High FSH level

Posted , 10 users are following.

Hi all

Been to docs today, actually saw a really nice helpful lady doc. Just wanted to talk about symptoms, hrt etc, had a nice long appointment. Finally got to know my FSH level (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) & it;s 76! Which indicates post-menopausal! Probably why i've been in hell for 6 months...had no indication before then that this was coming, then bang...everything with knobs on!! How about everyone else?? 

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  • Posted

    Hi Brimbo, I have not had the same luck finding good/nice doctors.  I was tested for everything the last year, but not for FSH which has to be taken on the third day of the cycle, as much as I know.  Anyway, as doctors do not believe all those weird symptoms come from peri/menopause, I guess they do not even try the FSH, unless you want to get pregnant or specifically ask them.  Mine was over 20, 6 years ago, now must be 500!!! Lol.  Anyway, I find women here still having a period and their levels are already post menopausal, how come?!  Just a prove that tests and doctors know little sad
  • Posted

    brimbo

    I think we should all have a celebratory drink for you tonight, to celebrate your FSH Results!!!

    Lets hope your past 6mths of cr*p are behind you and things start to pan out for you. 

    Brilliant that you've found a GP who's (a) helpful and (b) probably sympathetic:  lets face it, it's coming her way one day, so maybe she'll use all her Peri/Meno patients' experiences to help her understand what's going to happen to her!

    What sort of help were you offered now that you're actually post-meno? 

    Most of us on her seem to be very much still stuck in Peri:  think I'm one of those who's been in it for yonks, and haven't known that much about it way back then,  so just put most of it down to being, well, 'ME'!! 

    I pray that things don't get too bad for me.  I have a monthly battle with myself regarding 'Should I get HRT? Should I battle on?' Decisions. Decisions.

    I'm going to follow your thread brimbo to keep an eye open for advice other ladies will give you.

    I hope knowing a bit more about the state-of-play helps you now.  

    S x

    • Posted

      Hey shaznay

      I would love to think the worst is over, but I'm not counting on it! More recently I've been having much worse headaches, bladder irritation, bone & joint pain, although some of the other symptoms seem less intense. The doc said I'm just one of the unlucky ones, had an acute early menopause. I was 46 when the bad stuff kicked off, 47 now.

      We talked about hrt, the risks etc, & she wasn't pushing anything, whatever I decide. She talked about soy, sweet potatoes & other phytoestrogens i could include. So refreshingly balanced & helpful.

      She's arranged an ecg as I'm having a racing heart that can go on for a week or more, & some horrific night palpitations (although those are happening less frequently), & I'll see her a few days after that.

      She prescribed me vitamin D as I got no sun last year (too busy with work).

      Looking back I must have been in peri for years, short light periods, mood swings, itchy skin, insomnia, joint pain, bloating, memory loss. Not enough to debilitate me.  But nothing like this last 6 months! I think my ovaries just suddenly failed & my body went into shock, almost like having a breakdown. 

      I'm not sure about hrt because of coming off, but the doc said it wouldnt be so bad as what's been happening. I could try it for a month, or stay on til I'm 51 & come off slowly. I'd rather just get through this without intervention, after all it's 'natural' lol!! 

      There have been many times I have believed this would never end, & despaired of life, the depression has been rock bottom. But I'm sure I'm starting to get stronger, I'm actually cooking and hoovering again haha! 

      It's just going out that's a big problem, because of the vertigo/disorientation problem, and super fuzzy head, like having a massive hangover all the time, or like my brain has been injected with anaesthetic. The doc told me even this will get better, which made me super happy!! :D :D

       

    • Posted

      Hiya

      I think you sound a saint having put up with all that. 

      I'm not sure when I started Peri, as from the age of 41-48 I suffered terribly each time I lost my mum and both in-laws.  (Both mums passed within 6mths of each other, and father-in-law was ill for 8.5 long, sad months Horrible, Horrible times).

      I'm sure a load of my Peri symptoms got tied up in my grieving. Plus, I know it sounds stupid, but I also think I went through a feeling that at 41 I was now 'orphaned' having lost both my parents.  Pathetic I know, but I felt like I finally had to grow up!

