Starting about six months ago I felt as if I was plunged into perimenopausal hell. All the symptoms from aching joints to insomnia to goofy periods to shakes to hot flashes to cold sweats to sleep disturbances to killer headaches to angry outbursts. Even my skin turned dry and baggy. I've had lots of blood work in the past six months including repeated tests of my FSH level. But my FSH level has never been above 7.

According to Dr. Elizabeth Vliet in one of her excellent books "It's My Ovaries, Stupid!" there are four stages to hormonal meltdown:

Step 1: Declining estradiol
Step 2: Start of anovulatory cycles when FSH is still less than 10 and perimenopausal symptoms just start to rear their ugly head
Step 3: Perimenopause, when FSH is between 10 and 20 and all the symptoms get really bad, really ugly
Step 4: Menopause, FSH is over 20

So I'm looking at my FSH levels and gasping "With all these dreadful symptoms I'm not even really in perimenopause yet? You mean it's going to be a while before I'm officially in perimenopause and that's when things are REALLY going to get bad? THINGS ARE GOING TO GET WORSE! HOW CAN THEY GET WORSE?!"

Someone clue me in here. Are FSH levels really that telling about what's going on? Or is this just the start of a long ride to hell?

Foggy ~ FSH levels will fluctuate cycle-to-cycle. You can go in on CD3 and have a low level and then the next cycle be high.

Consistent High FSH levels are an indicator of how hard are ovaries are working to pop that egg each cycle. The higher the level, the harder they work and the more hormone and craziness.

its a precursor but we can make it through it by sticking together

Thanks for the explanation, Chewoo! I keep going to doctors--and I've been to a whole bunch already--and they all say "But you're not even in perimenopause yet!" Fortunately they've all been female doctors so they've humored me by saying 'Ok, you're a woman, you say you're suffering so we believe it.' But I myself keep worrying...gosh, there's probably a real long road of hell ahead.

Foggybrained (great name by the way - could be me!)

The FSH tests are unreliable in early perimenopause, since the hormone fluctuations can be erratic and are as such difficult (not to mention, costly) to track. For some reason, real live gynos (men and strangely enough the women too) don't really like to admit this. I'm not sure why this is, except that I believe that it is because they only feel comfortable relying on tangible, quantitative evidence (as in a blood test) - perhaps so that their backs are covered if they are ever sued? Paradoxically, sometimes FSH levels can be very high, indicating that a woman is in menopause, while she is still having periods. I have read on the boards that gynos seem to be more comfortable dealing with this paradoxical situation - once again, because they have the test results to fall back on.

Luckily, for us, experts such as Dr Vliet have highlighted the problem in books. Luckily for us too there is power surge - a community of women who are all going or have gone through the same thing and who can support each other through this. I am really happy to hear that the female gynos have at least acknowledged your feelings. That's a good start!

Please do come back and talk to chat whenever you need support and encouragement!

Thanks for the clarification, Lady B! I also know several women who were told tthat hey were in menopause because of their FSH level but continued to have periods. Oh, what a good time we have! I guess I was just hoping against hope that maybe, despite my FSH level, there might be some end in sight soon.

I've found this board invaluable in providing consolation. It really is a wonderful service!

Thank you, Lady B!

I was one of those women - Two different doctors told me I was POST-menopausal based on my FSH tests. One of them told me this astounding news while I was having my period. I knew enough - thank you Dearest and Power Surge! - to tell him that was absolutely not true.

I think I had my periods for at least a couple more years. no more FSH tests, though.