I have modified the spreadsheet where I keep track of my blood hormone levels so that it will convert international units to US units, so that I can compare my results to those of other ladies.  I just want to do a sanity check, that I have the conversions right.

As far as I can tell, it looks like most US folks use ng/dl for T and pg/ml for E.  Is that right?

For levels, I get T: 652 ng/dl, and E: 30 pg/ml prior to starting HRT, and T: 2.5 ng/dl, and E: 133 pg/ml after 11 months of spiro and estradiol.  Do those numbers sound plausible?

Labcorp and Quest Diagnostics both report total E in pg/ml. These are major labs in the us.

Quote from: KathyLauren on February 19, 2018, 09:35:59 AM
I have modified the spreadsheet where I keep track of my blood hormone levels so that it will convert international units to US units, so that I can compare my results to those of other ladies.  I just want to do a sanity check, that I have the conversions right.

As far as I can tell, it looks like most US folks use ng/dl for T and pg/ml for E.  Is that right?

For levels, I get T: 652 ng/dl, and E: 30 pg/ml prior to starting HRT, and T: 2.5 ng/dl, and E: 133 pg/ml after 11 months of spiro and estradiol.  Do those numbers sound plausible?

My doctor has never tested for T, so I can't help you there. (At my meeting with him on Friday, I insisted on it for our next test in 3 months.)

In August, after 3 months of very low dose Estradiol and Spiro, my E was 54 pg/mL.

In November, after going to "full-dose," my E was at 116.

This last test, after bumping up a little more, it was 173. He said he'd be comfortable with it as high as 225, but worries about extreme mood swings, and says he has me on the max dose with pills he will prescribe. The other choices are going to patches, which he says aren't as effective, or injections, which he says are expensive, and at which my brain screams, "NEEDLES! RUN AWAY!" Implants weren't discussed.

We decided to let the dosages ride for another 3 months and see where the levels stabilize. In the meantime I'll be checking to see just how much the alternatives cost through my insurance. And honestly, I'm pretty much ok with the way things are working. I'd be happy with any acceleration I could get, but it's ok for now.


- Stephanie

Those numbers seem perfectly reasonable.  The only quibble is that levels of T below 3 ng/dl are not measured and are reported as < 3ng/dl.


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Thanks, ladies.  It looks like I did the conversions right, then.    Now I'll have some idea what you all are talking about when giving levels.

For anyone else wanting to do the same thing, to convert  E, multiply pmol/l by 0.27240 to get pg/ml.  To convert T, multiply nmol/l by 28.818 to get ng/dl.  If you are trying to convert the other direction, divide by those numbers instead of multiplying.

Hi Kathy,

   My recent results were T=<.1 ng/mL and E was 192.3 pg/mL

To convert mine I just google the equation I want ie pg/ml =pmol/ml and use the endmemo sit to plug in the value and hit calculate. that easy.

Hugs,
  Laurie

My most recent results were T = <3 ng/dL, E = 457 pg/ml. Spiro and E both got reduced by 25% to pull T up a bit and bring E under 300.

Does anyone track their P levels? We are going to start tracking mine and potentially change the dosage if it makes sense.

My T last measured was 37 ng/dl but that was Total T, my free and bio-available T were UNDETECTABLE so this goes to show you that measuring total T can be unreliable sometimes. Total T can be "good" but the one that matters and that can actually bind to receptors was still VERY low because SHBG was very high. My Total T is probably close to around 100 right now but who knows? I feel fine at whatever level it might be and that's why, personally, I could care less what the levels are. What matters to me is feeling and physical response. If those are good, then I'm good.

My E2 (estradiol) is probably around 400-500 pg/ml right now (was 200, last measured) and I feel quite good. Mood swings if levels go up and down, but steady levels= feeling stable. When you state E, be sure it is Estradiol and not Estrogen which is the sum of Estradiol and Estrone. Also, do realize that estradiol levels fluctuate quite a bit...so could be 100 at 8 am, 200 at 12 pm, 500 at 8 pm, etc. especially if you take it sublingually.

My tests for the last year

Pre-hrt 02/17/17
Test 437
Est     19

05/10/17
Test  156
Est      61

08/10/17
Test  32
Est    73 

02/13/18
Test  3.
Est.  162

Last set pretty close to what you have with same drugs and similar length of time. 

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Yes, similar results for me. I'm on bio-identical estrogen pellets and Spiro. I didn't have blood drawn before. I didn't get the results for one month (low dose pellets). At six months (after 3 months on full dose pellets) my total T was 56 ng/dl and total E was 215 pg/dl. I'd like my T lower so I'm looking to get an orchi soon.

Quote from: StacyRenee on February 19, 2018, 08:26:15 PMmy total T was 56 ng/dl and total E was 215 pg/dl. I'd like my T lower so I'm looking to get an orchi soon.

Total T in ciswomen is anywhere from 6-120 ng/dl. E is pg/ML, not DL. Spiro blocks T, SHBG binds some of that T so really the T that actually binds to your receptors may be quite insignificant.

Purely anecdotal, but my T levels weren't dropping on spiro. After my orchiectomy I discovered that calm feeling that so many describe, a reduction in the background static.

Add me to the list of people who say "Removing the T is better than blocking the T"

Hugs, Devlyn

Quote from: StacyRenee on February 19, 2018, 08:26:15 PM
Yes, similar results for me. I'm on bio-identical estrogen pellets and Spiro. I didn't have blood drawn before. I didn't get the results for one month (low dose pellets). At six months (after 3 months on full dose pellets) my total T was 56 ng/dl and total E was 215 pg/dl. I'd like my T lower so I'm looking to get an orchi soon.

Quote from: Devlyn Marie on February 20, 2018, 06:07:44 AM
Purely anecdotal, but my T levels weren't dropping on spiro. After my orchiectomy I discovered that calm feeling that so many describe, a reduction in the background static.

Add me to the list of people who say "Removing the T is better than blocking the T"

Hugs, Devlyn

How do I go about getting an orchi? I mentioned it to my last doctor but she didn't say much. My new endo mentioned top and bottom surgery and recommended where I should go (I think NYU).

I wanna say a surgeon that does vaginoplasty may do an orchi but I'm not sure.. do I just call up orchi surgeons and ask them for a consultation?

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Quote from: Allison S on February 20, 2018, 10:56:00 AM
How do I go about getting an orchi? I mentioned it to my last doctor but she didn't say much. My new endo mentioned top and bottom surgery and recommended where I should go (I think NYU).

I wanna say a surgeon that does vaginoplasty may do an orchi but I'm not sure.. do I just call up orchi surgeons and ask them for a consultation?

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Most surgeons that do bottom surgery will do an orchiectomy. Some urologists might do it.

Quote from: KathyLauren on February 19, 2018, 10:11:50 AM
Thanks, ladies.  It looks like I did the conversions right, then.    Now I'll have some idea what you all are talking about when giving levels.

For anyone else wanting to do the same thing, to convert  E, multiply pmol/l by 0.27240 to get pg/ml.  To convert T, multiply nmol/l by 28.818 to get ng/dl.  If you are trying to convert the other direction, divide by those numbers instead of multiplying.

This is most appreciated. Thank you Kathy

Occasionally we have a question on Prolactin levels and therefore I just wish to add to this thread method of conversion of Prolactin which is:

Divide MU/L by 21.28 to get ng/ml. If converting the other direction, multiply instead of dividing.

Pamela