[Health] Day 3 Testing

As most of you know, one of the first steps in seeing if having a child is even in the ball game is getting your D3 Testing done. So I decided to get the first half of it done this cycle, to see if this blog had any chance at all of going anywhere.

I'm entering my thirties, and there was a chance things could not look so hot... (I think the current stats are one in twenty women go through early menopause?). I figured it couldn't hurt to get this bloodwork done now, and then again when I'm really serious about trying. Now that I have my results, I figured I would share them with you, and what they mean. It's time to get sciency! ^^

A few notes about the day three(D3) workup, just in case one isn't familiar. Day 3 includes at least two blood tests (LH/FSH), done on the third day of your cycle. So, you start bleeding/take your last birth control pill, then go in for the blood draw three days after that. You will be on your period,( or should be, if you have PCOS, haha). It's NOT the third day after you stop your period, or the third day of starting whatever hormonal birth control you take. Timing is important, and I found that bit confusing



I was tested for FSH, LH, prolactin, SHBG, Testosterone, DHEAS, TSH, Free T4 and Free T3, as well as a random glucose. With most women who are actually going to launch into TTC(trying to conceive), the doctor would order an AMH and an E2 ( as well, but since I'm not, and have PCOS(more on this later), she didn't.

Generally, most fertility clinics begin to have concerns/change their protocol if your D3 FSH is over 10-15. For a little more background on what each of the tests are actually testing, check this out.  Thanks to FertilityPlus for building such a clear chart of many of the various tests.


My numbers were as follows:

Total Testosterone: 1.1 (super high for a lady; Thank you PCOS!(not))

Free Testosterone: 56 (high, again, PCOS, no surprise)

FSH: 2.6 (low normal for age, shows excellent ovarian reserve. I should say, as this is one of the only advantages of not ovulating on a regular basis... I still have a lot of the girls in there!)

LH 6.1 (higher than expected for a non-pcos woman, but normal)

LH:FSH Ratio:  2.3 (Abnormal, but another indication seen in PCOS.)

PROL 9.3 (normal, so I won't have to deal with that potential PCOS complication)

Normal TSH/FT3/FT4: Indicates that I do not have any thyroid issues that could complicate things

Normal Random Glucose: Indicates that I have my insulin resistance well under control/no diabetes

DHEAS: low-normal, so that rules out yet more possible complications. ^^

So my doctor has triple confirmed that I have PCOS, checked that I'm no where near the "Get pregnant in a few years or ELSE" stage of egg quality, and I feel better about saving and waiting. Granted, I did get the caution that all this can change in a few months, but at least I have a baseline that says I am simultaneously  fertile and with PCOS; that they aren't an exclusionary thing.I'm not approaching menopause anytime soon, and I know that I won't have to deal with any of the complications that come from high DHEAS, diabetes during pregancy that isn't gestational, thyroid problems, or high prolactin. Those are all worries I'm happy to leave behind me.