Oops, I typed the topic title too fast...I mean results are in, not on. anyway
Ok, so today my doctor called to report my blood work results. I wasn't expecting anything major or anything accurate anyway. She said I have thalassemia and macrocydic anemia (enlarged blood vessels), and my 17 hydroxyprogesterone is VERY low (it's 38, and the healthy range for young women is 185-300). So, even if my hormones fluctuate daily, there is no way my hydroxyprogesterone could be within the normal range even on a good day. My androgens were normal, and estrogen was normal since I get regular periods and am at a normal weight. She recommended seeing an endocrinologist to figure out how to raise my progesterone.
But, she said she can't figure out why I get acne, if it's not androgen or estrogen related. Which is why I am suspecting leaky gut.
Does anyone know if raising my hydroxyprogesterone will clear my skin, or should I also stick to the leaky gut diet along with l-glutathione supplements? Interestingly, my acupuncturist has been diagnosing me with blood deficiency (anemia) and liver and gallbladder toxins, so they were on the right track I think.
Any suggestions on how to naturally raise hydroxyprogesterone? Will drinking soy milk help? I'm a bit hesitant to try the cream, but I might do that after seeing the endocrinologist. Might also consider bioidentical hormone therapy, to avoid taking synthetic hormones and birth control.
I would avoid the soy milk. It might just worsen your problem. Different tissues and glands have different types of receptors (plus there is more than one type of estrogen receptor). Soy milk might act as an estrogen agonist in say, your breasts, but it might act as an estrogen antagonist in your skin. It's hard to pinpoint what is triggering hormonal acne.There could be problems with your conversion enzymes, your hormone receptors, SHGB, etc. Whatever the case, if your estrogen levels are normal, I wouldn't experiment with soy. And even if you had low estrogen, I wouldn't experiment with it.
You might have estrogen dominance? I believe it's a theory, but basically, during your luteal phase, your progesterone levels should be higher than your estrogen levels. However, as you seem to have low progesterone levels, the ratio of P to E would be lower than normal. So, it doesn't mean that your estrogen levels are too high, it just means that the ratio of P/E is skewed.
Are you able to ovulate? Have you ever gotten your FSH and LH levels checked?
The cream could help but waiting until you see your endocrinologist is a smart idea.
I would avoid the soy milk. It might just worsen your problem. Different tissues and glands have different types of receptors (plus there is more than one type of estrogen receptor). Soy milk might act as an estrogen agonist in say, your breasts, but it might act as an estrogen antagonist in your skin. It's hard to pinpoint what is triggering hormonal acne.There could be problems with your conversion enzymes, your hormone receptors, SHGB, etc. Whatever the case, if your estrogen levels are normal, I wouldn't experiment with soy. And even if you had low estrogen, I wouldn't experiment with it.
You might have estrogen dominance? I believe it's a theory, but basically, during your luteal phase, your progesterone levels should be higher than your estrogen levels. However, as you seem to have low progesterone levels, the ratio of P to E would be lower than normal. So, it doesn't mean that your estrogen levels are too high, it just means that the ratio of P/E is skewed.
Are you able to ovulate? Have you ever gotten your FSH and LH levels checked?
The cream could help but waiting until you see your endocrinologist is a smart idea.
Thanks for the response. I don't think I have estrogen dominance, but maybe I had my hormones checked at a point in my cycle where my estrogen levels were normal. That's why I don't fully rely on the lab results, but the progesterone was so low that there is no way it can fluctuate to a normal level - it's way too low! FSH and LH came back normal too.
I ovulate and have regular periods. I am at a normal weight and, at 29, it's too early to be getting premenopause symptoms. eeek!
I would avoid the soy milk. It might just worsen your problem. Different tissues and glands have different types of receptors (plus there is more than one type of estrogen receptor). Soy milk might act as an estrogen agonist in say, your breasts, but it might act as an estrogen antagonist in your skin. It's hard to pinpoint what is triggering hormonal acne.There could be problems with your conversion enzymes, your hormone receptors, SHGB, etc. Whatever the case, if your estrogen levels are normal, I wouldn't experiment with soy. And even if you had low estrogen, I wouldn't experiment with it.
You might have estrogen dominance? I believe it's a theory, but basically, during your luteal phase, your progesterone levels should be higher than your estrogen levels. However, as you seem to have low progesterone levels, the ratio of P to E would be lower than normal. So, it doesn't mean that your estrogen levels are too high, it just means that the ratio of P/E is skewed.
Are you able to ovulate? Have you ever gotten your FSH and LH levels checked?
The cream could help but waiting until you see your endocrinologist is a smart idea.
Thanks for the response. I don't think I have estrogen dominance, but maybe I had my hormones checked at a point in my cycle where my estrogen levels were normal. That's why I don't fully rely on the lab results, but the progesterone was so low that there is no way it can fluctuate to a normal level - it's way too low! FSH and LH came back normal too.
I ovulate and have regular periods. I am at a normal weight and, at 29, it's too early to be getting premenopause symptoms. eeek!
Theoretically, you can have normal estrogen levels and have estrogen dominance, especially since your progesterone is too low. I wonder if they tested you during the time in your cycle when your progesterone levels are naturally low, like in your follicular phase. But, surely they would take that into account, plus those levels do seem very very low. I would think increasing your progesterone levels will help you get clear skin.
Have you researched any connections with acne or hormones and thalassemia?
Theoretically, you can have normal estrogen levels and have estrogen dominance, especially since your progesterone is too low. I wonder if they tested you during the time in your cycle when your progesterone levels are naturally low, like in your follicular phase. But, surely they would take that into account, plus those levels do seem very very low. I would think increasing your progesterone levels will help you get clear skin.
Have you researched any connections with acne or hormones and thalassemia?
Yes, that's true...hormones are such a complex area, and they fluctuate so much that it's very hard to pinpoint exactly what the issue is. But my progesterone can't really fluctuate to normal levels at any point during my cycle because it's so low. It's 38, and the normal range they gave me is 185-300, so it's a significant difference. I will have to see what the endocrinologist says...maybe they can check some of those nuances you mention, like estrogen dominance without increased estrogen. The lab tests I did were rather basic because I couldn't afford to do a comprehensive test....I wanted to also check for deficiencies and allergies, but I had to prioritize this time.
I tried to see if there was any information on thalassemia/ anemia and acne but couldn't find anything definite. I think that if I address the deficiencies that worsen anemia (B12, folic acid, iron), then maybe my overall health will improve and then the acne will hopefully improve as well. One time I had cystic acne, I managed to clear my skin over a period of only a few months just by supplementing with a good multivitamin from raw foods, and an antioxidant. This time it has been resisting everything, even things that worked in the past, which suggests that there are a lot of issues going on that one remedy won't be able to address. 