Hi Denise,

 

The question you pose is the eternal question. Do I, don’t I?

 

Although I am a classical simple viriliser, I went off my meds for a few years until I got so sick in 2000 and 2001. I had to go through the rediagnosis thing again, only last year. So it’s still fresh in my mind.

 

I also had, along with other things, the total exhaustion. The sort of exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix. I, too had the shakey legs, it’s weird and disconcerting. In fact when I still occasionally get the shakey legs, it’s my clue now, that I need to  increase my dose for a few days. It’s at these times I wish we had a test kit, (like diabetics), to see what is happening with our levels.

 

So, what are all these things symptomatic of? It’s my belief that high testosterone, high androstenediones and high 17 OHP’s, DON"T cause these terrible unwell feelings. Therefore, the only conclusion I can draw is that it is the LOW CORTISOL levels or at least the body trying hard to produce cortisol levels within range that causes our unwellness.

 

After all cortisol is such a fundamental hormone in the body that without any, we would only live 2-3 days. It is called the stress hormone of the body, so to me it is no wonder that when we don’t have enough, we get knocked.

 

So regardless of fertility, you may need to consider having some replacement just to help you function optimally. It’s very tricky, isn’t it. I know for me that I will never go off it again. I couldn’t bear to be dragging myself around again, like I was in 2000 and 2001.

 

Hope this is of some help.

 

Rosalie