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[Gilla999]

Sorry for multiple posts - my head is spinning a bit today. I'm trying to get an appointment with a gynae but struggling, and really not sure what to do.

I started Lenzetto 6 weeks ago - prior to that I had been trying the contraceptive pill for 4 months back to back (had a one week break before starting Lenzetto). I've been on two sprays a day and haven't yet started the Utro because just as I planned to I got my period, so I decided to wait a couple of weeks so that it's in sync with my natural cycle (I plant to start it a week today).

On Thursday last week I did a blood test just to check my levels and my estrogen came back at 55,000 pmol/L ?!?! With a lab range of 98-571 for the time of the month. I am super confused of how that is even possible. Clearly I need to cut the dose, but what is so confusing is that since taking Lenzetto my original problems (night sweats and middle-of-the-night insomnia) have apparently disappeared for the first time in two years.

Has anyone else ever get a very high estrogen reading? Does the time you take your HRT affect the blood test reading? Would it be anything to do with me not having taken the Utro yet? I know Prog balances out Estrogen, but not sure if it physically reduces the amount of circulating Estrogen. As even if I drop from 2 sprays to 1 spray, surely it will still be too high? I really need to speak with a gynae but really struggling to find anyone and worrying a bit! All thoughts gratefully received xx

[Dotty]

Hi what sort of blood test did you do ? Was it a finger **** test ? X

[Gilla999]

Yes it was Dotty - I've done several of them that way, they've always seemed to be accurate enough x

[Dotty]

Hi there are reports that these finger **** tests shouldn’t be used or trusted for oestrogen readings. Dr Louise Newson has looked into them and has tested them and has told people not to use them x

[Gilla999]

Interesting, thank you Dotty! Do you have any idea how I would one get a proper blood test done? My doctor's surgery wouldn't be interested!

They've always been pretty reliable when I've had them done so far, but this is such a bizarre reading.

[Dotty]

Hi you can pay to have a blood test done , but blood test results aren’t really that helpful. Every woman will need a differing amount of oestrogen to feel well. That’s why you should focus on symptoms not blood test results x

[pepperminty]

Hi, On a finger**** test you can get a false reading due to estrogen gel transfer etc. Medichecks do blood tests if you want one. But going on symptoms unless there is an issue is always a good idea.

PMX

[EllaAurora]

Hi Gilla999,

The reading sounds bizarre indeed. But if you feel OK, would it not be better to go with trusting your feeling and not change anything based on the test, before having spoken with a doctor? I'm not familiar with Lenzetto as I'm using Ostrogel but I recall 2 sprays is quite a standard dose, which should not be able to produce these extreme levels. Knowing from personal experience how very difficult it is to find a dose at which you feel good, I'd be very cautious to change dosing unless really necessary and recommended by doctor.

Let us know how you get on and what your doctor tells once you've had a chance to speak to her/him.

Take care xx

[Gilla999]

Thanks all for your input, I really appreciate it. Ella, I agree - it's the bizarreness of the reading that has thrown me and that's why I wondered what could possibly have affected it (eg. could it be because I haven't taken Utro yet, or would it matter if I had taken my Lenzetto an hour before etc). I did wash my hands before doing the finger **** test but I guess you never know for sure about transfer. The other thing I remembered is that I also take a daily high strength Soya Isoflavones which I'd forgotten about really, but as regardless I don't need to take that AND HRT I will stop that today.

Although Lenzetto two sprays has seemingly fixed all my original symptoms of night sweats and insomnia, I have gained an extreme amount of weight on it (1.5 stone in about 6 weeks) as well as suddenly suffering from chronic constipation. Both of those things can be symptoms of excess estrogen so I do think I'm going to drop to one spray and see how I go, but I'm very nervous. I can't get an appointment with a gynae for at least two weeks and my GPs are utterly useless 

[Floo36]

Hi Gilla999, bless you this is what happened to me with the finger **** tests and I spoke with the company about it and if you use gel or anything that has Estrogen in it like vagifem etc it can stay in the tissues and they recommend 4 weeks wearing gloves to apply hrt before using a finger **** test but even then it may be raised.  Mine came out at 11000 something.  I don’t know if you remember from my other posts about blood levels but in peri they can have massive fluctuations and it is like chasing a moving target to try and have blood drawn when not fluctuating.  Mine ranged from 400 to over 5000pmol over 6 tests over the course of 10 days, I wanted to prove it was not really high and that they were fluctuations because I felt really ill all of the time and the only way was to prove was to do that exercise for my peace of mind. 

Lenzetto is not capable of delivering much Estrogen, I contacted the manufacturer about it and the studies show blood pmol range between 37.8 - 114.53 for 1 spray, 60.2 - 169 pmol for 2 sprays and 69.38 - 177.67 for 3 sprays and the individual absorption varies massively.  Each dose is not comparable with the first as you will see from the above figures, it’s the same for all the other estradiol preparations.  I don’t absorb transdermal very well if at all.

I hope this helps, it has driven me mad over the last 2 years.

Go by symptoms, if it’s helping stick with it.  The British menopause society state that 3 sprays of Lenzetto is roughly the equivalent of 2 pumps of Estrogen or 50mg patch.  Again absorption is very individual. 

[Gilla999]

Thank you so much Floo, this has made me feel so much better - i thought it was super strange! So glad to hear I'm not the only one who has been on the receiving end of a crazy result. The only thing is I don't use my hands/fimgers at all with Lenzetto, but I suppose you never know about contamination - the shower etc.

I managed to persuade my GP to do a proper estrogen blood test tomorrow anyway, so that should hopefully give a clearer picture. Totally take on board your point about fluctuations - and gosh that is a lot of fluctuations over a short space of time that you had! The trouble is while the Lenzetto has been very successful for my original night sweats and insomnia, this severe and sudden weight gain and constipation that it's also brought are unbearable... something feels off. Anyway I'll see what the blood test tomorrow comes back as and I'm going to try dropping to 1 spray and no longer take the Soya Isoflavones. Keeping fingers crossed I don't get rebound symptoms...

[Floo36]

Good lick and let us know how you get on. Handling any Estrogen applicator like Lenzetto or vagifem can contaminate. I won’t ever do finger **** bloods for Estrogen but will use them for other ones. 

[Gilla999]

Floo when I used my Lenzetto spray today, I realised I touched the inside of the spray bit as I put the lid on! So you're totally right about potential for contamination. Thanks so much for putting my mind at ease! Had the proper blood test this morning so will know the real result by Friday

[Gilla999]

Just thought I would update on the thread that I got my proper GP blood test result back today for my Estrogen levels and they are 350 pmol/L - so bang in the middle of the range for the follicular period. A huge relief, but it's also been a total head**** !! Thought I'd post this in case anyone else has a similar thing happen and is also worried! I'll certainly never be doing finger ****  hormone tests again! Thanks everyone for your wise words of support here xx

[Dotty]

That’s interesting. Thanks for letting us know x