hello,

i had bloodwork done yesterday for everything and anything but stuff for menopause. i called my gyny and asked them to add it on there. i think she thinks my problem is a thyroid issue and didn't even check the hormone levels... what sort of test should be done for hormones? they did call the lab and add them on but i was wondering if i am starting peri what are the chances that something will show up in the bloodwork?

thanks!

tina

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Hi Tina,
I just had the complete hormone series bloodwork, including thyroid done. They did FSH, Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone, Prolactin, thyroid function and a couple others I can't remember. My results were that I'm in Perimenopause, but so very peri, that I'm pretty much menopausal. I'm 41, so this was quite a surprise. Apparently, my FSH was very high and my estrogen low, and she said I shouldn't be having any more periods, so she had me take the FSH again and I'm waiting on those results. From what I understand, these levels can fluctuate, and that's why I'm being re tested. These tests can determine where you're at, but the way things have been going for me, I say anything goes. We're all different. I'm going more by how I feel. Hot flashes, mood swings, heart palps, irregular periods I'd had since I was 36 and most of the other symptoms associated with Peri and Meno. Hope this was helpful.

Thanks! I guess thyroid problems can mimic peri, is that correct? my hair has been falling out (not clumps) just a bunch in the shower and such. i'm always exhausted but i do have mood swings.. big time actually. no hot flashes or night sweats... just sometimes i feel like i get warm but that is during the day. my heart flutters while i'm laying down watching tv so i'm not sure what it is.

this is going to sound weird but they did find that my uterus was enlarged and suspect fibroids. i'm having an ultrasound done next week so i guess they'll know for sure then. but i'm having something happening and i cannot figure out what it is. to the right of my bellybutton (i didn't think there was much in there) i feel like a muscle is being pulled or it feels swollen in there (not to the touch just a feeling).... and i didn't know if my enlarged uterus could affect up in that area as well. who knows, i'm falling apart at 44....

tina

MY UTERUS WAS ENLARGED TOO... I HAD THE V ULTRA SOUND/... ALL NORMAL... I AHVE READ THOUGHT THAT ENLARGED UTERUS IS THE START OF MENOPAUSE... I AM ONLY 32... NO ONE WILL TAKE ME SERIOUSLY... EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT OVULATING....

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From what I understand, thyroid probs can mimic certain peri symptoms. I think that's why my doctor tested my thyroid. As for the hair loss... my husband doesn't understand why I'm not bald by now. I, too lose some in the shower and when I brush my hair. I never connected it to this Peri/Meno stuff, but I guess this too can happen. My hot flashes can come at any time, day or night. Sometimes I feel it come up from my chest and my whole head feels hot, but most of the time, I feel this rush or surge through my body, then my ears get really hot and turn bright red. The night sweats are a little different for me. There for a couple of years I was constantly waking up soaked, sometimes I had to change in the middle of the night. It's not so bad now, but it does happen ocassionally. I just started getting heart palpitations. (Where it feels like it skips a beat then kicks in again and again) Before that, it was rapid heart beat, sometimes going up to 140 beats per minute and my doctor would send me to the ER, only to have it labeled stress and I would be sent home tranquilized. (I now think it was Peri all along, but they wouldn't consider that because I was in my 30's) I take Toprol XL and the doctor recently increased it and it has helped with the palps.
As for the enlarged uterus and possible fibroids, I have an enlarged uterus, a few fibroids and ovarian cysts, but have never had any pulling sensations. I feel bloated, at times and get crampy now and then, and have had ocassional right sided pain, but I just pass it off as gas or maybe ovulation... (if I'm still ovulating.) The best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor about all your symptoms, just to make sure everythings going ok. It's a pain in the butt being poked and proded with all the tests and such, but it does ease the mind and help you to get through this stuff without worrying too much when all comes out well. As for feeling like you're falling apart, I know what you're going through. I look at people twice my age and they seem to be doing better then I am! Just keep in mind that this too shall pass. It better!

It is best to have a saliva test done for hormones - they appear to be more accurate than blood tests. Of course I have found that most doctors never heard of a saliva test. I had mine done thru a chiropractor.

thank you all. well i just got my tests back and she called and said the hormone tests seem to be fine. well i wonder what fine is to her. i'm a little frustrated since something is happening with me. she did tell me that my thyroid test and the t4 (i think that's what it's called) were low. Um, what does low mean? she told me to contact my pcp and talk with him. does that mean hypo or hyper because i'm definitely not feeling the hypo stuff. i'm a wreck! any ideas on the the low thyroid? thanks!

Hi, So what you are experiencing are probably thyroid problems. Definitely follow up with yoru PCP and see what the next step is. I have a friend who does have thyroid problems, cannot remember if low or high. She did mention she also had a goiter as well. She mentioned she had symptoms similar to perimenopause, like irregular menses, hair falling out, depression, etc, so it may be hypothyroidism. She is now on Synthroid and it will take her a while to get to a right dose to make her feel "normal" again. Good luck and hope you start feeling well soon. I know the pain of feeling awful at such a young age.

Jazz