Need help please

I recently underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor from my pituitary gland. I was diagnosed with Cushing's and that led up to surgery. I am now six weeks post-op and they are tyring to figure out what other problems the Cushing's caused. I just had a recent work-up for some of the things they'll be testing me for but I must admit I'm a little stumped about the hormone levels they checked. I will be posting my tests and results later. For the hormone testing I believe I was in the mid-cycle going into luteal phase. I had my period three days after surgery, on the 04 October and that was normal. After 7 days it seemed to stop. Then I had spotting for about another week and that ended. I haven't had another period. So here are my results:

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy, LC/MS/MS, Vitamin D, 25-OH, Total: 13 (L) .... Reference Range: 20-100

Vitamin D, 25-OH, D3: 7 ... No reference range established

Vitamin D, 25-OH, D2: 6 ... No reference range established

Ferritin: 22 ... Reference Range: 10-154

Vitamin B12: 936 ... Reference Range: 200-1100

DHEA Sulfate: <15 (L) ... Reference Range: 40-325

FSH: 2.3 ... Reference Range: Follicular (wasn't in this phase) 2.5-10.2 ... Mid-cycle Peak (maybe this one): 3.1-17.7 ... Luteal Phase (maybe this one as well): 1.5-9.1

IGF-1: 102 (L) ... Reference Range: 126-291

Vitamin B1: 19 ... Reference Range: 9-44

LH: 0.7 ... Reference Range: Follicular (wasn't in this phase) 1.9-12.5 ... Mid-cycle Peak (maybe this one): 8.7-76.3 ... Luteal Phase (maybe this one as well): 0.5-16.9

Progesterone: <0.5 ... Reference Range: Follicular (wasn't in this phase) <1.4 ... Mid-cycle Peak (maybe this one): 3.3-26.0 ... Luteal Phase (maybe this one as well): 4.4-28.0

Estradiol: 30 ... Reference Range: Reference Range: Follicular (wasn't in this phase) 11-212 ... Mid-cycle Peak (maybe this one): 18-480 ... Luteal Phase (maybe this one as well): <OR = 247

OH, I was given a script for Vitamin D replacements, the highest dose he could give because it was so low.

I look forward to hearing some of your expertise on this matter. I don't see my doctor again until 22 November and I'd like to go in knowing what he was talking about.

Also, would someone please tell me the difference between Follicular, Mid-cycle and Luteal? From what I understand, Follicular is when you have your period, Mid-cycle is after Follicular and when you start to ovulate? Luteal is right before you get your period again.

So confusing.

Thanks!

[rumpled]

I had Cushing's disease as well.

I am also very sorry that you did not get this testing before surgery - so you could have had some relief beforehand.

I also take D, iron, calcium, growth hormone, estrogen etc etc.

As for the cycle -
"The cycle is divided in two periods of unequal length: the phase that precedes ovulation (or follicular rupture) is called the follicular phase whereas the period which follows ovulation is termed the luteal phase.. The length of the follicular phase depends on the velocity of growth of the ovarian follicles and is thus variable from one woman to another. In contrast, the length of the luteal phase depends on the life span of the corpus luteum, it is thus less variable. In the 20 women whose hormonal results are presented below, the mean duration (+ SD) of the follicular phase was 15.4 + 2.5 days and the mean duration of the luteal phase was 13.6 + 1.2 days)."

I think that means Follicular is before the egg, luteal is after, mid is when the egg is out. My cycle was all over, and no 28 day span ever fit me.

Oh and it is very normal to get a period after surgery - lots of us do for some reason even if we are abnormal - and yet we then stay abnormal.


You will need to set up a growth hormone stim test in order to get it covered by insurance. DHEA you can get over the counter, but do not take too much or you will know by acne and greasy skin.  Irons are hard to pick too - bleah - I hate them. I use a patch for estrogen.

Get a dexa scan - see how your bones are.