Blood tests whilst on HRT - timing

[101trees]

I spoke to my GP today about possibly changing the estrogen element of my HRT.

I'm on a 100mg Evorel patch, I'm OK for most of the month, but get terrible hot flushes, wake in the early hours of the morning anxious and get migraines throughout my period week (only). I recognise them as my low estrogen symptoms.

My GP's suggestions were either increasing by using higher dose with patches as some women do need higher doses of estrogen, or maybe I'm not absorbing the estrogen well from the patch so switching to gel might be better.

She suggested a blood test to see if I'm absorbing it ok, she wanted to check testosterone level at the same time.

What I found odd though is that she said it didn't matter when in the month I did the blood test. Surely it matters when in the month you test? I feel fine when it's not my period. Wouldn't it be better to test in the phase I have symptoms?

PS - I do know testing isn't recommended. I was under a specialist and she suggested the same thing, she said sometimes it's useful to check absorption, so I'm not too bothered about it in this context.

But the timing not being important seemed odd to me.