My get up and go has got up...

[Eliza22]

....and buggered off.

I'm 50 at the weekend. My periods went through an on off stage but, are now pretty regular again. I still occasionally get the tender boobs before a period or sometimes, it just arrives, unannounced, so to speak. Wouldn't say they're any lighter or heavier (the periods not the boobs).

However, I'm tired a lot. I can't seem to motivate myself to go to the gym anymore. I just feel knackered. I've gained weight as my appetite's increased. I do what i have to and not much else. I'm pretty cold all the time so I thought, sluggish thyroid? No, thyroid's fine and dandy. I don't think I'm depressed. But, I seem to have lost all motivation and feel a shadow of my former self.

My gp says I'm fine after doing some routine bloods. One showed a raised rheumatoid arthritis level but they sent me to the hospital and the consultant said it was a false reading.

I have no idea what to do with myself.

Just getting older? This isn't how I thought it'd be!

Am I menopausal or lazy?

I'm not an expert on thyroid but have read other threads about it and it seems that you could be told it's fine because your reading is within a specific "OK" range. However you could be at the bottom (?) end of it and therefore could have symptoms but not enough for the doc to prescribe thyroid medication. Why not ask for your actual readings and then find a thyroid site and ask?

I understand in US (I think) the acceptable range is different so what is normal here would be abnormal there and treated - so worth pursuing.

Re the tiredness - if you have started having bouts of irregular periods then your hormone levels could be fluctuating and this could cause tieredness and particuarly mood swings.

I also understand that testosterone levels begin to decline but are not specifically tied to menopause - and this also causes lack of energy and oomph so you could have this tested too especially if your libido has disappeared too....

Not lazy - I know just how you feel - I've never regained mine (oomph) and use HRT!! It is all to do with hormones - but exactly which - you might want to have further tests?

That's a very informative reply. Thanks so much Bellaciao.