Mystery solved?
Written on Friday, February 15, 2008 by Jessica
My voice deepened during pregnancy and never bounced back. Until recently, I had blamed the pregnancy and worried that my voice might get even deeper during the next pregnancy. (Gasp! Oh, the horror! Say it ain't so.)
The mystery has finally been solved. It turns out that I have high testosterone levels. Normal levels in a woman are between 25 and 75. (I have no idea what the units of measurement are supposed to be.) My doctor says she almost never sees anything above 50. Me? I'm at exactly 100.
If it were up around 200, she said she'd send me for a CAT scan to see if a tumor was causing overproduction. So I guess that's good news -- no tumor worries.
Anyhow, if nature had taken its course during my twenties, my testosterone would've risen slowly and gradually lowered my voice. However, I did not let nature take its course. I was on the pill for an entire decade, which of course regulated my hormones and kept everything pretty normal. When I went off the pill to get pregnant, my testosterone levels likely shot up and lowered my voice. Sigh. None of this newfound understanding makes me feel any better when people mistake me for a man on the phone. Plus, it's pretty freaking embarrassing to have to come home to your husband and say, "Hey, baby. Guess what. I got too many man-hormones."
The doc has prescribed a certain birth control pill, YAZ, to lower testosterone, and also metformin, to help regulate blood sugar and hopefully lose some weight. She says my voice might even get a little higher, although it'll never return to its original pitch. Oh, and she also recommends a high-protein diet. Apparently, protein binds with testosterone and reduces its effect, but only in larger amounts (i.e., if I eat more protein than carbs). I go back for another test in two months.
Posted in
Losing weight,
Miscellany
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Wow, this is interesting!! At least you have an answer!
High protein diets are great!! You can eat so much! lol. I love them. As you know, I practice a form of low carb and with low carb diet you eat a lot of protein.
I am sure this is going to help you with your voice..as long as you don't end up sounding all breathy and sexy...gosh, you could embark on a new career, phone actress...lol. Just kidding, but i am totally glad you found out what happened with your voice!!
Z.
awwww.... :(
Please tell me you didn't go home and tell him "Hey baby, guess what, I got too many man hormones!" LOL
This is just a rough patch Jessica, you'll be through it in no time.
I have to tell you, after reading this I feel so very guilty. I hadn't wanted any more children, and, I was actually quite devestated when I found out I was pregnant. And, here you are, so very sad and upset because you really want another child, and can't have one.
Hey, glad you got an answer. :)
Zoe, you mean I never mentioned it?? Yes, I already moonlight as a phone actress. Just call 1-900-JESSICA. :)
Sherri, I never meant for anyone to feel bad about my situation. You shouldn't. Everything is okay. Just a rough patch, as you said. And no, I didn't actually say, "Hey, baby. Guess what. I got too many man-hormones."
Wow, at least you have an answer!
Oh my...I never would have thought of that! At least you have some possible fixes to try to get a more "normal" female voice and lose weight, which I know you want. Good Luck!
Hey, we should do luch some time soon! E-mail me. :)