Anyone help with blood test results?

[Loveskin2024]

I’m 39, I’ve been having lots of mood swings, heavy periods, shorter cycles, brain fog and fatigue. The mood is the worse part. Took a private hormone blood test and oestradiol is abnormally low and FSH high at 24.5. Can anyone interpret this for me? Can’t get an appointment with my GP & feeling blue 😔

Obviously I’m going to try and get a GP appointment but I’m desperate for information x

Oestradiol is 59.8 should be between 114-332 and FSH is 24.5 and should be between 3.5-12.5

Anyone help please? 😊

when you say a private blood test, was this done by a medic (dr or nurse) or did you buy a kit and do it at home?

Blood tests for fertility which is what an FSH test is, are taken between days 2 and 5 of a monthly cycle, and 2 tests are needed, a month apart.

Although I can see why you're worried and have some symptoms of peri menopause, at an early age, it's best to see your GP and perhaps ask them for a referral to a menopause gynaecologist, to take your full medical history/ tests and take it from there.

Also, if it's within your means, you can self-refer to most specialists now (very few want a GP letter). If this is an option the British Menopause Society has a list of specialists on their website or you can check your local private hospital websites for specialists. Obviously, their appts vary but usually you would be able to see a specialist privately within 2- 4 weeks.

@JinglingSpringbells thank you for your reply. Yes it was an at home blood test which is then reviewed by a doctor. I had to take it between days 3-5 of my cycle. They basically said I need to see my gp as my results were abnormal. I will keep trying to get an appointment. I knew I had lowish egg reserves for my age at 34 when I did IVF and both my sister & mum had early menopause, so it’s been on my mind for a while.

What cycle day were they taken?

@CaraMiaMonCher thanks for your reply. Cycle day 5

Called the GP again today, no appointments. The receptionist was kind and recommended a family planning clinic. Is this right? She did say to keep on trying the GP too

No a FP clinic isn't what you need.

Are you telling the receptionist what you want to see a GP for?
If so, this might be why there are no appts- they might be putting you bottom of the list.

You don't have to say what you want - just say it's personal.

How does your practice work- is it the 8am scramble for an appt and then you have to start again the next day?

In all honesty I'd look at self-referring yourself to a specialist for at least the first appt, as that is what you need anyway for premature menopause- which it sounds like now you have said your mum had that too.

@JinglingSpringbells thankuou. Yes I fully explained to her. It’s the usual 8am scramble but she won’t give me an emergency say appointment which is completely understandable. But next weeks few slots get taken up quickly. I’ll keep trying. Do you know if I can self refer on the NHS. I don’t have the funds to go private sadly as I’m only working part time due to high nursery fees

I called up at 8am today and spoke to the same receptionist, she got me a telephone appointment this morning. The doctor was really understanding and has order a blood test, he didn’t specify a specific cycle day to have it on though. Does this really matter? I’ll be cycle day 21 when I have my blood test

Yes it does matter. If they have agreed to a blood test you should try to book it when it's right to test fertility or it will be meaningless.

@Loveskin2024 If you want medical info for your GP take a look at The Daisy Network online. This is a charity for women with POI run by medical consultants .
On the menu , you can select About POI and then choose Diagnosis and Investigations. It explains the Day 2- 5 blood tests there.

What is the other blood test? Is it progesterone? A repeat FSH?

Progesterone is usually checked on CD21 to confirm ovulation.

NICE guideline for menopause/perimenopause is here; https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/diagnosis/diagnosis-of-menopause-perimenopause/

Thanks both, do you know I don’t know what tests he’s sent me for. I should have asked. I’ll check out both of your links thank you

@Loveskin2024 the link left by @CaraMiaMonCher is mainly for women in peri who are older - it's not about tests for POI.

The tests for POI are listed on the Daisy Network site.

In women over 45, blood tests are not used to diagnose menopause. The diagnosis is on symptoms.

If you have the NHS app then you may be able to see what tests have been requested next. They might be documented at the bottom of the consultation relating to your most recent appt/telephone call.

I think this is the part of the NICE guideline that would apply to you being 39 years old; https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/menopause/diagnosis/diagnosis-of-premature-ovarian-insufficiency/

You will perhaps need a referral into gynae for more specialist assessment/help rather than being managed by your GP - as you certainly sound like you have perimenopausal symptoms + elevated FSH, but a definitive diagnosis of POI requires two FSH results over 30, and your last one was 24.5 - so it is higher than it should be for the follicular phase (suggesting that a lot of FSH is being released as it’s proving quite a struggle to recruit follicles from
your ovaries) but not high enough for confirmed menopause, but you may still ovulate sporadically. Contraception still necessary if not wanting to conceive.

POI has implications for bone and cardiovascular health too, which need to be managed carefully with you being so young.

Thanks both for the advice. I’ve downloaded the app and has requested access so hopefully things will become clearer