Estrogen level HIGHER after ovary removal?!?

[Learningtodream]

Has anyone else had this happen?!!

I had my ovaries out on 1-11-2019

Get this craziness.... at my last appt I asked for them to recheck my estradiol (estrogen level) to make sure it had gone down to an acceptable range after my ovary removal. She didn’t think it was necessary but I insisted. I don’t assume things with how things tend to go with me so I wanted to be certain.

*Background- cancer came back within a year on Tamoxifen, Zoladex shot didn’t seem to be shutting down my ovaries, numbers were all over the place. I’m 36 y/o*

I’m glad I asked because my estrogen level came back HIGHER THAN EVER. It was rechecked today, a week later, to see if it was a fluke and apparently not bc it’s just as high today. (40) for reference it was 15 shortly before my ovary removal.

Their theory is either it’s from residual ovarian tissue (still waiting on result, I don’t think it’s that) OR, that my adrenal glands have ramped up their production of it.

My ovarian surgeon had to do some research to tell me that. Apparently they have never seen this before?

This seems to be uncharted territory for the team I’m on now and that concerns me.

I reached out to the NP at my last clinic and she was aware of this happening sometimes and she said they don’t really have an explanation for it. 🤷‍♀️😞

[Hidden]

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear that the ooporectomy hasn't brought down your oestrodial levels. Hopefully the levels will soon drop. I had mine checked after I started treatment and they gradually went down. I have read about how the adrenal glands also produce oestrogen; it isn't all down to our ovaries.

What does your medical team plan to do next? I hope that you don't have to wait long to find out what's going on.

Take care,

Sophie ❤

[diamags]

I had this issue. I was 52, just through menopause when I was diagnosed. When I had Zolodex first they went up, so we took the ovaries out. Still, way, way high. Higher than a pregnant woman. So I went to my gyno who told me that just by looking, I wasn't loaded with estrogen. So my next step was to the endocrinologist. She ordered a very expensive, super sensitive test (I forgot the name...). That one came out basically estrogen free. My onc had ever seen my weirdness before and we don't know what caused all the false positives in the regular tests, but we don't try them anymore as they just make me nuts! Ask to see an endocrinologist and get the estrogen assay a more sensitive way. I hope this helps.

[Learningtodream in reply to diamags]

The name of the blood test we are waiting on is called Anti-Mullerian hormone. Is that maybe the name of the test?

Thank you for sharing and for the advice. 🙂🦋

[Mimigram]

My oncologist told me your liver produces estrogen as well .

[JonaC38]

I was told by oncologist that fat cells also produce estrogen.

[diamags]

I just looked up the test results (from 2014...) and they billed for Estradiol Serum and Estrodial Ultra Sensitive. questdiagnostics.com/testce... I hope this helps.

[PJBinMI]

Our experiences with bc are sure highly individual! I wonder if the sheer act of surgery can throw estrogen levels off, and I do like the idea of false positives. I've been dealing with E+ mbc myself for 15 years next month and have heard so many different responses to treatment. I hope your doctors can find a good treatment path for you! Hang in there! an keep us posted.