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[Feebs]

Please can anyone help analyse my blood test results?
I’m 53, I’ve had a mirena coil for just over 18 months and use 4 pumps of oestrogel.
Despite the 4 pumps I don’t feel great at the moment-I have terrible anxiety especially in the morning, my mood is low, my energy levels are poor and I have an intermittent ‘burning tongue’.

All my blood results are considered ‘normal’
My oestradiol is 181 pmol/l
Ferritin 39 ug/l
B12 288 ng/l

From my own googling these results seem fairly ‘borderline’-is it possible I’m not absorbing the gel very well and should I maybe try a patch instead? Should I supplement with B12 at this level? I would really appreciate your views

[CLKD]

Hormonal blood tests are reliably un-reliable.

One shouldn't use B12 without supervision as it can interact with some medications. 

MayB put 'oestrogel' into the search box to see what pops up?  4 pumps ...... some1 should be along with advice.

Anxiety can be eased by appropriate medication if HRT isn't helping.  Some do require both.  Did U have your thyroid function and VitD and Zinc levels tested with the blood tests?

I remember my Mum having crashing fatigue.  Gentle exercise can increase energy.  Brisk walking 10 mins daily can also protect bone health.

I hate that intense tiredness 

[Feebs]

Thanks CLKD, my thyroid is fine, vit D level of 56 (I do supplement with a spray and always struggle to get this higher). Zinc hasn’t been tested.

Yes the tiredness is awful but the anxiety is my worst symptom-it’s physical rather than ‘thoughts’ like butterflies in the stomach for no reason. I take 10mg propranolol which usually helps

[CLKD]

I was prescribed Propranolol - 80mg 3 times a day initially for 3 weeks.  It was dropped to 40mg twice a day for 2 weeks followed by 20mg at night.

So 10mg may not be 'enough'.  When is the anxiety worse?  4 me it is the mornings, anytime after 7.30  . 4 me it's physical = nausea can't eat ...... brought on by pre-event worries.  Yet last week I went to an outdoor show without problems, go figure.

When do U take the Propranolol?

[Dotty]

Your oestrogen level is very low for someone on 4 pumps of Oestrogel. It’s possible that you are not absorbing the gel. How and where are you applying it ? x

[Feebs]

Thanks so much for your replies, CLKD-I take propranolol every morning but sometimes feel the need for a further 10mg later in the day (particularly recently)
Dotty, I thought it seemed low-I use 2 pumps am and 2 pumps pm. Maybe I should speak to the nurse about an alternative?
I also forgot to mention my red blood cell count is 3.97 which I think is borderline, and although the doctor said ‘no action’ I think this could be contributing to my vague symptoms-I bled lightly every day for 9/10 months after my coil was fitted

[Bungo]

Were the bloods taken after you'd applied gel or how many hours after last applying? I always wash my  arm well and don't apply to the arm on which the blood test will be taken for 24 hours, but I'm not sure if even that's enough to prevent contamination. I wish there was more guidance on this. 180 does seem low for 4 pumps.

[Feebs]

I applied the first 2 pumps in the morning, bloods were taken in the evening (12 hours later) before I applied the second 2 pumps

[Mary G]

Feebs, that is a very low oestrogen level for someone who is using four pumps of gel.  Even allowing for hormone fluctuations, you should have higher levels than that and probably in the region of 700 pmol.

You are unlikely to get any symptom. relief with oestrogen levels as low as that so you need to find a way of getting more oestrogen into your system.   Perhaps try oral oestrogen or a different type of gel?

[Feebs]

Thanks Mary G, that makes sense-I’ll contact the nurse about trying something different. I’m so glad this forum exists-we would all feel so alone without it I think-it’s such a difficult time 🙁