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[Chi chi]

Aside from the long bleed I'm having at the moment (other post) and the pelvic scan I decided to have my blood taken to see what my levels are, I really don't know what's going on but they're gradually dropping even though I'm using gels daily?? My estradiol is now the lowest it's been since starting HRT nearly 2 years ago! And my Testosterone has also dramatically dropped too!
When I first saw Studd my estradiol was 125, 3 months after using oestrogel it rocketed to 1001 (incidentally this was the time I felt the best since starting) 8 months after it had fallen down to 438 despite having implant and using gel! 5 months later it increased slightly to 474 and now it's dropped down to 395!?
My Testosterone was 0.4 when I first started treatment, it went to 8.3 then 8.5 then 2.2 and now it's 0.7 almost what it was when first starting??
My progesterone isn't always tested but in May 2015 it wax 0.6 now it's 0.5.
My FSH isn't really tested often but from my records it was 6.8 back in Nov 2011 and today it's 4.3

Is it possible I'm not absorbing properly?

[Taz2]

Hi Chi chi - I don't know much about your estradiol levels etc. but if you are on HRT I would think that your FSH will be low.

Taz x

[Chi chi]

Thanks Taz2, I have no idea either, just can't understand why they're dropping 

[Pollie]

Hi chi chi

Sorry don't know why they might be dropping but -

Are these tests all being done by the same lab and is it pg/ml or pmol/L ?

Out of curiosity what levels has it been suggested you aim for ?

Pollie

[Chi chi]

Hi Pollie,
All the results are nmol for testosterone and pmol for the estradiol, most of them have been done via prof studd except 2 which were arranged by myself using the same Dr and lab.
I've never been given a figure to aim for just go by how I feel?

[Pollie]

Hi

Are you peri or post meno ?

Total Testosterone range for women is 1 - 4nmol/L -  anything over this risks male type side effects.

Lower Oestrogen serum levels for women on HRT is 150pmol/L anything less than this is not considered enough to help preserve bone loss.

I don't know what the upper oestrogen limit should be... someone else on here may know ? But the normal range in ovulation is 315-828pmol/L  so presumably less than this if you are post meno.....

Is it possible that your higher levels were as a result of your own hormones bubbling away in the background and maybe now you are not producing any of your own oestrogen the levels are stabilising at 350 to 450 ... ?

I felt particularly good last summer when I think my own hormones were doing exactly this and also resulted in high oestrogen levels and heavy chaotic bleeds. I'd love to get back up to those levels again 

I am going to get my levels checked again in a few weeks (privately as my nhs gp doesn't believe in measuring levels either), I am on 50mcg patch so will report back what they are, I will be happy with anything between 150 and 315pmol/L I think.

pollie

[Chi chi]

Thanks Pollie 
I'm peri, 42 this year mum told me her flushes started when she was around 43/44 although I haven't had any yet, I have hot sweaty moments but I'm not sure if they're actual hot flushes if you know what I mean??
My testosterone levels have been right up to 8 but I've had no adverse effects of this, no extra hair etc
I've been bleeding for the past month so I don't know if that has anything to do with the low levels?? I think this is because I've had no prog since Nov last year.
I've emailed Annie Evans who I started seeing but not had a reply yet. Hopefully she'll be able to shed some light on what's going on 

I felt my best when my estrogen was 1001 and my test was 8 

I've had to go private with all of this as my GP wasn't interested and thought I was too young 

[Pollie]

I've been bleeding for the past month so I don't know if that has anything to do with the low levels?? I think this is because I've had no prog since Nov last year.

Noooo I think this will be to do with your previous very high levels and remember 395 is not low.... 19 is low.....

If you are peri and you are adding in oestrogen hrt your lining will thicken. If you are not taking progesterone and are not producing enough of your own after ovulating,  it will thicken continuously so much so that it can't structurally hold itself and will start to break down and break away. I expect this is the bleeding you are now experiencing and I imagine you have a very thick lining that can't structurally support itself. Presumeably your gyne has a plan to add in progesterone to shed your lining on a regular basis ?

Being warm, overheating, flushes, and eventually sweats - its all part of our inability to stabilise temperature that comes with menopause.

pollie

[Chi chi]

Yeah I'm due to have the mirena in a couple of weeks 😬 I had a pelvic scan last week and my lining is 11cm, they told me that's normal? I arranged it myself as I was getting slightly concerned about the ongoing bleeding.

[andius]

11 cm is NOT a normal endometrial thickness.  I presume you mean 11mm. However, if you are postmenopausal on HRT, i think it should be less than 5mm.

If you are having unscheduled continuous bleeding with a thickness of 11mm, you should discuss this with your doctor.

[Pollie]

Andius -

My understanding is if you are peri and on sequi Hrt anything up to 11mm is normal proving you are having good regular bleeds.

If you are post and on conti hrt then they like it to be less than 5mm.

I think I have read that if you are post and off hrt it would be less than 2.1mm

Obviously I am not medically trained and it goes without saying than anyone with concerns about any kind of bleeding in menopause must go to their GP !!

Pollie