perimenopause but "normal" hormone levels

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I have all the symptoms of starting the menopause: weight gain, hot flushes, more irregular periods etc. I recently had a blood test to check my hormone levels and results are apparently "normal". The results were given to me by the doctors receptionist by phone I havent had an opportunity to speak with my GP yet.

Do these results suggest I am not menopausal or that I am unlikley to benefit from any treatments (eg HRT).

Could the symptoms relate to any other condition?

I am finding the hot flushes quite hard to cope with at times and I have put on weight disproportionately around my stomach and feel permanently full and bloated.

Has anyone experienced similar?

How old are you?

Blood tests are pretty useless at showing meno unless you have them done properly which is something like twice in a month on day 2-3 then day 14+.
This is simply because in peri your hormones are all over the place day to day- so you might be "normal" one day and somewhere else the next.

re. weight- it's not really meno to blame- it's a slowing down in your metabolism with age- so the only answer is eating less and exercising more !

Don't want to worry you but bloating etc can be a sign of ovarian cancer- if you google Ovacom, they have a chart you can download to chart your symptoms and take to your GP- they might suggest a scan if it looks dodgy.

p.s. If you are meno age- 45-55, then you can take HRt whether your blood tests show anything or not.

Thanks Amelia. I'm 47. Not sure why the gp ordered a blood test if it wont tell him much.

I will check out the Ovacom chart you suggest.