Peri symptoms help

[Barbadosgirl]

I have been suffering with brain fog, tiredness and itchy dry skin for a year. In the past six weeks my mood has been so low it is a bit frightening. Like the dementors are circling. Spoke to a menopause nurse (I have insurance but not a full menopause plan) and a GP. Nurse said as I am 45 I should go straight on HRT. Got a GP appointment had GP said with what I was describing she would go straight for HRT (she sent me lots of literature to read) but guidelines were that as I am not OVER 45 she has to send me for a blood test. Fine. Results just in. They have told me all my levels are normal no further action. Is this something anyone has encountered? I am just wondering if that means it cannot be perimenopause and it must be something else (I suppose I could be depressed I do have stuff going on) or can it still be peri?

I could pay for a private consultation if I had to but don’t want to waste my money. I have asked to see the GP again but this could take some time and wondered if anyone has any insight as I feel utter despair at having to plough on like this.

Mine were normal too - I still started HRT. I will warn you though, it isn’t a panacea - I still have the brain fog, itchy skin and tiredness but I also have very low ferritin and borderline vit D so I’d rule those out first.

PS sympathies. It’s horrible to feel like that, but you are definitely not alone.

I am same age, slightly different symptoms but definitely frustratingly peri. I thought blood tests are very unreliable when trying to pin down peri and they are not advisable any more? Hormones fluctuate a lot during the peri years and results depend a lot on when in the cycle you take the test. Was your FSH level normal? I'd ask to retake it at a different time in the cycle. Or just go straight to HTR if you are up for trying it. At 45 there's a good chance this is peri tbh

PS I am not a doctor! This just for my own research/chats with professionals. I'd definitely ask to discuss it further with your GP

I was under the impression the blood test should be used to rule out other conditions, not to measure hormone levels. Have you seen the results? I guess if it was a normal blood test the lab could come-back saying everything normal and no further action needed as they won't he aware it is for menopause if you see what I mean? Or is it doctor saying they won't give you hrt now?

Thank you for all your replies! If anything it gives me better questions to ask and I may be able to put them on the online system and not wait nine days. I started taking vit D as I read something on here about it being good for skin.

Sweet goodness OP, your GP doesn’t sound very smart or clued up. If you have had your 45th birthday then you ARE over 45! In which case the NICE guidelines say they should be prescribing based on your symptoms.

I'm 42 and I've been given patches without a blood test. No one said anything about an age limit? Maybe you should try again?

Just an update to thank everyone who posted to offer me advice. I saw the doctor today who explained the bloods were to check nothing underlying was going on, the fact my levels looked normal is basically irrelevant in peri due to the fluctuations. She chatted through with me the resources she had sent me to read, discussed my choices in terms of gel, patches etc and prescribed me two months with an initial review at 4-6 weeks.

I am now helping it helps a bit as am really struggling!