Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Kelrob12 on May 08, 2021, 11:19:00 AM
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Hi,
I know we aren't meant to go off levels and to go off how we feel, but Im curious to those who know their levels, what is the level of estrogn in your blood which makes you feel the best.
Im at 210 pmol , 41 no ovaries, 100mg patch and cant say I feel great. GP, specialist won't up at the moment says that's a good level. Most of what Ive read suggest 300 plus for good levels so just trying to get an idea of the ones that know what your levels are, I know lots won't know as I said I know its about how we feel.
Thanks Kelly
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Perhaps ask to be referred to a menopause clinic. They can prescribe a higher dose if you still have symptoms. Can't help with levels as my treatment has gone on symptoms (as is normal in the nhs).
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Hi thanks for the reply.yeah they all do go off symptoms 😔. I already see a specialist who said she doesn’t really want to up my patch as it’s high and the cancer risk of higher doses and she said my levels are a good number. She’s suggesting supplements to help with joint pain and tiredness so will see I suppose. 😊
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I would say your specialist needs to re read her literature. A higher dose can be prescribed off license, but only by a specialist. Some women wear two or three patches and top up with gel. Symptoms are our guide in my view.
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It also depends exactly what symptoms you're needing help with. As a general rule the physical symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats etc. tend to be alleviated by lower levels of estrogen, whereas the mood stuff ie depression, mood swings etc. can need much higher levels, up to 1000 pmol. My hot flushes disappeared within a couple of weeks of starting HRT, but to make any dent in the depression I need at least 800 pmol.
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I did a home test a year ago and my levels were around 200, I was told this is a normal level for someone on hrt. I never feel great though 😐, in fact I feel worse now as get loads of joint pains, I was thinking of doing another test.
Lillith.
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It also depends exactly what symptoms you're needing help with. As a general rule the physical symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats etc. tend to be alleviated by lower levels of estrogen, whereas the mood stuff ie depression, mood swings etc. can need much higher levels, up to 1000 pmol. My hot flushes disappeared within a couple of weeks of starting HRT, but to make any dent in the depression I need at least 800 pmol.
Yeah that sounds like me, hot flushes etc were resolved really quickly, so they seem to think it’s all ok. That’s good to know about you needing lots more I have a feeling I do. Thanks x
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I would say your specialist needs to re read her literature. A higher dose can be prescribed off license, but only by a specialist. Some women wear two or three patches and top up with gel. Symptoms are our guide in my view.
Every time I speak to her I feel more anxious at maybe needing more patches as she just talks about cancer. Same with testosterone she doesn’t believe it works says it’s placebo. If I go with my gut feelig about how rubbish I feel I think in need more. I also said if I don’t absorb the same as others on the patch then I could absorb from 200mg what another has on 100mg so why would I be at a higher risk 😩
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I did a home test a year ago and my levels were around 200, I was told this is a normal level for someone on hrt. I never feel great though 😐, in fact I feel worse now as get loads of joint pains, I was thinking of doing another test.
Lillith.
Yep this is me. I do think I need more. I hear that the younger you are you need higher levels. I’m 42 nearly with 200pmol but hear of ladies inker needing 3 times my amount. My gp has just had training with Louise newson. Maybe she’s the best person to speak to. 🤷♀️X
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hi kelly.louise
i’m on 2.5 pumps gel and 100 utrogestan i too have no ovaries 41 went into surgical meno at 35 no hrt 4 yrs felt great started hrt 2 yrs ago and haven’t felt brilliant my levels have been really high at over 1000 pmol and i guess if i’m honest compared to how i feel now i felt good my recent levels couple weeks ago are only 174pmol from 369 back in october last year this i would say was my best time i’ve had to increase my dose as told in the low side should be about 250 -300 optimal but also on symptoms too i’m currently now i’ve increased worse headaches more discharge boobs hurt feel ache progesterone seems to help my sleep and moods so i’m battling again now to feel normal and don’t know whether to drop to 2.5 cause 3 pumps just isn’t suiting i’m waking up to with nausea every day it seems i obsorb the increase in dose really well for the first few months but then i don’t and levels fall so my other option is to change to a patch it’s such a rollacoster but hope this helps .
which patch are u on and progesterone ?
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hi kelly.louise
i’m on 2.5 pumps gel and 100 utrogestan i too have no ovaries 41 went into surgical meno at 35 no hrt 4 yrs felt great started hrt 2 yrs ago and haven’t felt brilliant my levels have been really high at over 1000 pmol and i guess if i’m honest compared to how i feel now i felt good my recent levels couple weeks ago are only 174pmol from 369 back in october last year this i would say was my best time i’ve had to increase my dose as told in the low side should be about 250 -300 optimal but also on symptoms too i’m currently now i’ve increased worse headaches more discharge boobs hurt feel ache progesterone seems to help my sleep and moods so i’m battling again now to feel normal and don’t know whether to drop to 2.5 cause 3 pumps just isn’t suiting i’m waking up to with nausea every day it seems i obsorb the increase in dose really well for the first few months but then i don’t and levels fall so my other option is to change to a patch it’s such a rollacoster but hope this helps .
which patch are u on and progesterone ?
