A little bit off

I've just started back in with infertility testing again and had my CD3 yesterday. So, my panel came back normal for FSH and LH, with just a teench more estrogen than normal. I want to get my prolactin tested as I think it might be a little bit high, perhaps in a subclinical way. I've looked up hyperprolactinemia in the past and have a lot of links. Today I was looking for the relationship between estrogen and prolactin and came across some interesting things that I thought I would share along with some other facts I've picked up along the way...

• Too much or too little prolactin causes infertility
  
• Prolactin excess can be stimulated by excess estrogen (this include using fertility drugs)
  
• Prolactin has been linked to low progesterone during the luteal phase
  
• Stress can elevate prolactin levels
  
• Dopamine regulates prolactin levels
  
• Stress can deplete dopamine levels in the brain
  
• Estrogen deprivation kills dopamine cells in the brain
  
• Excess estrogen leads to dopamine depletion
  
• Low progesterone leads to excess estrogen production
  
• Excess prolactin is linked to hypothyroidism
  
• Hypothyroidism and low progesterone can sometimes be linked to excess estrogen
  

And all of this could be on a subclinical level. Are you seeing the chicken and the egg here? So, for those of you who are relatively normal body weight and are experiencing infertility without other causes, such as IR or PCOS or a blockage, this might be one option for the hormonal imbalance that is impairing your fertility. A whole lotta little things being off just a little.

I'm going to explore this theory with my doctor in the coming weeks especially since I believe I have signs of excess prolactin.