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[Jeaniewigs]

Well I went to see my consultant today to get my blood tests results and he was just as shocked as I was.
The oestrogen was so off the scale low they couldn't get a reading,he said it was zilch.they put 18 because it can't read any lower.
The testosterone was the same they couldn't go any lower than -1 on that and flagged it.
He's now advised to do two pumps of gel daily and one pump of tostran mon,wed,Friday.im guessing now that as my levels are so low the tostran will convert to oestrogen anyway and may give my levels a boost then convert  itself back to T when the oestrogen gets higher.
It's kind of reassured me in a warped way because at least now I know for sure that I desperately need the hrt and that's why my body responds so quickly,literally days after starting it,I see and feel results very quickly.I had stopped it 6 weeks before I had the blood tests done and within two weeks of stopping got really Ill again so the day I had the bloods done I restarted the hrt and within days the sweats stopped again and my joints weren't so inflamed.Im back on it around three weeks now and already feel better but still flat,not quite as good as I'd like to be so maybe the tostran will give me the much needed boost.

[CLKD]

   4 your update.  Now you have a basis on which to work, with tweeks when and if required.  Little steps.

Feeling listened to as well as being reassured makes a huge difference to how I cope on a daily basis.   

[AgathaC]

Hello Daisydot, I'm glad you are reassured. He sounds like a lovely consultant xx

[Annie0710]

Hope everything works for you DD

Big hugs xxx

[Hurdity]

Thanks for the update. I'm not sure why you had the bood tests done though - it isn't normally necessary unless there is a problem eg with absorption. At your age your oestrogen levels will be low and if you have symptoms then you just take oestrogen until you reach a dose that makes you feel OK!

The testosterone when given exogenously (externally to the body) does not convert to oestrogen (as far as I know) - otherwise we might as well all just take that! 3 x a week (for Tostran) is the max dose suggested by the Chelsea and Westminster clinic.

I would go on how you feel - the only blood tests that are necessary are the T related ones - because it is important not to overdose on this - and I presume SHBG was also measured as this gives the Free Androgen Index?

Hope you continue to feel better on the HRT

Hurdity x

[Annie0710]

Surely we all (naturally) in our younger days had differing levels of T to each other ? Just like men ?

I always assumed I must have higher levels than average due to my high sex drive for a female and my geezerish ways !!! Always preferred men's company to women (can't stand their bitchiness and put downs).  I have always rather drink with men too, they make me laugh a lot more than women.

When I first started Tostran I was using it 7xweek and found it much more effective than Testim.  I was doing that probs for 8 months.  Reduced to 4 x a week due to reading on here how it shouldn't be overused and my energy has slumped since, getting the crashing fatigue back. I'm carrying on with 4x weekly but feel much better on daily.  I'm not getting any side effects (touch wood that stays that way) and my gp said he will be ordering bloods soon but not sure what ones.

Why would we need those levels measuring if we haven't got side effects ? X

[Hurdity]

  geezerish ways!!!

Yes exactly we will all vary in our testosterone levels as with our oestrogen levels and as with men. However there is a normal range for women ( and maybe you were at the upper end of this?) and it is important not to exceed this. The reason for this is we need to be careful not to unbalance or testosterone vs oestrogen because this ratio is what makes us female (in simple terms). Too much tesosterone and we will experience androgenic side effects.

Because some of the effects of testosterone are expressed at cellular level (just as with oestrogen) and can take 4-5 months to take effect, then it is important to keep monitoring systemic levels before any changes take place and without any apparent side effects. I have read that some changes may be irreversible although there is a woeful lack of research on this.

My GP measured mine for the first time since I started using T after 3 years, although the gynae I saw initially, said that T levels need not be tested before starting HRT.

You are using a higher amount than recommended but if this is OK for you and gyane approves and your levels are not above the range for women then presumably all is OK? It also may well be that women absorb it differently so there is some leeway in dosage - but with T we just have to be more careful than with oestrogen - as it doesn;t matter if we have a bit too much or a bit too little of that as we can plasy around happily with our dosage without worrying about androgenic side effects...hope you find the right dose to feel well most of the time. At least you will know soon from your blood results?

Hurdity x