Question about Estrogen levels

astrid · 11-03-2006, 09:43 AM

I had my estrogen levels checked for the second time in Oct (got the results yesterday). In June I was in chemo pause. I am 48 years old but I never felt like I went thru menopause. I am interested in joining a SOFT trial (Ovarian suppression trial) for pre menopausal women. This last blood work showed my FSH at 24.5 (normal for post menopausal) LH at 20.8 (normal for post menopausal). BUT here’s what freaks me out. My estrogen level is 933. That is way off any normal scales. My ONC wants to run the test again and so do I, but 933 has any one heard of that???

I went to the web and found to my horror that high estrogen levels can mean ovarian cancer. Should I freak???

Bev · 11-03-2006, 10:02 PM

Astrid,

Don't know, just bumping up.

I would guess a trans-vaginal ultasound is in your future. My OB-GYN has me do them as a precaution. They are embarassing but not terribly hard, except for your bladder.

Let us know how it goes. Hope it's just some sort of weird blip.

Best of luck, BB

BonnieT · 11-05-2006, 02:38 PM

hello
I had a blood test checking to see if I was in menapause , I am 42 and I haven't had my period since Chemo a couple of years ago.I didn't get the exact number that the estrogen was but my oncologist said it is going to be high due to taking tomaxifen and that will make it read higher.
Keep me posted
BonnieT

astrid · 11-14-2006, 03:39 PM

I had my estrogen level re run and it was 155. My ONC blames a bad lab test for the 955. 155 is still kinda high as I’m 48 years old and on tamoxifen. I have not had a real menstrual cycle since June, so I have no idea what phase I am in.
Normal Estrogen levels are:
Follic Phase (The first half of the menstrual cycle): 27-161
Periovulatory (Ovulation): +/-3 days: 187-382
Luteal Phase (The second half of the menstrual cycle): 33-201<O

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Becky · 11-14-2006, 03:49 PM

Astrid

I ended up having my ovaries removed because of the estrogen question and "true" menopause vs chemopause. Basically, your estrogen level is not high enough for you to ovulate. If you were younger (lets say in your 20s or 30s), you might still menstrate even though you are not ovulating but since you would naturally start going through menopause soon anyway, you don't. True menopause is when estrogen levels are below 32. On an aromatase inhibitor, they can go all the way down to 1 (although most commercial labs will only report "less than 32"). At 155 (on the edge of being enough to ovulate) you are not in menopause yet so don't let anyone try to switch you to an AI. It is also why you aren't experiencing severe menopause symptoms such as dryness or bladder problems. If you went off Tamoxifen, your period would probably return.

I didn't want to comment on your first result because it was over the top and I didn't have any idea what might be going on. I kind of thought it was a lab fluke and that they miswrote a number.

Kind regards

Becky

Les · 11-15-2006, 07:09 AM

Hi Becky and Astrid, I am in the same boat,48 and thought I was inchemopause but every 4to 6 months still getting periods.At my last visit with my new onc he checked my estrogen and it was over 260 Iam on tamoxifen 2.5 years he is talking about ovary supression either chemical or removal because I am er/pr+.Just wondering what I should do any advise welcome. leslie

tricia keegan · 11-15-2006, 11:46 AM

Les

I am 47 and highly triple positive so had my ovaries removed last August.
The op was fine and I have no regrets at all and began taking Arimidex
in September.
I do have a few body aches and stiffness but exercise helps a lot with that.
I wanted to do everything possible to cut dowm my estrogen and to know for sure I was in menopause as my Onc said the test for this is not reliable until around a year after chemo.
Good luck with your decision.
Tricia

Becky · 11-15-2006, 05:41 PM

Tricia

I did the same as you last August and I am 47 as well. I am only ER+ (50%) but mine is a population where it is well known that Tamoxifen doesn't work well (having no PR) but research does point that Tamoxifen may not work well if you are Her2+ regardless. I have no regrets although I have some bladder infection issues (so now I have to take a macrobid 100 after I have sex - not a big price to pay). Low estrogen causes the dryness and membrane thinning but I have not had any real problems except for bladder infections. I know my estrogen tested extremely low so at least I know the oophorectomy to use Arimidex was a great choice.

My onc even let me stay on Herceptin 3 months longer than a year so I could be on the Herceptin/Arimidex combo for a full year.

PS - I had a second opinion on the oophorectomy and both opinions independently stated that if you are hormone positive, it is always better to truly be postmenopausal. It very much positively impacts your survival rate. Tamoxifen does not suppress estrogen production. It's role is to cover the estrogen receptor so estrogen cannot bind there to excite the cancer cell to reproduce.