Hormone Blood Work Results

[JenniferB]

A couple weeks ago I had regular blood work completed and add the hormone blood work too.

I am healthy, except for gaining a little weight. My A1C test was 6.2%. I did cheat more, especially around Christmas. I hate when somebody brings in sweets at work and leaves it on the break room table. This happens most days.

Now the other news. My first blood test results for hormones after 3 months.

T = 13

E = 92

I won't have to have hormone blood work again for one year.

Jenny

[Carolyn Marie]

OUTSTANDING news, all the way around. Congrats, Jennifer.

Carolyn Marie

[Guest sarah f]

That is wonderful news Jenny. I am happy for you.

[Guest JaniceW]

Great news Jenny, you go girl!

[JenniferB]

I know some of you have not had the same results I received. I really feel for you. I really am blessed (so far) in my transition. I've been depressed recently and have had no right to be, especially whit what many of you are going through, and how frustrating your struggles are. I was just caught up in the moment.

There is nothing that would make my day more than reading about others who jumped another hurdle on their journey to their true selves. I always feel my best when someone else has good fortune.

Jenny

[Guest Audrey Elizabeth]

I know some of you have not had the same results I received. I really feel for you. I really am blessed (so far) in my transition. I've been depressed recently and have had no right to be, especially whit what many of you are going through, and how frustrating your struggles are. I was just caught up in the moment.

There is nothing that would make my day more than reading about others who jumped another hurdle on their journey to their true selves. I always feel my best when someone else has good fortune.

Jenny

Since I want you to feel your best I will tell you about the milestone I reached. After three and half months on HRT I finally reached an A cup. I Ordered me a couple of 36A bras from VS and am thrilled about how they fit. Now come on B.

Audrey

[Guest Mina89]

My doctor uses a different measure, I'm not sure what, maybe ppm. On Thursday he said my results were 500 for estrogen (200 = normal female average) and 20 for free testosterone (exact middle of normal female range). This was after a month on a starting dose that was half of my expected full dose. I'm now only supposed to take half the estradiol I've been taking to try and bring me down to about 250. I have mixed feelings about the reduced dosage, but generally happy that I, like you, am so receptive to it.

In the end it probably won't amount to much, though. There's some long-forgotten trickster god cackling in the nether about the skeletal structure I was graced with. Short and underweight and I still need large men's shirts! It's stuff like this that makes me wish there is a god so I can ask him what my life's punch line is.

I guess I share the difficult-to-justify depression with you too. Don't sweat it.

-Valerie

[JenniferB]

I took my GP who administers hormones diagnosis for granted. She said I was in normal female range. But now I am not so sure. I read about T and E levels on the internet and now I am totally confused. There are so many levels of testosterone and estrogen. I believe the test was for free testosterone and that level seems too high. And then for the estradiol, it seems to be on the low end of the scale. Now I'm wondering why my GP thinks my test results are in the normal range. I do have breast development, my skin is softer, and have very noticeable fat redistribution. Still I'm wondering if this is going to have the results I'm looking for or whether I'm cheating myself.

Concerned,

Jenny

[Guest JaniceW]

Jenny,

I took a few minutes and did some research for you. Estradiol levels vary during the menstrual cycle and so the "normal" values are different at different points in that cycle.

Estradiol

Beginning of Menstrual cycle: 50-145

Mid Cycle: 112-443

End cycle: 50-241

Your level of 92 puts you right into the range for every point of the cycle except the Mid cycle for which your level is just below the low end of "normal".

Your T level of 13 puts you very low in the normal range for T in women which is T Total 6-86.

So I can easily see why your doctor is happpy with those results and I think you should be too.

[JenniferB]

Thanks Janice. What confused me were other members who posted their results here in the forum. And then I looked online and there seems to be discrepancies on how the hormones are measured. For example there are different T measurements. And it can become confusiong.

It makes sense now. I appreciate you going out of your way to help.

Jenny

[Guest miss kindheart]

Congratulations

It is hard to find good information about what levels should be

Of course you should listen to your DR , but don't be afraid to ask questions

As for your results, ask for a copy for own records, and pay close attention to the type of test and the units of measure

I found this on Anne A. Lawrence, M.D's website

A serum testosterone level within the normal female range – about 5-85 ng/dl for total testosterone, or 0.1–2.2 pg/ml for free testosterone – is usually considered ideal. Within the female normal range, lower numbers are not necessarily better.

A serum estradiol level of about 125-200 pg/ml – about one-third to one-half the normal female mid-cycle peak – is often considered ideal, at least for the first two years or so of feminizing therapy.

vanna

[Guest JaniceW]

... For example there are different T measurements.

There are actually about 5 or 6 different ways to measure T, the one commonly quoted it Total Testosterone, then there is Free Testosterone and various bound T's where the T is bound to another molecule. It can surely be confusing and that is why we go to a doctor to let them manage it. We do, on occasion, need to just trust the doctor and believe what they say even if we see some information that may contradict what the doctor is saying.

With Estrogen we have the Estriol, Estradiol, and Esterone trio and usually only the estradiol is measured.

[Guest Mina89]

GAH!! All these numbers and measures!! It's like being at work but someone changed the rules and now nothing makes sense anymore!

I guess I won't be jumping from a sociology major to studying endocrinology anytime soon.

-Valerie

[Drea]

I took my GP who administers hormones diagnosis for granted. She said I was in normal female range. But now I am not so sure. I read about T and E levels on the internet and now I am totally confused. There are so many levels of testosterone and estrogen. I believe the test was for free testosterone and that level seems too high. And then for the estradiol, it seems to be on the low end of the scale. Now I'm wondering why my GP thinks my test results are in the normal range. I do have breast development, my skin is softer, and have very noticeable fat redistribution. Still I'm wondering if this is going to have the results I'm looking for or whether I'm cheating myself.

I think you were working yourself up over nothing. I thought you said it was all working great. What more do you need?

My doc never felt the need to test my E levels since he trusted that I wasn't abusing them and my development was fine.

He was more focused on T level supression and the risk factors that would show in the blood such as liver enzymes, cholestrol, etc.

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Like Drea says - why stress on something like test results - your doctor said you were fine!

lizzy

[Guest Donna Jean]

.

Doctor says "Good results"....

That equals "Wonderful!"

Donna Jean