Blood results

Hi Jayneejay, how do you know when in perimenopause?

I had a fsh blood test last week, but was told it was normal but esr levels were elevated

 

Hi dizzylizzie

in early peri you have to go by symptoms really, usually hot flushes and night sweats to start and feeling just tired, no energy, restless etc.

And change in your periods, skipping, or heavier, prolonged etc ..

FSH blood tests are never accurate in early peri as your hormones are too erractic, up and down, it is not until your periods are few and have reduced to approx 3-4 per year that a FSH blood test will confirm menopausal ..

you could have a FSH blood test one day and the next day get two different results in early peri, it happened to me, came back normal, but I was in peri menopause ..

my doc years ago gave me vit B6 and its a real help ..

a good mega B 100 B complex ( with 100mg of B6 in it) is a good supplement ( Holland & Barrett) And i took Rainforest Maca 5.1 in early peri it was a great help for me in the early days ..

jay xx

Thanks for quick reply, i think i may be in early stages of peri, tired and fall asleep most days after work, hot flushes at most inconvenient times!!

Think i will give vitamin B a go.

Hi dizzylizzie 

ESR )Elevated Sedimentation Rate ) you say is elevated ? 

Normally this is a sign of inflammation in the body somewhere ..

so keep an eye on things and see tour doctor about it .

jay xx

  

hi again

if your having flushes too think about a Vit E 400iu daily aswell 

Good luck hun

jay xx

Thank-you for your reply Jay. Had a period last month and due now but only light spotting, booked in today with my GP to arrange referral to gynae.

Your advice previously has been fab and I have been taking the vit B complex which I think has been a great help, will definitely invest in some vit E too, hopefully I will get some more answers soon

Kelly

xx

Hi kelly-ann

thanks for the kind words ..

good luck hun

jay xx

Hi Jayneejay, I have had signs of inflamation since the end of August when diagnosed with 2 cysts.  No-one has told me what is causing it, they don't seem too bothered just keep testing for it each time I have a blood test for something else.

Hi dizzie 

did they say what type of cysts..

i had follicular cysts on two occasions, they grew the size of small oranges.

but i had regular ultra sounds for them..

we all have follicular cysts at time of ovulation, but sometimes they can grow, when periods dont happen regularly .. and hopefully they disperse when you have a period next time or so ..

mine eventually did disperse .. it was all in early peri for me this ..

my Doc at the time .. he was an Angel and treated me very well..

also he was not only a GP but also did Homeopathic Meds..

he gave me ( dont know what it was) three little envelopes and said pop this in your mouth for three days and the cysts will go..

he knew i was thinking yeah right.. he didnt even charge me as i was sceptical .. but i took them and did it, and after my next scan .. cysts gone..

ummm was it his magic stuff or coinicidence .. i will never know 

jay xx

Hi, cysts are simple I think, but one already 8.5cm, this one is multiloculated (?) the other 6cm, waiting to go for another ultrasound next week, and then booked for surgery.

 

Hi Dizzylizzie

good luck hun with your ultra sound... 😃

Heres some info for other ladies who may want to know more  about Functional/ Follicular Ovarian Cysts ..

Follicular cyst

A dominant Graafian follicle sometimes fails to ovulate and does not involute.

When it becomes larger than 3 cm, it is called a follicular cyst. 

Follicular cysts are usually 3-8 cm, but may become much larger. 

On ultrasound follicular cysts present as simple unilocular, anechoic cysts with a thin, smooth wall. 

There should be no enhancing nodules or other solid components, no enhancing septations, and no more than physiologic ascites. 

Follicular cysts will usually resolve spontaneously on follow-up.

Functional cysts

By far the most common cystic ovarian lesions are benign functional ovarian cysts. 

Functional cysts are Graafian follicles or corpora lutea that have grown too large or have bled, but are otherwise benign.

In the early post-menopause phase, 1-5 years after the final menstrual period, sporadic ovulatory cycles still may occur and ovarian cysts may be seen.

Even in late menopause, which is defined as more than 5 years since the final menstrual period, when ovulation is unlikely to occur, small simple cysts may be seen in up to 20% of women.

 

Jay you are very clued up on everything. After 7 months of no periods after coming off pill, my blood tests came back Fsh57 Lh45 in May 2013 at 44 yrs I only had light spotting the rest of the year.  By your figures and other interpretations am more probably now meno than peri meno?KL

HI Hun

sometimes the results can be told in different ways ..

it can be confusing ..

they tend to base it overall ...  One figure ..

and in different countries its different too..

jay xx

 

hi kingliz

of you havent had a recent FSH test ( since May 13) 

maybe your due another one . See how things are now ..

do you have well woman checks where you live ?

i just had ( Aug) everything checked .. 

was told post meno and shown ovaries and the lot 😊

smear, 3D breast scan ..

mind you its all private here ..

jay xx

 

Hi 

when i got my result it was just one figure .. Overall 

this may help below ..

Female:

Before puberty: 0 - 4.0 mIU/ml

During puberty: 0.3 - 10.0 mIU/ml

Women who are still menstruating: 4.7 - 21.5 mIU/ml

After menopause: 25.8 - 134.8 mIU/ml

mIU/ml = milli international units per milliliter 

FSH figures they are ...

( Follicle Stimulating Hormone ) 

jay x

Thanks Jay. I have been on HRT in last 6 +months so reading would not be accurate. Thanks for your advice though. KL

Hi Kingliz

no it wont be if taking HRT ..  it will be your  FSH levels with HRT included, it wont be a natural result .... 

hope your okay today 

Jay xx