Oestrogen levels

[DarthBra]

I'm so confused I just had my blood tests back and my oestrogen levels are 157 pmol/L
I am currently on Decopeptyl and oestrogen.
Are my results normal ? For the amount of oestrogen I'm taking.


Mod Edit:Dosage

[Dena]

Welcome to Susan's place. I still don't have all the units worked out so I can't give you a feel for the numbers but we have member who are knowledgeable about HRT and I suspect they will be responding to your post. If you still have questions about this I would suggest you talk with your Endo.

We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

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[KayXo]

I'm so confused I just had my blood tests back and my oestrogen levels are 157 pmol/L
I am currently on Decopeptyl and oestrogen.
Are my results normal ?

This level seems quite low. In pg/ml, divided by 3.671 = 43 pg/ml.

You are close to male range (10-40 pg/ml, based on one source). Female range varies anywhere from 20 pg/ml to up to 650 pg/ml. You are in the very low end.

Estrogen levels do vary however so may be higher at a different point in time. The important thing is if you feel good and if you are seeing actual changes like breast growth and increased overall feminization. If you don't, then you can meet with your doctor to discuss your situation and a possible adjustment in your HRT.

[Laura_7]

This could help you :
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,204380.msg1817032.html#msg1817032

Below 60 pg/ml is considered by many menopausal range ... and trans women are not menopausal women ...

you might talk about it with your doc ... many endos consider levels of 200 pg/ml or above as level in the female range ...


hugs

[KayXo]

Below 60 pg/ml is considered by many menopausal range ... and trans women are not menopausal women ...

Indeed and you might have menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, headaches, low energy, depression, insomnia and over time, health problems like osteoporosis, cognitive deficits and accelerated ageing.

Am J Med. 1995 Aug;99(2):119-22.

"normal postmenopausal plasma concentration less than 200 pmol/L (less than 54 pg/ml)"

Maturitas. 2005 Apr 11;50(4):266-74.

"at menopause, the 17β-estradiol level decreases to about 35 pg/mL."

Two other sources state post-menopausal levels as being 0-28 pg/ml and 0-59 pg/ml.

[DarthBra]

See this is the thing, I know I shouldn't have and maybe I cannot write this here but I do think this is important to those of us that are frightened and scared of being who we are.

I got to an age where I could no longer live as me at age 18 I started smoking,
From no where smoking turned into regular cannabis smoking from the moment I got up in the morning to the second before I went to bed.
I was doing around half a bar of cannabis per month.
On top of this I was drinking Jack Daniels out the bottle and mixing in other class A drugs.
It got to a point where I started to self harm and live to get high and drink just so I could damage myself.
I bought a burrdizzo off the Internet and used that on my testicles a few times but this did not work.
I injected myself with many different things into my testes and eventually after great pain managed to kill one of them and damage the other.
I will not say how I did this as it may be not allowed ?

It was after this that I realised if I continued down this route I would kill myself.
I started self dosing and I felt so much better, oestrogen and t.blocker.
I stopped taking drugs been clean for ten years now.
I stopped smoking and recently with the start of my legit hormones I stopped drinking alcohol too.

So really my issue is this...

When I was self dosing my oestrogen was in the 600s
And my testosterone was 0.7

Now I'm taking the prescribed amounts my oestrogen has fallen to 157
And my testosterone risen to 0.9

I know I have only been on the correct levels for a couple of months but I'm hoping there is nothing wrong with me and that all I need do is increase my dosage.
I have already called my gender clinic I will keep hounding them until I get an answer.

Let me please add.
I am now 36.
I never wanted to kill myself but I didn't much enjoy life either, I never stopped to think what I was doing to myself because stopping to think hurt too much.
My story could have been much worse I could have died, God knows why but for some reason I didn't.
I am not ashamed of my past but neither am I proud, I would never recommend people self dose if you need help please seek it.
Being me isn't as hard as I thought it would be and I wasted so much time.

Don't hide away like I did. Find yourself you are strong enough x.

[Laura_7]

*hugs*

Well many people report this ... that they feel much better on estrogen.
Its like they crave this, and know.
There is a comparison with an engine :
a diesel engine (estro) running on gas (testo) being switched back to diesel.

There are studies showing that there are differences in brains of women and men and transgender people have the brains of the gender they identify with.
There are different stages to this, thats why there is a transgender spectrum.

But ... many people feel they would be better on estrogen, and after starting hrt have a feeling of relief.
So you are not alone. *hugs*

Well concerning your blood levels... you might talk to your doc.
Its possible there are docs who are very cautious, or not very versed with the subject.
You might think about another doc or endo then.
For example plannedparenthood might also offer hrt services.

There are informed consent clinics who should be very aquainted with the subject, and should know levels and forms of application well.
Having a good gender therapist nonetheless though its not really needed for informed consent can be helpful too.


*hugs*

[AnonyMs]

I was on around 200 pmol/L for some years and it was good to start with, but eventually all my dysphoria and depression got really bad. I'm now seeing an endo and my levels are generally above 1000 pmol/L. When my levels get down to 800pmol/L I get a new implant. I can also notice when my levels are "low" as I don't feel right. I can't handle being on low levels anymore.

I'd find a new doctor if they wouldn't prescribe like they are now.