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[jennyr265]

Hi everyone,
I have been using oestrogen gel - 2 pumps  a day since mid April. I'm post menopausal. My last period was July 2014.
I had my oestradiol levels checked today and the result is 87 pmol/L.
Am i right in thinking that this is low, particularly as I have been using the gel? Should I increase to 3 pumps a day?
I'm on the conti regime so take 1x 100mg Utrogestan every evening and also a small blob of Tostran 2% gel x3 a week. I have taken 1 week off the Utro eaxh month as I find it bloats me out badly although I didn't have a bleed which I suppose isn't surprising as my oestradiol is so low.
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you.

[Joaniepat]

Yes, that is low. You could increase the amount of gel to see if that helps, or try Sandrena gel or Estradot patches instead.

Make sure the application site for the gel is clean and  has no moisturising products on it (this includes some shower gels). When you apply the gel rub it in until it dries.

JP x

[Hurdity]

Hi jennyr265

Unless you are wanting to have a particular oestrogen level for osteoporosis protection (in which case i would ask for another test at a different time of day to see if this is also low - if so I would definitely increase the dose as Joaniepat suggests) then don't worry unduly about the blood test result particularly from a single test as they vary so much - depending on when and where the blood was drawn and in relation to your last oestrogen dose. Was this through NHS or private clinic or maybe a mail-order blood test?

How are you feeling on the dose you are taking, and especially in relation to how you felt before you started HRT? If your symptoms have mostly gone and you feel well, and are well past the average age of menopause, and not needing extra osteoporosis protection then maybe increasing is not completely necessary for you?

Also how old are you?

Many docs only go by symptoms.....

Hurdity x

[jennyr265]

Many thanks for your replies.
I'm 54. I saw a menopause consultant privately, she gave me my prescription and asked my GP for my blood test 3 months after starting the HRT.
My symptoms- joint pain, excessive fatigue and digestive issues have improved but I would like to feel that there is room for more improvement! Initially my mood improved dramatically but this has also dropped again.
I have a follow up with the consultant in September and I think that I will increase to 3 pumps and see what happens in the 6 weeks or so before I see her.
 Thanks again!

[Angel19]

Hi. I also saw a private menopause doctor and am on the gel 2 pumps and utrogestan daily. My level at the start was 68 and I was told very low. Like you initially I noticed a huge improvement in my general mood, much calmer but I noticed things slipped back a bit after 2 - 3 weeks too. I wondered if my body was demanding more! Have been told I can increase to 3 pumps but haven't yet. At moment I've got terrible bloating and not sure which is causing it. I too go back in September!

[jennyr265]

Hi everyone,
Hoping that someone can help me with my latest results.
I have been using 3 pumps per day since the end of July and had some more blood tests this week.
Bizarrely my oestradiol has dropped to 76.2 pmol/L. So an increase in Oestrogel has had an opposite effect!
My Testosterone has increased to 1.77 as I had been using Tostran x 3 per week.
It seems odd that the T can be absorbed but not the Oestrogen?
I'm back to see the consultant next week but just wondering if anybody has had a similar experience?
Thanks everyone

[Bobidy]

Your oestrogen will drop and rise depending on where you are in the cycle at each test, this makes them a bit useless in a way but just a general market I think.

I too felt loads better when I first started hrt for a few weeks then I plateaued again, I took this as a sign to increase my dose a little which has helped. I think this may be the case until we each reach our own unique level.

Try increasing half a pump at a time rather than a full pump. X

[jennyr265]

Thanks for your reply Bobidy. I'm 5 years post menopausal- my last period was July 2014 so I don't have a cycle. But yes i agree that blood tests aren't that helpful. My next appointment is on Tuesday so I shall be interested to hear the consultant's views.
The only symptom that has improved since April is my hip and back pain. The main reason I decided to take hrt was to see if it would have any affect on my general health - i have constant low level colds, dreadful nasal congestion and allergic rhinitis, low energy levels and fatigue.  Unfortunately none of those have improved.

