Does this sound like peri menopause?

[zaalitje]

I responded with the post below to a thread on aibu, I hadn't realised there was a menopause board on here, thought I'd repost here, see if any of this ring true?

I'm struggling to work out whether, at 39, I'm going through menopause.

I'm 39, soon to be 40, in the last two months I've found out my mum went through hers about 35.

I coincieved in October, miscarried in January I've been trying to concieve since but no luck.

Since m/c my periods have been getting lighter, to the point that my last one was barely more than spotting. I've put weight on around my middle, but that's usually where it goes on, it just won't come off.
I've long suffered with an element of anxiety, but it seems permanently heightened now.
But the mind fog and lack of ability to concentrate!!! Omg!
Also started to notice the vaginal dryness, well i think that's what it is, there's definitely less there and there's no changes to cervical mucus around ovulation.

I have been to the drs, FSH level was 7.7, bang in the middle of normal ranges, but I understand you fluctuate in and out of hormonal ranges through peri? Drs response was they'd worry about it once my periods actually stoppedstopped and I feel written off.

Just wish I could find out definitively whether this is the start of menopause, this other methods of conception should be considered, my body taking a long time to settle after m/c, or something else.

[PollyPerky]

In a word,'yes'.

menopause age is hereditary (near enough) on average, but there are exceptions. Couple of my friend's mums had meno at 39 but friends carried on as normal to late 40s - early 50s.

Your GP is a bit dim tbh because erratic periods or period changes are the first sign of peri when taken into account with other symptoms.

All the symptoms you are having are typical of peri meno- have a google- there are around 35 though not everyone has them all by any means!!!

When was your FSH done? Should be days 2-5 of your cycle and repeated again a month or two later. But as you know, tests are not that reliable during peri - they are only a snapshot of your bloods on that day.

I think it's hard for anyone to be sure what is going on; certainly friends of mine have conceived quite quickly after a m/c ( so sorry about that) and they have also conceived during peri- so don't give up hope on that.

Would your Gp refer you to a sympathetic gynae?

[zaalitje]

Bloods were done on day 3 or 4, I forget which. Day 21 came back as borderline, but they decided not to retest as was close to showing I still ovulated.
I'm going to see drs this week and try and ask for retest and also a check on estrogen levels, not holding much hope though.

Feel like I'm going crazy and need to know one way or the other, second stab at bloods

It's not a normal TTC situation, I'm hopefully going to be a co-parent with someone, so at the moment worry I'm leading them on, but my tests show as normal, so nothing to tell.

My head tells me it is, and I've left it too late to be a mom, but blood tests say differently. There's something cruelly ironic about starting peri directly after a m/c. When I'd spent years trying to do things normally, and the 'right way' decided to take things into my own hands only for my body to give me a big fuck you!

[zaalitje]

As for getting a referral to a gynae, possibly depends which Dr I get to see, you get sent to who ever is available, not one regular GP, last one has agreed for me to have a trans vaginal scan but that's two months away.
I've decided I'm going to go too crazy waiting and have an appt for this week to try and beg a retest on bloods and also my estrogen levels which weren't tested first time.

[PollyPerky]

You have a right to ask for a 2nd opinion from a consultant so it ought not to matter who you see. If you explain you are TTC then your GP ought to work along with you on that.

What is the scan for? What are they hoping to diagnose from it?

You shouldn't give up hope. I'm not sure what you mean by it not being a normal TTC situation and 'leading them on' but if this other person wants a child and you feel you are coming up against obstacles, don't they deserve to know?

If you see a gynae- together- then there may be ways you can be helped to have the child you want.

[vilamoura2003]

Your symptoms could also be a sign of poly cystic ovaries - have you had a scan? If you google the symptoms you seem to have quite a lot of them x