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[itwillbebetter]

Have been on 4 pumps oestrogel daily plus 1/4 tube of testim, since Nov.  I am 43 and had TAH 4 years ago.

Had blood tests taken as a starting reference just before I started oestrogel.  At this point I was on Zumenon 3 mg per day.  My oestradiol was then 693 and testosterone .7

Today after 3 1/2 months on oestrogel my oestradiol has fallen to 425.  Testosterone gone through the roof to 5.5 which is above normal range. I was expecting my oestradiol to have gone up, not down!

Will go back to gynae and have a chat. Am a bit concerned at testosterone though.  I felt fantastic on it for a couple of weeks (high libido, happy mood, loads of energy) then abruptly this all stopped.  I wonder whether I have almost overdosed on it?
Any thoughts would be appreciated x

[twinkle1066]

Hiya - I had my oestradiol done recently and it was 301 - I have been trying to find out if this is really low? Sorry not sure about your question but I was trying to google normal oestradiol results yesterday and getting nowhere but guess when you say yours has fallen to 425 that this is pretty low also x

[itwillbebetter]

Hi Twinkle.

I don't think that is particularly low.  I know my first level of 693 was regarded as fairly high.  Still felt crap though 

[Sarah2]

what is zumenon?

I'm assuming it's testosterone as it says 'men' and 'zoom'

Does this help re. what is 'normal' ranges- your oestrodiol has dropped but it's not below average.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003711.htm

[itwillbebetter]

Hi Sarah,
Nope, not testosterone although I like your thinking   Its tablet form of estrodiol. 

[Sarah2]

I thought it was an (almost) anagram of 'men zoom on'....

How many pumps of Oestrogel are you using? You'd need 4 pumps to get the 3mgs.

[itwillbebetter]

Yes I'm already using 4 pumps, doesn't make sense to me 

[Sarah2]

Whoever requested the tests will explain it all....

[Hurdity]

Hi

Re blood test results it's important to distinguish between the units of measurements - whether in pg/ml as in the American website Sarah2 referred to (where I think pg/ml are the more usual units) or pmol/l which I think is the usual for the UK.

To convert between the two: 1 pg/ml =  3.67 pmol/l

Also estradiol values vary according to the stage in the menstrual cycle and I understand that HRT attempts to set a woman's estradiol level to the average across the cycle.

I find this table in Wikipedia very helpful as giving the reference ranges in pg/ml and pmol/l for the different stages and the % of women that fall within these ranges.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estradiol - scroll down to Ranges.

The mean across the menstrual cycle is approx 370 pmol/l and the range for post-menopausal HRT estradiol levels (according to one paper where estradiol was used to treat depression) was 260 - 700 pmol/l ( from estrogen patches 25 - 200 mcg). Can't lay my hands on the paper at the mo' but I made notes on it in Word!

So your results all sound within the normal range. Also your estradiol levels I imagine will still vary even when on HRT and maybe more likely with gel which may have greater variability in absorption and consistency of dosing ( ie more down to individual variation), so I doubt whether one test in isolation will be definitive.

I think more important is what you are feeling, rather than precise levels (especially if they are well within normal range) so as you say it is puzzling why you aren't feeling so good at the moment. The whole biology of sex hormones and feedback mechanisms and control of what happens within the endocrine system is so complex and I don't think even the experts can explain it all properly!

Unfortunately this isn't much help to you - but personally I wouldn't want to have tesosterone levels above the normal range for women, for obvious reasons, and not least because there have been no long term studies on dosage, efficacy and safety.


Hurdity x

[itwillbebetter]

Thanks for all the replies.

Am feeling completely ghastly.  Latest bloods show oestradiol at 328 (fallen from 693) and testosterone at a more healthy 1.5.

I don't think that oestrogel suits me considering that my levels have fallen from 693 to 328. This may be within the 'normal' range but for me its horrid. 

[Suzyq]

I have read on quite a few other sites that oestrogel gives quite low estrogen levels! On user even contacted the makers who confirmed that levels of around 200 were what they considered sufficient!! Whilst this may work for some women, it wouldn't for me. My levels recently tested at 677 (up from 18 to 230 to 677) using estradot 100. Still felt crappy but I had zero progesterone and for me, I do seem to need progesterone to feel remotely decent! I have downsized now to estradot75 and am using compounded progesterone every day as my specialist feels that I need stable levels rather than a hit of progesterone every month. We will see how that works out!!