Hi Ladies

I am getting more confused by the day and I have just about had it will all this nonsense.  I want to share my syptoms with you and some test results and hopefully you can help me.  I will be seeing my ob next week and having new tests done tomorrow.  But I have these symptoms and I just can't tell what is happening.  I also am hypothyriod and alot of this is from thyriod.

My symptoms now are, irratability, insomnia ( can't get to sleep then wake up many times during nite and restless sleep), anxiety, feeling down, headaches, nausea, bloating bad then drop off quickly, memory loss, conentration down, heart pounding can feel it beating, hot flashes occationally with racing heart, night sweats, higher body temp for a few day in the beginning of bleeding, muscle aches, joint pain, breast sweeling and tenderness about 3-4 days before period until it starts.  I understand the breast thing could be from estrogen to, so if mine is low then why this.

My last test in dec 2001 was FSH 8.0, LH 3.5, estradial 34.  I have been reading and understand thisestogen is low or at least in the low normal range. But from what I have read as long as the FSH and LH are noraml then I am not menopausal.  I do have a period every 28 days,but lately its  either very hard with clots and flooding and this month it like really thick and brown for the past 2 days but its not the same and on saturday I noticed this dark brown for lack of a better discription like a shealfing going on, pieces coming out but not like blood it very dark brown like at the end of the period but its happening at the beginning and days before normal.  

My sypmtoms used to be extreme and have cleared some since starting the tyriod meds, but some remain.

How do I know if it peri or something else.  How would I know if my ovaries are still working?

My other biggest fear is heart disease, I have read that low estrogen can cause this and how do you know when its time to get more and what type.  I was on progesterone for 3 months and decided not to use it this month since I was having hormones tests run and that is when the period did this wierd stuff.  Does the progesterone help tht much and how does it help the estrogen levels?

As you can see i am totally confused by all this.  If anyone can help I would sure be happy.

Thanks for listening and sorry so long.

Patty

Patty,

It sounds like you have normal estrogen but maybe too low progesterone.   Read Dr. Lee's book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause.   He thinks what you are describing is estrogen dominance when progesterone falls so much.   Since you are having periods, I would doubt estrogen is too low.

Natural progesterone cream might help you a lot.  It is over the counter.

Also a good saliva test might be something to consider.    It is called Evalu-8.

Don't worry...hang in there and you will figure it out.  I worked on mine for about 2 years...

Georgia Dove~~

Patty... I agree with Nancy here... it sounds like estrogen dominance, which would be normal when your progesterone gets too low, as it does when this all begins.  Besides the book that Nancy recommends (which is very good and highly recommended by many), you might also want to have a good look around this site.  In addition to these message boards, there is alot of great information.  If you go up to the right corner of the page, and scroll on the box that says, "Power Surge Quick Links", you will find a couple of really informative things to start with, like...  "Recommendations", and "Educate Your Body".  There are also many transcripts of guest chats with experts.  

I have had hypothyroidism for over 30 yrs, and I don't attribute many of my symptoms to that....  most are from perimenopause, and the ones you describe are pretty common.  Just be sure to have the bleeding problem checked out thoroughly by your gyn, to rule out any other problems there.   As for the FSH, you will read many times over here about the reliability of that test.... it is not the absolute measure of whether one is perimenopausal or not...  your symptoms are much more reliable, as anyone who understands meno will tell you.  

Check out all the information available to you here and try to stay calm....I think that will make all the difference for you in how you will get through this....  good luck and happy reading... the best thing you can do for yourself is to go the the doctor well armed with information... most of them can certainly use it.  :)

While I respect the theory of "estrogen dominance" many women need estrogen replacement along with progesterone. It sounds like you need to boost your estrogen, your level is quite low. I would agree that the progesterone is a must. My OB told me that FSH readings can appear "normal" sometimes during peri-meno and need to be tested more than once to make a diagnosis. I have read that you should look at your symptoms not the numbers to determine if you are beginning menopause, and you sound like a classic example.  Just one word of caution, if your OB wants to start you on hrt, stick  with the bioidenticals not Prempro. There are several compounding pharmacies (there is a thread for this topic) that can provide you with a safer alternative to the HRT that is advertised on TV. Good luck to you and don't give up. As you probably read on this board, we have all had our struggles trying to come up with the right solution that works for us. Also, once you find the right "mix", it will change over time. Meno will definately keep you on your toes.