      Also a couple of yrs ago we sold our business, moved house, and are now at the end of a 2-yr 'Sabbatical'.  Again, remember hyperventilating, sweating and losing it regularly during the proceedings, and put a lot of that down to the stress of it all.  Hopefully, my hidden Peri is almost over and I'll go into full-blown menopause some time soon!

      I don't joke about that really as I feel really p*ssed off that I'm well into being 54 and still bleeding as regular as a teenager!!  Gutted.  Can't want for that illusive 'no show' period. 

      brimbo, after what you've described, I truly think you've probably gone through the worse of it (correct me ladies who've been there/done it!) but don't rule out HRT help.  I say that as I'll be thinking of my bone health as my mum had 3 hip replacement ops post-meno.  Poor lil' cow, she was such a trooper too, just got back on with her life after the first 2. 

      Blimey!  That's a sure sign you're feeling better:  your cooking and hoovering!  Funny as it sounds, its very little things like that, that we take for granted, that show us we're feeling a bit like our old selves.

      Take it day by day.  You know you've got a supportive GP now, so help's there if you need it.

      S x

  • Posted

    Hi Brimbo

    You only had 6 months of it 😃

    Wow thats lucky, i am 19 months post meno, age 50, had a ten year peri menopause, no hrt.

    Wish you lots if luck ..

    Jay x

    • Posted

      For ladies that dont know, or new to menopause.

      Your post menopause when you have not had a period for 12/14 months following peri menopause

      Jay x

    • Posted

      Hey jayneejay

      About 7 years peri, but 6 months so far of the SUPER BAD  stuff...some symptoms are less intense & some have stopped but.....still have headache, vertigo, joint pain, blurred dimmed vision, nausea, memory loss, feelings of depression, anxiety, racing heart, palpitaions, & this aweful fuzzy, anaesthetized head!! I still can't leave the house alone, but this last two weeks I'm actually feeling hope again, which is a positive step forward. What's reassuring is to know it is menopause & I've got this far through it.

      How come you haven't gone for hrt either?  xxx

    • Posted

      Hi brimbo

      I dont want HRT, i didnt want to postpone meno and boost hormones and go through all this again, i also had the awful migraines lasting 4 days and nights, that was before my very last 3 periods, none now.

      We have breast cancer in family females so hrt not for me, also i had endometriosis in my thirties and many hours of laser surgery, so again hrt not for me, but i do use the vaginal estriol ovules for dryness weekly as suggested by my gyno and wow they help no end.

      I take supplements for mine B6 been my saviour and Maca capsules 5.1 amongst many others.

      Mind you at the moment i am not well at all have 3 bulging disks in back and have shingles 😞 so been dealing with that.

      Good luck hun

      Jay x

  • Posted

    Well, my FSH was January 2013 on 110 and the Peri is till going on...sad I went to the GP then because I did not get my period for 4 months ( I was 39 then) and obviously he thought I was prego's but nope. Turned out I had a Polyp so had a D& C. Was told by the Gyno who did the procedure that I am perimenopausal, I had some symptoms already before that time but didnt even think about it being hormonal! I took an AD as I've been told its all anxiety, as you would think when someone is young and still gets her period quite regulary. Well the FSH 110 obviously meant different....- That has been 2 years ago and as with you the last few (8 months here) have been the worst so far with symptoms. I checked my FSH again in June it was then 75, in November/ December last year I felt really bad, so off to the GP again, FSH jumped up to 125 because my Oestradiol went down to 80. Now mind you my GP wanted the full hormone testing so we scheduled one for a 1 1/2 months later, and guess what? My FSH came down from 125 to 55 in that time and my Oestradiol jumped up from 80 to 680....Get's to show you how erratic these hormones are. I had my FSH done another month ago it was down to 11..- What happened was that my ovaries released a crappy follice which stimulated uncontrolled oestrogen and that artifically surpressed the FSH.

    Saying all that even though my FSH was postmenopausal 2 years ago I'm still not finished and still get bleeds.

    Because my symptoms been that bad over the last 8 months and I'm only 41 and need to work (which I couldnt!!!) I started low HRT 3 weeks ago, yet to see how that goes.

