Hi
currently taking HRT
3 pumps of Oestrogel daily
1 utrogestan capsule daily
1 estradiol tablet twice weekly
menopausal symptoms (night sweats etc) have eased still quite snappy but that’s probably just due to my impatient nature 🙈 however I have zero and I mean libido .
I addressed this with my doctor and they just upped my oestrogel from 2 pumps to three and wouldn’t entertain any conversation around checking testosterone levels .
i decided to have a private blood test and opted for a test of everything , so it wasn’t just a finger prick blood test.
anyhow my hormone levels are back and testosterone levels are through the floor to the extent they couldn’t calculate my free testosterone or free androgen index:-
oestradiol -109
fsh -73.1
LH 63.6
Testosterone <0.09
I shared these results with my doctor via an app ( it’s the way we have to make appts) and I requested an appt to discuss these results . I immediately got a call from the surgery stating the doctors won’t look at these results and I need to go back to the company I had the test through . The blood tests also show my thyroid levels are out of sorts as well and as I already have an underactive thyroid / taking thyroxine I wanted to also discuss that as well as my medication potentially needs changing and that has to be agreed with my doctor not a third party .
i have therefore just had to make a general appt to have a hrt & thyroid review .
ultimately ,thyroid will be fine as they will prob just insist on another blood test via the nhs ( what a waste of money) but I need to see what they say about the hormone results . If they won’t consider my blood test results / consider prescribing for low testosterone levels what do I do - do I just go to Superdrug and get a private prescription that way or do I need to find a private menopause specialist - as the tests also indicate “your oestrogen level is also low with high levels of follicle stimulating hormones and lutenising hormone. These levels suggest your oestrogen hrt dose may not be adequate’ .
i know there is the option
to increase the gel to 4 pumps, but I’m sure I’ve read that if that dose is increased then your progesterone also needs to be increased as well .
this all just feels a real mess now , I just want to be in a situation where I’m taking the correct level of medication and especially addressing my lack of testosterone ( finally relieved to have an answer to my lack of libido tho 😀)
sorry for the waffle , how would you approach next steps if you were in this situation ? Thanks in advance