How reliable are estradiol tests?

[dabigcheese]

I have been struggling with zero libido for four years. This February I got all my bloods done and found that everything was normal except for the estrogen level which was 10 per cent higher than the top end of the "normal" range (169 pmol/L was my level) - an extremely high level which should explain the lack of libido. I started taking Arimidex on a regular basis. This resulted in a return of libido on certain days and then it would disappear. The problem for me is getting the dose absolutely right - too high or too low kills libido.

So last week I decided to test my estradiol levels and repeat them again this week - two tests that were 7 days apart and not take any Arimidex in the meantime. The idea was to try to understand how much estradiol was increasing per day without the use of Arimidex. The result was a bit shocking for me.

On 13 May 2013 the result was 48 pmol/L (normal is 44-156)

On 20 May 2013 the result was 113 pmol/L

This is a massive increase in just a week and is making me wonder what the right Arimidex dose would be for me.

Any ideas? Also, are these results reliable? What is the margin for error? The Lab I used is a very well known top notch lab in London, England.

[lovbyts]

Are you shaking the bottle a LOT before using it? Most of it settles to the bottom if you are using liquid.

I think I remember you should take it with some food with fats since it binds with the fat for absorption.

[dabigcheese]

Are you shaking the bottle a LOT before using it? Most of it settles to the bottom if you are using liquid.

I think I remember you should take it with some food with fats since it binds with the fat for absorption.

I am using tablets which I got from a licensed pharmacy in Turkey. The problem is not that they don't work but getting the right dose so that the Estradiol level stays within an "optimal" range for maximum libido.

Before I got the 48 result on May 13, I was taking a 1/4 tab daily (0.25 mg). It now seems too much because I wanted my level at 90 rather than 48 (libido is higher at that level). So to keep it at 90 I need an appropriate dose and I cannot figure what the appropriate dose is.