Lost my spark - is this peri?

[YouCantCallMeBetty]

I'm 45 and feel pretty flat and slowed down most of the time. I don't laugh as much as I used to and find it hard to be amusing or even sarcastic these days, my brain just can't come up with the words anymore. I find myself writing very boring texts and emails because I can't think of anything interesting/clever to say.
I feel fairly down on myself but have been making an effort to run and do yoga which is helping. Sleep is ok but I wake up early feeling anxious and then it hangs around most of the day. Have switched to decaf and trying to keep wine to a reasonable level! Periods are still fairly regular but much lighter and shorter than they used to be.
I saw the GP earlier this year and she arranged bloods but rang me to say the results didn't indicate peri menopause yet so wouldn't consider HRT.
The best way I can describe it is just having lost my spark. Is this just mid life for lots of us (am also dealing with dementing parents and a marriage separation) or should I pursue investigating peri a bit more?

My understanding was that blood tests are not particularly helpful for peri and that they should be looking at symptoms (pretty sure thats NICE guidance). I think this sounds lots like peri and you should continue to explore. I didn't bother going via my GP after hearing all the horror stories about how crap some GPs can be around menopause (womens health in general). I used these and found them super helpful. https://thewomenshealth.clinic/menopause/

Thanks @Notmydaughteryoubitch that's a really helpful link

From what you have described, I would say that it could be down to peri menopause. Don't let your GP fob you off that you don't have it. I have had that exact same problem. I am 46. I started getting symptoms around age 40, and was palmed off and given antidepressants. My Mum had early menopause too. I even took a list of every symptom I was getting, and they still dismissed me. They seem to go by the blood test thing for me too. I fortunately found a lady who understood me, and let me have hrt patches. I am now on tablets. I still swear though that they're pretty convinced I don't have it - grr! Stuff what bloods show. They should go by the symptoms you are experiencing. Keep going back, until someone listens. Also, I am still having regular periods, so that also makes them think I don't have peri. I was told years ago, to only go back for hrt once my periods had stopped a year - I of course wasn't impressed, and disagreed with them.