Hi, I just replied yo your other post 😂 . So Im on 100mg Estradot. It seems to give a consistent enough dose but Im only at 210 pmol. I was about 170pmol on a 50mg estradot patch so I don't know why the extra 50 gave such a small increase. When I increase I get bad headaches and sore boobs that grow a bit but it stops after abit. Im really sensitive to hormones. I still have sore joints, anxiety , less sex drive, and numb/strage feeling legs and arms and joints. Oh and Im constipated(if I don't manage it).
I don't know if increasing my oestrogen will help or if adding testosterone. My specialist is loathe to up my patch as its already high and same with testosterone. She said there not enough evidence in people our age to say what the risks are. But at this moment Id rather risk to feel ok as to feel like this for years will be rubbish!
So your on a 75mg patch equivalent? And you say you feel better on 1000pm level compared to the 174pmol? But 369 was when you felt best? Was that from different amounts of gel?
x
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do u mean day 3 levels?
i’m 39 still having periods and my day 3 oestrogen is 125 pmol i feel awful i’ve gained a stone, very tired, my thyroid crashed and my moods are erratic, can’t sleep either
my day 3 oestrodil was 169 pmol 6 months ago and i’ve been getting worse since
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Hello,
I am not on HRT but I did a blood test back in Jauary/February this year and my oestradiol level was 586pmol. I haven't had a period for 15 months now and I consider myself postmenopausal. My symptoms are mainly dizziness, cold flashes, sometimes feeling too warm at night, a bit of joint pain, low mood, anxiety & internal shaking. For postmenopause, the levels is nornally in the region of 100pmol. For those of you who are on 200pmol, do you feel that your syptoms have got worst in the sense that they are more intense or did you get additional ones? I think some women feel worse when their hormones fluctuate while others have problems when their hormones are low. I don't know which category I'm in because my symptoms are more or less the same since the situation became problematic in 2018.
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do u mean day 3 levels?
i’m 39 still having periods and my day 3 oestrogen is 125 pmol i feel awful i’ve gained a stone, very tired, my thyroid crashed and my moods are erratic, can’t sleep either
my day 3 oestrodil was 169 pmol 6 months ago and i’ve been getting worse since
Hi,
I don't have days because I don't have ovaries so don't produce my own estrogen. It must be hard to determine levels when your peri with ovaries. x
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Kelly.Louise, if you don't have ovaries I am pretty sure you should be getting testosterone too as this would be made in your ovaries. So you won't have any of your own. Maybe see another doctor?
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Kelly.Louise, if you don't have ovaries I am pretty sure you should be getting testosterone too as this would be made in your ovaries. So you won't have any of your own. Maybe see another doctor?
Hello!
my GP won't prescribe even with a specialist letter. and the private route is too expensive, its 190 for zoom consult then the private blood tests (they won't accept my gps bloods) then the prescription charge and product cost 😩
And my current meno Nhs specialist is hesitant to prescribe more than 100mg patch estrogen and testosterone (she says because of cancer risk and the lack of data of people my age with no ovaries) - so I feel really stuck and confused! Ive no idea who to believe or what to do really. x
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How frustrating for you. The NHS specialist sounds a bit out of date. I didn't think cancer risk was associated with higher dose of oestrogen. What are your symptoms? That might alert you to whether its oestrogen or testosterone related. For example, libido, energy, depression or lack of motivation can all be really helped by testosterone. Is there any way you could ask to be referred to a different meno clinic?
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The NHS 'specialist' should be sacked. I would ask for a referral to a different one and I would complain about this one. Do your own research so you can tell her why she's talking through her backside. I thought the cancer risk was from progesterone which I don't think you take? Might be worth contacting the team that did your op, there might be someone they recommend for aftercare .
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How frustrating for you. The NHS specialist sounds a bit out of date. I didn't think cancer risk was associated with higher dose of oestrogen. What are your symptoms? That might alert you to whether its oestrogen or testosterone related. For example, libido, energy, depression or lack of motivation can all be really helped by testosterone. Is there any way you could ask to be referred to a different meno clinic?
HiGnAtty
Yeah achey joints(can’t excercise lots), with stiffness, drained tired all the time, lack motivation, can’t concentrate, low libido. My last gp trialled testosterone but my estrogen wasn’t optimised at the time - I was on a 50 patch(now on 125 and not sure it even is now). I’ve now moved house and the new gp won’t prescribe. She just said there wasn’t evidence in my age group but higher estrogen had more risk and that testosterone is the same(not enough evidence) and that she wasn’t convince it worked. It’s hard to know what to believe and do!
X
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The NHS 'specialist' should be sacked. I would ask for a referral to a different one and I would complain about this one. Do your own research so you can tell her why she's talking through her backside. I thought the cancer risk was from progesterone which I don't think you take? Might be worth contacting the team that did your op, there might be someone they recommend for aftercare .
Hi,
I do take progesterone they kept my uterus, I’m not sure why , I had chemo in my abdomen I thought it was something to do with that. 🤷♀️😂
I can’t find much evidence for surgical menopause , I know they theoretically say I’m just replacing what would be there naturally so there isn’t an increased risk but I’m not sure there is enough of us to make up statistics. And the specialist is the one the team recommended that did the surgery, I think that’s why I’m at a dead end not knowing where to go next 😂
X