[Hurdity]

Hi jennyr565 - it is strange that in two blood tests your oestrogen levels are still low and even though as Birdy says they are inaccurate - you might expect a higher result randomly. It does suggest you are not absorbing if you also do not feel right. It may be that you need to increase the gel further as it appears to be that low on 3 pumps so maybe patches might be more helpful for you? Exactly how and when do you apply the gel and where on body?  Your energy levels should improve with an adequate level of oestrogen and especially if you are taking testosterone.

However if you are still taking Utrogestan most of the time this could be the culprit. There is no way I (and several others on here!)  would take this every day or even 3 weeks per month. With doc approval I am on a longer cycle of 5-6 weeks taking utrogestan for 11-12 days per cycle so that I reap the benefits of several weeks of oestrogen only. If you can cope with the withdrawal bleed that this might entail ( once you are on an adequte level of oestrogen) then do please give this a try!

Let us know how you get on with the consultant but do be open to changing your regime - and try to decide what you want to try before you go so you can argue your case?

Hurdity x

[Tc]

Hi Jenny. I had the exact same issue. I'm 54 a year Post meno. My already low eastrogen level actually fell on 4 pumps eastrogel.and didnt increase at all even on 6 pumps. I simply didnt absorb

But  My total T  went up quite quickly on testogel so I seem to absorb that.

I felt the blood test (low) allowed me to back up what I was telling my doc about symptoms so in that sense was useful in increasing dose.and as you say on a conti regime post meno the fluctuations shouldnt be that pronounced. Although it can depend on what time of day you apply gel in relation to your blood test so I would say always aim to have it the same time of day.  But if after 3 to 4 months you are still not absorbing I you might have to change to patch as i did.

Good luck xxx

[jennyr265]

Thanks for your replies ladies.
I apply the gel to my inner thighs every morning and have followed the instructions on the leaflet to the letter.
Both of my blood tests have been in the morning within 2 hours  of application. I confess that I haven't been using the Utro for the last month following the first blood test as I wanted to see if it made any difference which it hasn't done.
It's reassuring to hear that you have experienced the same issue Tc! Strange that the T is absorbed as a gel but not the E.
But yes I'm happy changing to patches if that will solve the problem. Assuming that I can get hold of any!
I will let you know what the consultant says. Thanks again.

[jennyr265]

Hi everyone, I thought that I would update you as I saw the consultant yesterday. She was a bit surprised that my E levels had dropped in spite of using more gel but said that she was seeing more of this type of absorption issue.
Anyway she has put me on Elleste solo 1mg tablets for another 3 months as she didn't see the point of trying patches at all. Depending on how I feel I may arrange for another blood test before then but fingers crossed that it works and doesn't give me any other problems!

[Tc]

I hope the tablets prove a better option for you.

Your doc may well  e right about the patches. I didnt say it before because everyone is different and you may well have got on beffer with the patches than me but I have struggled with absorption of patches too.  No better than the gel for me and I've tried 2 different ones. .  It seems to b e a transdermal absorption issue.  . I cant take the tablet or I would  I've struggled for months on patches which dont work for me.  So hopefully the tablets will be your answer. Good luck x   

[KiltedCupid]

Hi jennyr265 - exactly the same thing happened to me with gel, and that's why it IS important to have a blood test if you start to feel increasingly worse on a particular product. I was increasing gel pumps and feeling worse, completely baffling and thought I was going nuts, so asked for a blood test and it was under 50. Not good. I absorb patches better and defo absorb T gel. I also absorb tablets no problem and you'll hopefully do the same and start to feel the benefits quickly. Another point to note re tablets is they have a really positive effect on blood lipids, so that's great. Good luck.

[jennyr265]

Thanks Tc and Kilted - I wasn't keen to go on the tablets but I didn't see the point of potentially wasting another 3 months trying out the patches. I absorb T gel ok as well. All very strange!
Is there anything else you can try Tc?