Well, this sucks

[TracyL]

Hi,

I have CAH, and I am female. Not too long ago, about 6 weeks ago, the doctor finally found the correct balance of meds, to have my testosterone level normal. Unfortunatly, this also lowered my estrogen too... My estrogen levels are now at 'post menopausal' Which would explain a few things.. like hot flashes, etc. This really sucks, considering I am only 27, and will need to be on HRT for the rest of my life, according to the dr's.

Oh well..

Has anybody else had this happen?>

[Betsy]

ugh...you may want to consult a second opinion. A good balance can be reached. Many endos have a bad habit of looking only at numbers and the published range where we should be and ignoring the other stuff. They get really scared of letting us have too much of the androgens they end up over-suppressing everything else.

Definitely get a second...

Betsy

[Janet]

Our medicinal regimen doesn't have to make you feel that way, but Betsy's right in that some endo's only care about certain 'markers' to determine our correct dosages. Several years ago my 17 OH-progesterone was way out of control, but my endo saw everything else was in 'normal range' and kept my dosage where it was. A knowledgeable source told me that elevated levels like that could be the cause of my severe depression and anxiety, so I increased my dosage on my own. It worked, and it made me realize that I need to be the expert because endo's don't have enough CAH patients to be experts themselves.

Some CAH women have better results (and fewer side affects) with prednisone as opposed to dex, but I've heard the reverse as well. All of us need to be taking lots of calcium, because all of these meds destroy our bone density. As a 45 year old with 70 year old bones, I can attest to the importance of starting calcium supplements sooner rather than later.

Do seek a second opinion, because there's no reason you should be feeling the way you do.
Good luck!

Janet