Oestradiol at 9000+? Can't be right surely?

[Shirleynott1]

Hi I have been on HRT for a month and I'm taking the gel. I wanted to know where my various hormones were at.

Because i've been using the gel I used plastic gloves and took the 'fingerprick' test using a toe instead (messy - would not recommend) so I wouldn't contaminate the sample with my hands which i use to spread the gel. But the Oestradiol result has come back as 9906pmol. Surely that can't be right.

Should I stop the HRT or just ignore this and crack on (2 pumps a day currently).

Not sure I understand why you are using gloves to apply the gel.
If you wash your hands afterwards and then do a finger prick test later in the day, there won't be any gel on your hands.

Why are you doing a test anyway? The finger prick test won't be accurate.
It's pointless.

If the gel is managing your symptoms, that's all that matters. If it's not you might need to increase it.

Thanks. I'm not using gloves to apply the gel, I put them on to do the test to avoid contamination. The test instructions said to leave 4 weeks to use a finger if you are applying hormone gels which I am, hence my decision to use a non-gelled digit!

I wanted to do the test as i'm not feeling any different TBH and wondering whether i needed either more gel or perhaps testosterone added in, but that reading was fine (normal).

You're supposed to give all HRT 3 months before deciding if it's helping or not. Bit too soon to be testing or deciding anything.

The test instructions are slightly odd because the estrogen is absorbed within an hour. The instructions on use say avoid skin to skin contact with another person, with the part of your body where the gel has been applied, for an hour.

If someone has a blood test at the drs then they are likely to draw blood from the arm where the gel has been applied.