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Low progesterone and high SHBG
Hello there,
I am sick of getting gaslit by doctors, and need help interpreting these results.
For two years I've had severe insomnia, barely been able to sleep - it's ruined my life. It came out of nowhere, I love bed, and sleep, but just can't find it. I also have found it very hard to lose weight, has exercise resistance, no energy, brain fog, no memory (can't remember a few days ago), have lost half of my vocabulary, low critical thinking, and my hair is brittle and falling out.
I knew something chemically was going on, but doctors just wanted to feed me pills.
I am 32 female, 173cm, 63kg, and healthy. I eat whole foods and walk 10k steps daily. I don't drink or smoke.
My recent hormone pathology results are as follows:
- progesterone during menstruation < 2 nmol/L
- progesterone during ovulation < 2 nmol/l
- SHBG during menstruation 129 nmol/l
- SHBG during ovulation 117 nmol/l
Could these be causing my symptoms? What could I have? How do I treat this?
I am desperate. All my other results/hormones are within normal ranges.
I also have low total protein, low globulin, low EGFR, high urea, and high vitamin D.
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Have you seen an endocrinologist?
"I’m so sorry you’re dealing with all of this — it’s exhausting when your body feels off and doctors don’t give you real answers.
Have you seen your free testosterone and free estradiol numbers? Total labs and ‘normal’ ranges can be misleading — they may look fine on paper but not be right for you. High SHBG usually connects more with testosterone and estradiol, and less so with progesterone.
Also, thyroid issues can look almost identical to hormone problems — brain fog, fatigue, weight changes, sleep struggles. A full panel (TSH, free T3, free T4, TPO antibodies, and thyroglobulin antibody) might help rule that out.
It’s possible to be in perimenopause in your early 30s, but it’s definitely worth making sure thyroid and other imbalances aren’t the main cause first. It sounds like you're seen a few different doctors already. You might just have to keep digging deeper, to find a doctor who will help. Do you belong to any perimenopause group boards like FB. Reddit or podcasts? You could post your questions there. These are women who are feeling the same as you and going thru the same symptoms.
Thanks so much, I have only had total labs, not free levels - I'll request during my appointment next Wednesday. I had full thyroid panel including antibodies which came back normal.
I have joined the groups on reddit, but for some reasons this post keeps getting deleted by moderators.
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1 ReactionHave you tried posting on "Wake Her UP", on Facebook?
Search for a physician who specializes in hormone replacement therapy. They run a completely different lab panel.
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2 ReactionsThere is 1 simple measure you can take which doesn't have any negative side effects and MIGHT be THE answer: try magnesium cream. I massage it into my feet just before bedtime. By the way, most of us are deficient in magnesium, but Docs do not have a bloodtest for it and so, seem to ignore it. (There are several kinds of magn.that can be taken orally also, but the body absorbs it much better transdermally.) I order it because I cannot find it in stores. Life-Flo is my favorite brand. Please let us know if this does help you.
What do you use it for?
Thank you, I have used every type of magnesium, low dose, high does, cream, oil, pills, powder, unfortunately it doesn't work/provide any benefit to me. 🥲
Trying to do this, but in Australia you have to see an endocrinologist to get this testing. Think thousands of dollars and lengthy wait times.
Is there any way you can travel to Sydney, New South Wales to see Dr Ceri Cashell?