    Wishing you all the best smile

    • Posted

      Whoaaaaaa what? That sounds crazy!! So is this FSH test even reliable at indicating where we are in menopause i wonder?  

      I know I'm not feeling as horrific as I was, but there are new symptoms all the time. Can you let us now how you get on with the HRT. xx

    • Posted

      Yes just ask your doctor for a blood test to see if you are in menopause thats what I did it was the FSH TEST Thats how I found out that i was post menopausal 
    • Posted

      I believe the FSH just is an indicator that we're in the "change" eg peri but not where we are. The way I see it the only way to know is once we get that 12 months with no bleed. Until then basically anything can happen. They call it "the ovaries grand finale" and really that is what it is.. sad In November all my readings where post menopausal (FSH, Prog, Estrogen) yet clearly I'm not as things changed again.

      I will let you know how I go with the HRT, so far so good (Day 18) fingers crossed smile xox

    • Posted

      I heard that before, Manuela.  And that is why we feel terrible, with hormones jumping up and down.  I read there are some tests we can buy on pharmacy for that, they are like pregnancy tests.  Women who are trying to get pregnant use to figure out if that month they have a chance - that will be for FSH <11.  never tried, though, but i get curious, i would like to understand better how our bodies work, i mean, some months i feel better than others and i would like to know if i feel better with low fsh or high fsh (?)  never="" tried,="" though,="" but="" i="" get="" curious,="" i="" would="" like="" to="" understand="" better="" how="" our="" bodies="" work,="" i="" mean,="" some="" months="" i="" feel="" better="" than="" others="" and="" i="" would="" like="" to="" know="" if="" i="" feel="" better="" with="" low="" fsh="" or="" high="" fsh="">
    • Posted

      Hello Brimbo67 we 'spoke' a couple of weeks ago, I have been 'surprised' by hormone 'illness' lately as well.  It's so good to hear you have a supportive and balanced GP and that some of your symptoms are a bit less overwhelming.

      I wanted to chip in about the FSH - I had a test in January after 1 strange period - looking back, they had shortened for the last 2 years but nothing I would think indicated radical hormone shifts! I had various skin issues last year, hair shedding, dizzy, sleep problems etc  Anyway the FSH was 83 and I was told that was post menopausal levels, to come again and test to confirm and then onto a chat about HRT.

      My head has been swimming since then, not understanding quite what has gone on - shock.  I didn't have a period after that! Even more weird, first missed one.  So I thought, right, it's all over, that's that, the GP said I might get another period but he doubted it but not officially in menopause for 12 months.

      So, last week my ankles were really really swollen, one particularly and I thought this water retention must be another hormone thing, freaked out a bit more checking NHS website that mentioned DVT! So off to the doctor, he said it's edema, no, it's not hormone related and none of your other weird symptoms are either (?) I asked what they were and he said we don't know, we do know you are likely in menopause (?)

      Came home all worried again - menopause and falling apart.........the ankle swelling went away overnight and then a period started!  A really heavy period - so I clearly have some hormone levels still soaring. 

      In a nutshell, I really think the FSH can be accurate for the day it is taken and yes, with other symptoms I guess they can say where you are in the process but reading around unless the FSH is consistently high with a few tests, I think it can change.

      I have the second blood test tomorrow, so will update.  Have your periods stopped?  Someone told me, symptoms are worse when they stop (hormone activity is less) and funnily enough, my symptoms have been less lately and I have had a period.  It's all very challenging and you sound like you have had a horrible time, your body will adjust and hopefully you won't have such a terrible time from now on.

    • Posted

      Update the second FSH test came back with FSH of 5.7 - it was taken during a period.  I now believe the FSH cannot tell you where you are in the perimenopause.  Crazy, confusing information - the FSH was 83 in January.
    • Posted

      Hi Beetle, blood for FSH has to be taken at your 3rd day of the period.  Anything else will be "even more misleading" - as I read :S  And yes, hormones are misleading if we are in peri...  It goes up one month, down the other. It may take years to the numbers be consistant up. Better analizes come from your periods, that is why they say one year without one you are in meno.

      Me too, I had just one missed period in my whole life (that was not related to pregnancy) and the gates of hell were open, lol. xx

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