I'm 38 years old, and started getting irregular periods about a year and a half ago - my cycles now range in length from 14 to 40 days. I didn't think much of it, because I had irregular periods when I was younger. I also started getting extremely dry skin in the groin area. What was most concerning was my coinciding anxiety and depression, which ultimately sent me to my internist. She checked my thyroid and glucose levels, and when I told her that I had been unable to get pregnant, my FSH level as well. Thyroid and glucose were fine; my day 6 FSH was 50. I had her check my FSH level two months later on day 3, and it was 29. In an effort to understand why I was still getting periods at least once a month (although at increasinly erratic intervals), I went to an ob/gyn who basically just said that I "probably couldn't get pregnant." I then went to an RE, who also couldn't seem to get off the idea of getting me pregnant. An ultrasound of my ovaries revealed that although I had ovulated that month, I have no antral follicles. He concluded that I have "severe ovarian depletion."
I'm looking for someone who can help me understand what's going on with my body and mind, rather than focus on if and how I can get pregnant. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful son, and after several years of trying and worrying, I'm finding that it feels better to work on accepting that he will probably be my only child than go crazy (literally) trying to have another child. Here's what I'm trying to understand:
1) With such high FSH levels and apparently few eggs, I would assume that I'd go several months without a period, which doesn't seem to be happening. Why?
2) I have what feels like PMS much of the time. In an effort to stave off using an anti-depressant, last month I started taking a good multivitamin, fish oil and evening primrose oil on a regular basis (not just when I remembered
, and also began using natural progesterone cream. I also began using natural progesterone cream last month. Any other suggestions (besides giving up sugar and caffeine)?3) I keep getting very warm, but not in a way I associate with a hot flash - more like I'm embarrassed for a minute or two. Is that still a hot flash?
Thanks in advance for any input. In the absence of information, I end up feeling like my body is failing me in an unnatural way, and it's adding to my sense of unease.