Estradiol levels on sequential HRT

[ConfusedMiddleAger83]

I am 51 and have been on sequential HRT for about 11 months. I started on Evorel 50 patches and 2 x 100mg progesterone days 15-28. I didn’t feel it did anything at all, in February the upped the patch to 75. I feel worse rather than better. My levels of fatigue and brain fog are horrendous, my memory is shocking and concentration poor etc. I have lost my job, primarily as I just couldn’t cut it at work any more and didn’t have the energy to try and improve / put in more hours to keep myself off the redundancy list. I don’t really have any of the more physical symptoms, not hot flushes etc, it’s more cognitive and energy.

GP has done full blood tests, my Vit D is low and I will get back on the supplements but everything else is normal. My Estradiol was 172. The test was taken on day 23 of the month and my period started 2 days later on day 25, whilst still taking the progesterone. My periods are mostly in the progesterone bit of the month and I feel they are my own periods if that makes sense, not a withdrawal bleed. I always had a short cycle, I still feel ovulation and PMS etc.

I want to be informed when I have the follow up with the GP, is this a low level of Estradiol indicating I need a higher dose? On the NHS blood tests it says it’s normal. Struggling to find websites / resources to interpret it.

TIA

Oh and just to add, I had put on a new patch about 12 hours before the blood tests.

Hey OP ..
I’m I have such a similar story to you ..
I was on those estradot patches the same as you ,( I’m 49 ) , for 1.5 years before they changed them up , like you increasing dose & made zero difference..
Then I went to a different doctor who put me on the lenzetto spray , 3 sprays each morning & I cannot tell you the difference, like life changing literally..
It’s about finding what’s right for you , the patches def were not for me , & clearly not for you either ..
Good luck with it all x

https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/gp-resources/oestrogens-and-blood-testing/

The 'test' is your own symptoms.

So maybe consider going up to a higher patch or swapping to gel where you would use 3 or 4 pumps.

Thanks, good to know. I’ll push for trying something other than patches then.

Thanks - yes I wasn’t convinced about the blood test form what I had read, but the gp wouldn’t change anything without it. Hopefully she’ll be open to an increased / different dose when I have the follow up.