Help! --- Apparent Hormonal Imbalance

Hello all,

i am a 24 year old female having issues with excessive/abnormal hair growth.

I am fair skinned with light brown hair. I have dark, thick hairs growing on my chin and in a patch on the left side of my neck only. Additionally, my sideburns extend to my jawline.

Through the past few years, I have had occasional hairs sprout in these areas. Now, they are growing so fast that I tweeze twice a day. What's worse, is that before the hair grows outside of the surface of my skin, the dark hair follicle is visible. Oddly enough, at this stage of growth, I can actually squeeze the hairs out of my skin (as one would squeeze a blemish).

My mother was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. It never occured to me until now, but in the past 3-4 years, I began to exhibit some symptoms which I think may be indicative of some type of hormonal disorder:

- weight gain/slow metabolism (specifically --- unbalanced weight gain in the abdomen)
- cystic acne breakouts (usually on my chin)
- weakness/fatigue
- mood swings/irritability...Odd bouts of mild depression (this is recent --- about 4-5 months)
- I am not losing patches of hair --- but my head of hair is about half as thick as it was 4-5 years ago.
- I don't have painful constipation... But I only defecate every 3-4 days.
- irregular menstrual cycle (every 2-6 months... Usually 5-9 days of bleeding)
- unable to sleep even when exhausted
- always cold. Several times a day, I actually feel chills up my spine that cause my body to jerk in reaction.
- I bruise very easily. Cuts take long to heal.

While I realize that I do need to see a physician for an official diagnosis... I wanted to at least research some of the possible problems. I also do not want to jump to conclusions based on my mother's condition.

Any thoughts/possibilities? Any recommendations of endocrinologists in nyc?

Thanks for your help,
spinachmonster