Before being prescribed HRT did you have hormone tests?

[LimeLemonOrange]

I've been prescribed HRT by a private clinic, she said usually they'd do blood tests but she said she wanted to go ahead and get me started on HRT as I sounded so miserable.

Separately my GP did a blood test - I had a text from her late on Friday saying 'your hormone test does not suggest menopause'. The GP said before the test that hormone blood tests weren't reliable so perhaps this test result doesn't tell me much, and means I could still need HRT.

If you use HRT did you first have a blood test that indicated perimenopause or menopause?

I'm on a menopause Facebook group, I think most women are American but they all have their blood tests done regularly and seem to know whether they are short on estrogen or estrogen dominant or whatever.

Some of you probably saw my other thread, I was going to post there but this is a slightly different question.

No. GP prescribed on the basis of symptoms. This is actually current NICE guidelines because the whole thing about perimeopause and one of the reasons for hot flushes is that your hormone levels fluctuate wildly - completely out of whack one day, normal the next. So a one-off blood test can frequently deliver a false negative.

Yes. Had a blood test which confirmed menopause. But I was only 42 and hadn't had a period in the 18 months since coming off the pill (after DH had vasectomy) so the GP wanted it confirming so I could be put on HRT to avoid early menopause complications, rather than to alleviate symptoms.

There are so many variables:

How old are you?
What are they specifically testing for?
How many tests throughout the month?

I had a FSH test reading of 13 prior to gynae interventions, ie fertile.

I was 56.

No, my GP also prescribed on the basis of my symptoms and age.

I'm 48. I'm not sure what the test was exactly, or the result, but I've emailed the GPs surgery to get that info.

DianasLasso that's very interesting re current NICE guidelines.

My symptoms haven't been the conventional hot flushes so GP isn't very interested which is why I went to the private clinic.

I wasn't that impressed by the private clinic though, I felt they'd have just prescribed HRT to whoever contacted them, whether it was right or not.

Had symptoms from age 41 now 44.
Never had a hot flush - bowel issues and bloating. Saw doc three times for these
Plus asthma developing (another symptom)

Then had bleeding most the month. I already had mirena. Sometimes I would flood with bright red blood for an hour.

So they did the menopause test. Negative apparently but also had scan and hysteroscope. The gyne put me on HRT. And changed mirena - suggested i change it 3-4 years from now on.

Doc happy to try various types HRT when I wasn't happy with the first - patches didn't stay stuck on.

now have 4 gel pumps a day, vagifem and ovestin. Still not quite right ! But much better.

chuffedasbuttons glad you're much better now!

@LimeLemonOrange As others have said, NICE advice is not to test hormones in women except if they are under 45 and might have an early menopause.

There is a lot of twaddle talked about testing hormone levels - and i can believe that on a US site as they are a long way behind us and Europe in meno treatment.

Why not have a watch of the Youtube video I mentioned, about 4 threads down (I didn't link to it but it's easily found by google.) Panay discusses all of this- how to get the right dose.

As for private meno clinics...I've had a private consultant for many years but didn't see them at first about meno- they are a gynae, one of the top ones in the UK with a sound reputation.

There are many clinics jumping on the meno bandwagon and sometimes they overcharge and overtest to make money. If you want private treatment, my advice is you choose a consultant (who will usually work in the NHS as well, as has done) and see them at their private practice rather than choosing a clinic which markets itself as a meno clinic. You need to research the doctors, their CVs, and not just the fact they have set up a clinic.

@JinglingHellsBells brilliant advice, thank you so much, I'll seek out the video you mention and also do my research on the private menopause consultants.

Thanks again.

At 48, hopefully the symptoms I'm experiencing are peri menopause rather than something else. I wish our GPs were better educated on the myriad symptoms and could be more reassuring.