follicle stimulating hormone test result

I am 48 years old in good health.  My brother and mother died recently, I no longer desire to be married to my husband of 1 year, I have mood swings, no desire for sex, tongue gets hot, I have a hard time sleeping at night.  My follicle stimulating hormone level is at 34.8, which was taken on 8/7/09, I just got off my period. Are my hormone levels out of the norm causing me to have the problems I am experiencing and is there a fix for it?  I do not know what the norm for this test is.  Please advise.

MCE

[John Kim, M.D.]

The FSH shows that you are perimenopausal or close to menopause ie cessation of your periods.  All your symptoms could be attributed to the fact that your ovaries are no longer secreting the levels of estrogen and progesterone ie you are closer to menopause.  Recently, gynecologists are not recommending hormone replacement therapy for these symptoms but encourage more natural approaches like taking in higher soy protein, trying Black Cohosh, exercising regularly, eating healthy antioxidant diet, stress reduction through yoga or meditation, taking in appropriate amounts of Vit D and Calcium 1500mg.  If your symptoms are so severe, that you cannot bear them, then you can try a short trial of hormone replacement with the lowest dose of estrogen and progesterone as possible but knowing that your risk for breast cancer, stroke, heart attack and alzheimer's goes up slightly. I suggest talking this over with your gynecologist.