Anyone know if starting BCpills can raise your prolactin level? xposted

ccartanddesign · #1 September 14th, 2011, 08:39 AM

I am waiting to do an IVF cycle. My dr. put me on BCpills a week and a half ago. After being on them for 5 days he did some blood work and the result was my Prolactin hormone level was very high. I am wondering if anyone knows if the BCpills can raise this level? My face is also breaking out with no end in sight.

I repeated the blood test yesterday but don't know the results yet.

Thanks!

JessicaW · #2 September 14th, 2011, 09:07 AM

I would say no, it's not the BCPs. Do you know just how high it was? If it's a little high, that's usually a different cause than if it's really high, i.e. over 100.

The reason I think it's not the BCPs is that I have hyperprolactinemia from PCOS and they put me on BCPs to lower the prolactin. PCOS causes high prolactin in about 10 percent of cases and usually it's not incredibly high, mine is like 35 untreated. So it's possible you could have a mild case of PCOS of the variety that causes high prolactin, but if it's really high, then it would not be caused by PCOS. You could also have mild elevation from lifestyle factors.

If you stimulate your nipples too much, this can up prolactin.

I think that makes sense to repeat the test. It could be a fluke, and it's not worth worrying about until you've had it confirmed. Looking at your siggie, it looks like you may have had previous fertility bloodwork before this set? If so, they would have done your prolactin then and wouldn't have let you go forward with your IUIs if it was very high. So if your prolactin is elevated, it's probably a recent occurrence.

KUP on your results...

ccartanddesign · #3 September 14th, 2011, 11:45 AM

I just got the results of my 2nd blood test for prolactin and the level was 9. So I guess as the nurse said the first time was a fluke.

(The first level was 199)

Thanks!