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[Emzib0b]

I’m having a bit of a panic!

I had some bloods tested via a private company this week. I wanted to know what my Vit D and Magnesium levels were as I am supplementing and added Oestradiol and FSH out of curiosity.

I got the results last night and my Oestradiol is 1490 pmol! The sample was taken from a vein so it can’t be contaminated. It was taken on day 4 of my cycle.

A bit of background, in case it helps: I am 41, peri for at least 2.5 years. Been on HRT for just over a year (started on 25 patches, gradually increasing upwards. I saw a Meno specialist in April who has suggested gradually increasing my patch dose up to 100mcg in order to manage my awful low moods. My moods have previously responded well to small dose increases in the past but eventually return after 2-3 months. I increased from 50 to 62.5 just over a month ago. My GP has recently prescribed 75 patches which I had been planning on starting soon.

In the last six months my cycles have been approx 40-70 days apart (missing the HRT bleeds and doing their own thing in the background). However my most recent cycle was only 20 days. I had my Oestradiol tested in January (day 8 of cycle) when I was using 50 patches and it was 260pmol, so I can only assume this high level is my own natural Oestrogen having a surge, topped up by HRT, and probably another normal/short cycle may follow?

What do I do? I’ve removed the half of a 25 patch so I’m back on 50. Part of me wants to reduce much further but I know that can cause it’s own problems. Both my GP and Meno specialist have said they don’t use blood tests, they go off symptoms alone. I can see why blood tests can be unreliable due to fluctuations but If I’d only gone off my symptoms (my moods have been as bad as before I started HRT) I would have started using my 75 patches which would have been a bad idea!

I’m passing the info on to My Meno specialist. I know I should pass this on to my GP surgery as well but I’m worried if the ‘wrong’ GP looks at it they will stop my HRT outright!

Sorry for the long post, I’m very worried!

[SarahT]

Hello Emz,

Good on you for being so proactive to try to work out what the help is going on in your peri madness.

I know increasing the oestrogen in gentle stages has begun to have a positive small  effect on your moods. I know just how bad they can be for you. As you know we are in a similar way in needing to increase our dose to try to suppress our own natural cycles to try and get a level of stability.

I agree with you that our own hormones, as well as those on hrt fluctuate wildly throughout the month. Whilst I have a definite worsening prior to my period, my symptoms also vary with seemingly no pattern from day to day. I have no idea of what the readings mean(sorry!) I have have been to confused on my own case to try to add any more info in my head. But of hiding from reality maybe....but when I speak to my g.p in about 10 days I need to ask about my own levels too, and get new bloods done. Maybe your own hormones are as you say altering the levels because of this happening to you?

I know this is no consolation to you, but I have atm come to the realisation that I need to almost sacrifice having some physical symptoms rather than risk the dreadful scary pre menstrual moods. It shouldn't be this way. None of us should be as bad as this and I hope so much we can get our hrt to work enough  to give us a better quality of life.

I hope someone far more knowledgeable can shed some light on you readings,

As always I wish you well Emz, sorry I am not able to help but sending you good wishes

Xx

[Emzib0b]

Hi Sarah,

Always lovely to hear from you. I’m sorry I’ve not yet replied to your other message. How are you doing at the moment? I hope your upcoming GP appointment and blood tests help shed some light on your exhaustion.

I spoke to my specialist’s secretary yesterday and she asked me to put everything in an email. Unfortunately she isn’t in clinic until next Wednesday. It probably sounds silly that I’ve not contacted my GP surgery but my reasoning is I would rather my specialist have first say on what to do. Ultimately the surgery have control over my prescriptions and depending on who the duty doctor is on any given day could have an impact!

I used a different company this time (Forth) to the one I used in January (Medichecks) as it was cheaper to combine the tests I wanted. I’ve just noticed they use very different reference ranges. Forth’s normal range is 45-854. I’ve just dug out my Medichecks report and it has the reference ranges broken down according to cycle stage. Their range for follicular is 114-332 and ovulation is 222-1959! That’s one heck of a difference between the two companies!

Going by the ‘this is temporary’ motto - my further apart and skipped cycles were temporary, and I’m sure the return of these shorter more regular cycles will also be temporary, too. Like you and so many others I am so desperate for stability. As for symptom control, I am at a complete loss as to what I need now.

Wishing you well and always very grateful for your support x