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[FoggyMoggy]

Hello

I have been on HRT patches for a few months and wondered whether my GP will offer me blood tests to see what my levels of oestrogen and progesterone are. They weren't measured at the start of HRT. Is it usual for them to be measured or do you have to push for them?  How else do they know whether you have enough in your system otherwise?

Thanks.

[Butterfly22]

Hi
I've had to push for these tests, I actually ask the doctor can I have my oestrogen levels checked.
It's worth asking next time your there xx

[FoggyMoggy]

Thanks Lil. Yes it seems strange that they wouldn't check them. How else are you to know where your levels are at? x

[sjb0610]

I was refused the tests on the NHS.  Female gp quoted the NICE guidelines that state they need not be done after the age of 45.  Got mine done at Medichecks.  Took over an hour to squeeze out the blood they needed, however, I am told you can pay extra and get them done at one of their clinics.

[Butterfly22]

Oh maybe as I had early menopause then as started at 25 xxx

[Annie0710]

I think as long as your symptoms are sorted the levels don't really matter

I've always had hormone levels tested because I had a hysterectomy young so I had no periods to go by and didn't have the classic meno symptoms so I presume they've tested them each time to see if my symptoms were down to meno and also to Guage when I became post menopause x

[FoggyMoggy]

Thank you. I do still have sweats and also fatigue but caused by other conditions.

[Hurdity]

Hi FoggyMoggy

 

It is not usual to have tests for oestrogen and progesterone , as sjb0610 says if you are over 45 and getting menopausal symptoms along with cycle changes. This alone is sufficient to diagnose menopause. Depending how old you are and when the sweats started, a medium dose HRT ( eg 50 mcg) is often sufficient to eliminate sweats in women late in the peri-menopausal transition ( periods few and far between).

Progesterone is not tested anyway - this is only necessary to test if you are ovulating and sometimes in pregnancy if women are having problems. In the first half of the menstrual cycle and in post-menopause progesterone is low (but made in the amounts needed for the body) - it is only needed in very high amounts in pregnancy.

Did you have sweats before the menopause then since you mention other conditions? Some other conditions causing sweats or overlap with menopause symptoms are things like thyroid malfunction or sometimes blood sugar problems, but the patches should eliminate or drastically reduce menopausal sweats. If not then maybe you need a higher dose - what patches are you using and where in menopause/how old are you?

Hurdity x

[Salad]

I've only had blood tests done when there have been problems with getting my HRT dose sorted - otherwise my GP preferred to be guided by my symptom control