Relationship between thyroid hormone levels and testosterone.

[gottama]

I am female, finished puberty about 5 years ago and have not had any acne for 2.5 years. I have a total T3 in the upper end/top of the reference range due to using T4 and T3 for hypothyroidism. However, recently I developed moderate acne and noticed new hair growth at the corners of my mouth and in between my eyebrows. It turns out that i have a mildly elevated total testosterone level but normal SHBG. Could the elevated total testosterone be causing these symptoms and be enough to diagnose PCOS or is my elevated total testosterone in someway linked to my T3 use?  

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

The elevated testosterone is not likely due to the thyroid condition or treatment.  Would agree that PCOS should be looked into.....not enough to diagnose with this information alone....

[gottama]

Thanks, what further information/diagnostics would be needed to diagnose PCOS? The total testosterone was 4 nmol/l (reference range 1-3 nmol/l), SHBG was 100 nmol/l (reference range 20 - 160 nmol/l).