorgen low, that I have primary ovarian insufficiency, that I have just 10 percent chance of conceiving naturally and need to start using estrorgen patches - I guess that's HRT?

I'm heartbroken. Hoping this is not the end of the road and a private or TCM doctor specialising in fertility can help.

Did they repeat tests @LOZXO11 or is that all based on the one set?

@Smashpumpkin did you get your AMH results back?

Yeah, they repeated tests and my FSH is now 111 :(
But I don't know how they can say I would have to get a donor egg, if my ovary scan shows 10-15 follicles in each ovary? Yes, they noted PCOS, but that must mean I have eggs in there somewhere... X

@Yippeeayeyeah any news with you? Hope all is well xx

Hi, my AMH came back at 5.9 pmol which for my age is extremely low. That combined with my FSH I was convinced I would have trouble conceiving. But I have a bit of news.. I am currently 12 weeks pregnant! Me and DH were so shocked as I was told I was near premenopausal. Please don’t ever give up hope as I am proof that miracles do happen.

Yippeeayeyeah ahhh I have tingles, I'm so thrilled for you! So glad the pregnancy is going great well! And of course partly happy because it gives me hope, too :) Your FSH levels weren't as off the charts as mine I don't think, but still! Was it all natural? X

All natural. Still can’t believe it. How things can change in a couple of months.
Wishing you the very best x

Hi, I’m so sorry to hear your news from the endocrinologist. Are you still ovulating if so there is a chance of natural conception surely or maybe iui ? Unfortunately with an fsh that high ivf won’t work as your body won’t respond to the drugs-regardless of how many follicles you have. Donor conception must feel like such a leap and a huge thing to consider - different situation but I found counselling really helpful when we had fertility treatment. I hope you’re well supported and doing as well as you can x

@hoping2018 no, I haven't had a period in 6 months so I guess that means I haven't ovulated. Feel like my only hope left is Chinese medicine/ acupuncture. Would rather give that a try before I start the HRT that they've recommended :(

Hi LOZ, so sorry you've not received good news from the endocrinologist, that's so tough

I just wanted to try to take some of the fear out of the HRT / oestrogen idea? As part of my treatment for endometriosis, I was put into chemical menopause and had add-back HRT. If you're experiencing any menopause symptoms night sweats, irritable moods etc the oestrogen should help you to feel better. You're basically putting something back in your body that should be there anyway. I don't know if it will "work" in terms of improving your chances but it makes sense that it should. You could try Chinese medicine and acupuncture at the same time, it doesn't have to be an either / or. xx

I can see you have had some good advice already but I just wanted to echo that when your FSH is high it's your body kicking loads out struggling to ovulate that's why IVF is tricky with a high FSH as your meds are also FSH so your body won't respond to the meds, I had an own egg IVF cycle cancelled as my FSH went to 23 so I moved to donor eggs and did a have a son, I then managed to conceive naturally when he was 8 months old. I was at one point on HRT and never imagined having a bio child. Do take car with Chinese medicine/herbs as nearly every fertility clinic will tell you to avoid them

Thanks for the info, I hope your endometriosis has improved! I had a lot of symptoms of hot flashes while on the pill which was one of my reasons for stopping, and that seemed to work. But little did I know that it might have been premenopausal symptoms that have since stopped. I don't think my estrogen is currently very low, and the lining of my womb looked normal, so I'm seeing a gynaecologist soon for a second opinion! I've also started acupuncture, no idea if it will help my fertility bit hopefully it will at least help with my current stress levels!

@lauren83 that's do strange! I'm guessing you never had much in the way of an explanation? I am wary of taking HRT as I don't want to shut down my whole natural system completely, but strangely it seems that for some people it actually seems to somewhat kick start the ovaries again?

Maybe I'm a little in denial but at age 29 I find it hard to believe nothing can be done to assist my own fertility when scans were fine, which is unusual for POI. But I'm determined to persist!