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[hot-totty]

Hi,
 I have been on HRT (Elleste Duet 2mg) for 4 years and recently went to see my GP with a view to moving from a Sequential HRT (where I get a withdrawal bleed) to a Continuous HRT .My GP ordered new blood tests to be done and they have come back as normal with normal levels of LH and FSH ! The FSH was 11 and I remember before I went onto HRT it was 75.
I'm scared that I may be taken off HRT an have to now wait to see the GP when she is next back in.
I had all the symptoms of early menopause 4 years ago when I went onto HRT aged 43 and HRT has got rid of them all. Can anyone advise me on whether it is normal for the LH and FSH to go back to normal levels on HRT.
Thanks

[CLKD]

Blood tests are reliably unreliable! so a patient and GP should go on symptoms.

You probably require HRT in order to protect your heart and bones.  Have a good read and take notes from the menus, left of screen and make a list to go through with your GP at your next appt.

 

[Taz2]

I don't see how you could have a true blood test while on HRT to be honest. Estradiol in HRT is known to supress FSH - not sure about LH though. If FSH wasn't supressed then you would continue to get hot flushes because they are linked with a rising FSH level I think 

This article seems to say the same -you need to scroll to Conclusion http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6874/8/1

Taz x

[hot-totty]

Thank you both for your replies, and it does make sense that HRT would reduce FSH levels.The GP that I spoke to today admitted that he didn't really know what the blood results meant and I was to wait to speak to the GP at the practice who is trained in this area.It really surprises me that ALL GP's are not trained in this area given that half the population will experience the menopause sooner or later!

[CLKD]

"trained" - interesting 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and Welcome ho-totty
When I had to have my bloods done fro FSH etc. I had to come off HRT fro a month otherwise the tests wouldn't have been correct.  I was 40 when I had these tests done and had been on HRT for over 3years, - I even had, what I thought was a period during this break from HRT but the blood tests still showed a very high FSH and low oestrogen.  I was then put on Oestrogel and progesterone pills as sequi. I never knew when my periods actually stopped but I think it was around age 43 as I found I needed more oestrogen after that.  I came of HRt at 49 for another break and absolutely on periods emerged and my oestrogen level plummeted.

If you want to go onto conti HRT I'd come off HRT completely for a month and have tests done then.  Why do you want to go onto conti HRT?  Some women prefer to stay with sequi as one can get more side effects with conti HRT.  DG x