Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Padma on August 16, 2011, 05:13:13 AM

Title: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Padma on August 16, 2011, 05:13:13 AM
I just got my blood results back from a couple of weeks ago, taken in preparation for starting HRT/AA next month.

The levels thing is very confusing, as if you look on the web, there are numerous different measurement systems and numerous conflicting "normal range" levels cited.

But on the blood results sheet I got from the GP, the levels (and "normal" ranges cited in brackets) are these:

Testosterone 20.6 nmol/L (9.9-27.8 )
Oestradiol 147pmol/L (28-156)
[will be filed as: 4465.00 Serum oestradiol level]

Assuming that these "normal" levels are for men, my T is fairly high in the range; but my E is way up the top end - iiiiinteresting...

If anyone with expert understanding of these figures has anything useful to tell me about them, I'd be interested to hear it. Random ill-informed hearsay welcome too, of course ;D.
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Cindy on August 16, 2011, 05:43:24 AM
Totally normal for  a mature healthy person with testicles.  A normal range is just that, doesn't matter if you are high or low on the NR it means you are 'normal' for that measurement. Rather see your LFT. And I do not mean that literally, your GGT and AST are more of interest to your medic.

This may be a surprise and I still get people asking but being in the normal range for anything is indeed normal, it does not matter where you sit in the NR.  Depending how the normal range is set, which is usually set on 95% principles, ie 10 % of the population, a statistical population, are considered to be abnormal. Why. Don't get me started on Stats.

Cindy

Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AbraCadabra on August 16, 2011, 06:06:57 AM
Hi Cindy,
since you have a take on this stuff:
Here mine...
Prolactin  38  given range    4 - 15      ug/l
Total T     0.7 given range  8.0 - 18.7  nmol/l
SHBG   212.9 given range 11.4 - 52.3 nmol/l
Free T calc. 3 given range  180 - 419  pmol
Estr.      734  given range      < 208    pmol/l
Pro         0.8 given range       0.7 4.7  nmaol

It seem to look quite different to Padma's.
I guess it suggest hypogonadism i.e. twin factory shutdown?
Plus E dominant as a result?

Axelle
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Cindy on August 16, 2011, 06:14:31 AM
Sorry Axelle,

Susan's rules come in here and for many reasons I'm not going to break them. My comments to Padma were very general, and that is why I didn't want to see her GTT or AST, her medic can decide on them. I was giving general opinion. I cannot and will not comment on your Biochem results, it would be unprofessional.

Cindy
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AbraCadabra on August 16, 2011, 06:55:35 AM
Oh sure,
only looked for a 'general opinion' if that was allowed?

Any diff to PM or email such?

If not, no issue.
Axelle
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Padma on August 16, 2011, 08:16:53 AM
The one thing that's apparent from sifting through the 'net is that different countries use very different models and units and "normal ranges" so a comparison is fiddly as hell right from the get-go anyway.

I just find it interesting that my E is high in the normal range. If it means nothing much, then that's fine with me :).
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: eli77 on August 16, 2011, 08:33:12 AM
Quote from: Padma on August 16, 2011, 08:16:53 AM
I just find it interesting that my E is high in the normal range. If it means nothing much, then that's fine with me :).

My E was 209 pmol/L at baseline. Doctor didn't seem bothered.
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AbraCadabra on August 16, 2011, 11:24:08 AM
Woopsy,
with my E of 734 pmol/l , I look like being preggers.

E can go up to 2000 pmol/l if you are.
No fear in your case as it seems.

Axelle
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Padma on August 16, 2011, 11:29:03 AM
Too much bottled water :).
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AbraCadabra on August 16, 2011, 11:36:32 AM
No joke I did ONLY drink bottled water, sparkling... that would be worse yet?

All the E in the plastic bottles you seem to say, yes?

Axelle
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Padma on August 16, 2011, 11:37:23 AM
So they tell us :). I'm trying to make the best use of it...
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AbraCadabra on August 16, 2011, 11:54:54 AM
So?
You can save E on HRT, eh?

Call it: "killing two birds with a stone"

Axelle
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: Padma on August 16, 2011, 11:56:09 AM
...or in this case, "killing 2 stones" :)
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AmySmiles on August 17, 2011, 07:54:49 PM
My baseline levels were along those lines as well.  I don't remember the numbers, but I know my T was at the upper end of the normal range and my E was the highest number in the normal range.  Wish I could give you more than that, but my doctor never gave me my levels in writing - only verbally (and I've forgotten).  I do know they were measured in different units because the numbers I was given are way different than yours.
Title: Re: Base levels surprise (or not)
Post by: AbraCadabra on August 18, 2011, 12:40:59 AM
European, add SA, units are different to US, that's why.

US likes to use their different units to most rest of the word.

Axelle