Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Postmenopause => Topic started by: StrictlyFan on May 07, 2025, 12:26:05 PM
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I'm on 3 pumps of Oestrogel (I upped it up from 2 pumps) and 1 Utrogestran
Serum Oestradiol - 1118 pmol/L
Testosterone 0.39
Serum TSH 2.0 miu/L
Free T4 15.5 pmol/L
According to the results online, all of the above are satisfactory and normal.
Sleep is really up and down and I suffer for no apparent reasons crushing fatigue, that render me on the sofa "recovering" for a few days at a time. >:(
Any thoughts ladies - much appreciated.
Thanks
SF
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That's a high estradiol for someone on hormone therapy - either you had ovulated or there may have been contamination from gel on your skin.
Alternatively if you had just applied gel it could reflect the initial peak id absorption.
Either way it shouldn't be at that level 24/7.
Testosterone - you haven't specified the units or whether that is free or total testosterone.
Assuming standard UK units and a free testosterone, it is low.
There is no free androgen index (FAI) which is a helpful and simple way to assess androgen status in females.
Thyroid results are perfect.
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Thyroid results are perfect.
How have you come to that conclusion? Without knowing the relevant ranges (reference intervals) they're just random numbers.
StrictlyFan - the words satisfactory and normal are just a way of GP's saying that they're within the ranges. It doesn't mean that they're at the right level within those ranges for you personally.
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That Oestradiol level seems excessively high, I thought the ideal range was around 250pmolL
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Thank you ever so much for your responses.
I'm at a complete loss tbh. My GP says everything is normal and not much else she can do. She has referred me to a Menopause specialist. Everything I read says my thyroid function is within "normal" ranges, so too is the testosterone.
I have to say women's hormonal healthcare is just ridiculously slap dash. The fact that I was overjoyed that they would even give me a blood test to see what my estrogen levels were doing is to me insane.
I have decided to lower my Oestrogel from 3 pumps to 2 as I feel it's a bit too high. However, this brings right back to square one. I only upped my dosage so that I could escape the fatigue and insomnia. None of these symptom went away when I was using 3 pumps.
Sorry ladies - rant over!
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That does seem to be excessively high - mine is 500pmol consistently for last 6 months which I feel is too high for me and it hasn’t really helped me to be honest. I think we have created a cult around hrt being the answer to everything when it often just isn’t and many symptoms will just ease over time - there is lot of challenge around the evidence for the prevention angle and all the promises hrt brings - especially from the Newson crowd. Jen Gunter especially helpful I find and Amanda Thebe. I personally would not be comfortable with consistently levels that high. As for testosterone mine was low and is now within range for last few months so I personally think it’s not necessary to add in as it fluctuates so much and again there is evidence lacking for how it works other than anecdotal. Unless of course you were prescribed for a medical condition outside of the menopause - we just lose testosterone anyway and it’s not related to menopause.
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I so agree with you GalwayGirl. That is a very high level. Newson Clinic has been investigated for hyperplasia in patients due to high oestrogen doses. HRT is not the miracle I thought it would be. Will look up Jen Gunter and Amanda Thebe!
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Jen Gunter is awesome - both Amanda and her on Insta. I regularly message with Amanda she has been so helpful and very open about her own struggles with HRT - which she couldn’t tolerate and found ADs were the best fit for her.
Jen Gunter all about the evidence- has written great books too