I am a 24 year old female who has a history of androgen excess (signs/symptoms of) and menstural irregularities (amenorrhea).
I was a normal child, no symptoms of body odor or very early puberty. I began puberty at 9, which was a fairly normal age considering I have always been heavy (increased weight advances puberty).
However, my puberty was NOT normal. At the age of 9, I had fairly bad acne. I vividly remember having the chicken pox, and then the "spots" never wenta way after that. After a few weeks, I went to the doctor with my mother, and she told me that this was acne not chicken pox anymore.
Throughout childhood into teen years, the acne worsened. I showed other signs of virulization like hair growth on my face, deepening voice, hair loss at temples, and masculine features in bone structure (e.g. thick jaw, brow ridge, broad rib cage and shoulders). I did not menstruate, and was for all practical purposes completely amenorrhetic (although I did have spotting once in awhile, and once I had one period)
I had bloodwork taken at 16. Testosterone level was like 110, and DHEA was over 6.
I also began gaining lots and lots of weight.
Other symptoms I've had/have are emotional difficulties, depression, and a history of hypoglycemia (reactive). My blood pressure tends to run low.
Because of my weight problem (high of 280 at 5'5 height), I began a diet at around 20 years old. It was a ketogenic low carb diet. I chose this diet because so many of my symptoms fit what they said is the model for carbohydrate intolerance (like the hypoglycemia, constant hunger shortly after eating, etc).
Upon starting this diet, my symptoms went away almost overnight.
The acne I had since 9 (now at 20 years old) went away in a week, totally and completely. It was like magic. All other symptoms of high testosterone/androgens also went away.
The next month, I had a period. I proceeded to have a period every month thereafter.
I lost gobs and gobs of weight, and my hunger/moods normalized a lot.
As a result of the response to the ketogenic diet, I concluded I was hyperinsulinemic with severe PCOS. This was my original self diagnosis, however, I am starting to doubt that.
As I lost more weight, my periods became less frequent and abnormal.
One month I had a period that was extremely heavy, for 2 weeks duration.
I skipped a month, too. Then it gradually got lighter and lighter, till it just stopped coming. This happened when I weighed about 145 pounds, after losing 135 pounds. I now weigh 120 lbs. I have not had a period in about 3 years.
Because I am amenorrhetic again, I am starting to wonder if I was ever correct in diagnosing myself with PCOS.
Presently, I have no other symptoms of androgen excess (I adhere to the low carbohydrate diet), but I am amenorrhetic. I am very confused and I don't know why I have this symptom.
I have no insurance, so I can't get this tested the proper way.
In your experience, with your knowledge, does it sound like I have NCAH?
I was so sure I had PCOS from hyperinsulinemia, it all made so much *sense*, but now that I am amenorrhetic again I have to start asking why and examining other possibilities. The one other remote possibility is that my weight is too low to menstruate, but, I don't see how that is possible considering I first became amenorrhetic at 145 (which is borderline overweight for height).
... sorry if this makes no sense.
