So, a disappointing GP appointment, where the doctor said he "didn't believe" in measuring oestrogen, when I asked if I might not be absorbing via the patches and should try the gel instead.
I have serum oestradiol readings from when I saw a private menopause specialist when circumstances allowed, which also seemed to make the GP cross, despite him saying he didn't know enough about menopause himself and would have to refer me to an NHS menopause clinic with a long wait.
(I'd ended up going private after an awful 6-minute telephone consultation in '21 with a doctor from the same practice who said HRT "causes" breast cancer and was only relevant if I was having hot flushes, not any other symptoms.) Yes, I do need to find a new GP practice.)
The GP I saw last week did allow serum oestradiol to go on the blood test form, so I now have a current reading, 169 pmol/L.
Have been on 175mcg HRT patches since August this year. I'm 51. My oestrogen levels look low to me, considering the strength of the patches.
The blood test readings for serum oestradiol are as follows:
July 2021: 93 pmol/L (baseline, then started low-dose patches)
Oct 2021: 197 pmol/L
Jan 2022: 119 pmol/L (patches increased to 50 mcg)
May 2022: 103 pmol/L ( patch increase to 100mcg)
August 2022: last appointment with private doc. Patch increase to 150mcg and fairly soon after that, to 175 mcg)
Current level, Nov 2022: 169 pmol/L
The private doc had said she was aiming to get me into the 300s-400s. (Can't see private doc anymore, long story.)
I miraculously have a GP appointment next week for a dermatology issue, which should be quick, so I'm going to bring this up.
Gel? Thoughts welcome.
Most pressing symptom is alarming hair loss, which of course may or may not be caused by low oestrogen, but I am desperate to halt/improve.
in case relevant:
In retrospect, it seems strange that the private doctor was persevering with patches. It was something about wanting a steady delivery of the hormones because I have polycystic ovaries and am generally "hormonal".
Thyroid function 13.2 pmol/l
Ferritin 91 ug/L (highest it's ever been, I'm usually 60s/70s, Have been supplementing when I remember)
Serum iron 26 umol/L
Serum sex hormone binding glob 134 nmol/L