Can anyone help with sex hormone results?

[CarolineAnne]

Hi

I am wondering if a lot of my problems are down to my sex hormones ( I'm 47) and seem to suffer on and off through the month. I don't have hot flashes or sweats but when my hormone drops they are triggering migraines( which I never used to suffer previously) and also digestive problems. It seems that when my hormone levels drop my digestion is non existant and I suffer terrible constipation.

So I dug out my results which are from Sept and Oct 2015 and May 2016 if anyone could take a look at them. Any thoughts would be great. I am on 40 mcg t3 only.

May 2016

Oestradiol 270pmol/L. ( 294-367)

Prog. 56.9nmol/L. ( 65-70)

Testosterone. 0.5 nmol/L ( 1-1.32)

SHBG. 63.3nmol/L (26-110)

September 2015:

Oestradiol 206 pmol/L

Progesterone 77.5nmol

Testosterone 0.3 nmol/L

SHBG 75.0nmol/L

October 2015:

Oestradiol 293pmol/L

Progesterone 37.1nmol/L

Testosterone 0.4nmol/L

SHBG 91.7nmol/L

I think overall they look low but not sure if I should supplement or if I can get a doctors help with these results.

Thankyou

[sassicat]

Do you see a gynaecologist who specialises in hormones and HRT, or are these tests you have ordered yourself?

[CarolineAnne in reply to sassicat]

I got them through the GP who then recommended going on the pill and antidepressants which I don't want to do.

[sassicat in reply to CarolineAnne]

I have pm'ed you

[greygoose]

How's your cholesterol? Are you taking statins? How are your thyroid levels?

[CarolineAnne in reply to greygoose]

Hi

No I wouldn't take statins. Last cholesterol test was 4/8/15: ( I don't have ranges sorry!)

Total chol 5.8 nmol/L

Hdl chol. 1.8mnol/L

Chol/HDL ratio 3.2

Last Thyroid test was 30/10/15

Ft3 6.6pmol/L (2.8-7.1)

Ft4 <5 (9-26) low

Tsh 0.04 ( 0.27-4.20) low

I felt really good this time last year. Lots of symptoms were improved and I had lost weight. This year has been awful. Lots of symptoms have come back and weight gain. I next see the Endo in January.

Thanks

[greygoose in reply to CarolineAnne]

Yes, well, that all seems ok. But, sex hormones are complicated, because it all depends how old you are. I don't know much about it.

[CarolineAnne in reply to greygoose]

I know what you mean. They say not to mess with sex hormones until Thyroid is optimal and I haven't felt optimal this year. I have had some days where I can't get out of bed and then the days where my hormones are good I am ok. Its all a bit confusing isn't it?

Good to know cholesterol is ok. Thanks x

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to CarolineAnne]

I had to get a private hormone specialist to interpret my sex hormone test. I was advised to use bioidentical progesterone cream. My thyroid wasn't optimal at the time nor is it now.

I had my adrenals checked at the same time as thyroid, adrenals and sex hormones are all connected. My adrenals weren't optimal either.

[CarolineAnne in reply to SeasideSusie]

I don't think my adrenals are doing great either so I am trying to work on that. Did the progesterone cream help at all? Do you think seeing the specialist was worth it?

Thanks

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to CarolineAnne]

Have you done a 24 hour saliva adrenal test to know what's going on with your adrenals, you need to know what to supplement, high cortisol needs treating differently from low cortisol.

I haven't retested sex hormones (nor adrenals) since starting supplements so I don't know how it looks on paper but I am in a better place than I was so the things I'm taking have helped.

It was worth consulting the specialist for me, because I didn't understand the results and I needed guidance on what to do. However, you need to choose your practioner carefully.

[Jazzw in reply to CarolineAnne]

Was your last thyroid test really a year ago or is that a typo? A lot can happen in a year...

[CarolineAnne in reply to Jazzw]

Yes it was last year. I know. I definately don't feel as good this year so time I got a retest I think.

[Learner1]

You are quite right to suspect your sex hormones. Looks like your estradiol went up and progesterone down, not a good situation, which can lead to female cancers...

The bio identical progesterone cream idea is a good one.

However all your hormones are low. Wondering what your DHEA and pregnenolone levels are...

At 47, you're heading towards menopause. You can let nature take its course, with unpredictable results St times, or you can choose to do something about it, but will likely need to balance and rebalance over the coming years as your natural hormone production changes.

I take several hormones after surgical menopause resulting from cancer in my uterus and ovary. We monitor carefully, using a DUTCH test, which details all hormone metabolites to ensure we're not promoting cancer.

They are powerful. Each does a job, and it takes finding the right balance.

I'd ask your doc about raising your progesterone and testosterone levels, and seeing if pregnenolone or DHEA would help. And try estriol if you need estrogen.

And skip the antidepressants....😃

[Hidden]

I saw my gynecologist last week who prescribed the following tests to determine whether I'm peri-menopausal (I will turn 48 later this month):

NFS

FSH

LH

Oestradiol

Testosterone

Prolactin

She did not ask for progesterone, which I find strange...you are never supposed to use estradiol unless you also take progesterone, right?