HRT+FSH LEVELS+ODD SYMPTOMS

[LadyBlair64]

Hi. I'm new to this post & am not even sure if this is the right place to post, if not I am sorry but any help is appreciated. I'll try to ask all the questions I have at once. Hopefully it won't be too confusing.

FIRST: I AM NOT ON ANY HRT YET!!

#1: I'm 42 yrs old. 1.5 yrs. ago began "menopause" with FSH levels at 56.5. In January '07 had "period", went to gyno, got checked out, took another FSH & it came back 8.5. On 2/28/07 had FSH done and it's back up to 55.1. Is this normal or is something else wrong? I'm being treated for Hashimoto's Disease - hypothyroid.

#2: Are these symptoms menopausal & HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THEM: LIGHTHEADEDNESS - CONSTANT SINCE MAY. Stomach bloat/belching/gas.....cancers are ruled out THANK GOD!! All started with thyroid/menopause troubles. Thyroid numbers are excellent now so I'm left to think it's menopause.

#3: Doc prescribed a VERY LOW DOSE of Prempro to start me on due to symptoms. Anyone have luck or adverse effects on this??? I need something. NO FAMILY HISTORY OF CANCERS (FEMALE OR OTHER), no heart disease, etc....

Please try to address these for me. Nobody can seem to help me with the lightheadedness and I feel like I'm high all the time which honestly isn't fun to be high constantly (LOL).

Peace & Love to all.....

[Forum-M.D.-SP]

Let me try to answer your questions as best I can. First, it is not unusual for FSH levels to fluctuate in early menopause, or 'perimenopause'. What the fluctuating levels reflect is simply the fact that people do not always wake up one morning and suddenly go from being pre-menopausal to menopausal. There is often a window of time - can be months or even years - where ovaries function intermittently before finally ceasing to release eggs and produce large amounts of estrogen permanently. So...the variable FSH levels are OK, a normal physiologic occurrence, that you can rest easy about.  As far as requiring hormone replacement treatment, consider asking your gynecologist to measure an estradiol (estrogen) level - if you estrogen levels are OK, or more importantly unless you are having hot flashes, vaginal dryness, etc you may not necessarily need estrogen. Your symptoms of stomach bloating, belching, gas are not typical symptoms of menopause. The risks of estrogen replacement in menopause are probably exaggerated by the media, but there are some risks - you should only use estrogen at the lowest effective dose, for the minimum amount of time, to get relief. You may want to try it out for awhile and see if you feel better.

[LadyBlair64]

Hey....thanks for replying. Even if this is NOT the correct forum a little bit of kindness goes a long way....

I would think that after actually reading my post you would see how frightened I am and just taken ONE SECOND to reply saying you don't know.

It's very sad to see everyone else have a reply and mine "open"

My intentions were not rude or trying to "get something for nothing" I was and am frightened and am trying every avenue.

[LadyBlair64]

In case you couldn't tell....I am being sarcastic.

This is why people don't trust many doctors.

I am apalled that you couldn't even bother to reply that possibly this was not the proper post for me.

Do unto others Doctor.....

Obviously somewhere along the way, you forgot that one!!!!