Oestrogen levels 🤦🏻‍♀️

[pinkrabbits39]

Hoping someone can help?
Private blood tests from Newson said oestradiol 186pmol 3 months ago, new NHS blood test today 886pmol! I did increase from 4 pumps to 5 and I added testosterone in this period but it still feels like a helluva increase! Any thoughts anyone please?

Sorry OP. No idea. Am new to it all. I have been prescribed gel without any tests. Approach will be test it out and see what difference it makes. Should I have had some tests?

@Lostmarbles2021I think they start you on something and normally monitor your symptoms and they’re guided by this… I had bloods to see if I needed testosterone, they cost me £250 privately 😑

It could be that your own cycle is bubbling along underneath the estrogel, so mid month when your natural estrogen levels would be higher combined with 5 pumps could lead to high levels in your blood? My last blood test showed levels of 756 which I was told was too high, so estrogen patch was reduced from 100 to 75. I've since found out via Newson Health that when you have your hormone blood test you should make sure your patch is on it's 'change' day and not use the estrogel. I didn't do any of that for my last blood test.....because nobody told me.

why are you having blood tests anyway?

You don't need blood tests for HRT.

Why are you needing tests under the NHS?

The idea is you use what you need (gel) to reduce your symptoms.

Sorry- don't mean to sound aggressive but after years on HRT the only blood test I had was a long time ago and that was for another issue that I was seeing my gynae about. he says there is no point doing blood tests (in otherwise healthy women.)

@JinglingHellsBells I think when you first go to a private clinic they want you to have blood tests to see where your estrogen levels are, then 3 months later to check that the HRT meds are being absorbed? Both private clinics that I've been to have asked for them, not sure about the NHS, never got the chance!

Not always @Rina66. My meno consultant is private and very experienced. (more so than many drs quoted here.) They don't do tests as they say they are not useful as the proof HRT works is when it controls your symptoms.

Same as Jingling. I see a meno consultant and have never had any hormone blood tests as levels fluctuate so much. Even NICE guidelines say they’re pointless. All goes by symptoms. I’m assuming OP is >45 years old.

[quote Rina66]@JinglingHellsBells I think when you first go to a private clinic they want you to have blood tests to see where your estrogen levels are, then 3 months later to check that the HRT meds are being absorbed? Both private clinics that I've been to have asked for them, not sure about the NHS, never got the chance! [/quote]
Newson have never asked me have blood tests. But I’m not on testosterone.

So I’ve had my consult with Newson, apparently as oestrogen works so quickly, she was not surprised by my jump in levels… she’d be happy to see me nearer 1200 pmol due to my age, I’m 43. I think the bloods were because of the testosterone, this is the trouble, you do as your doctors as you to, I just get my credit card out! 🤦🏻‍♀️