NOT yet in Peri, but starting "the patch?" - Menopause Message Board

viktik · 09-19-2005, 04:02 PM

Hi ladies,

According to my doctor earlier today, and based on my blood test results, I am far from menopause and not even in Peri yet, and I am 51! The LH (Luteinizing Hormore) reading from my blood work was a little abnormal, so he wants me to start a patch tomorrow, and come back in 8 weeks. So...I am having many of the same symptoms as many of you, including some weakness and tightness in my legs. I don't understand all of this yet, and wondered if any of you have been told that you are NOT in Peri, but your doctor wants you to start the patch anyway because the LH reading is off...

Today I am having muscles twitches and some neck pain, but I wanted to let you all know about my doctor appt. Thanks for all of your support!

Puzzled in Santa Maria, CA
viktik

katidid95 · 09-20-2005, 02:27 PM

I'm curious, did he test your estrogen, progesterone and testosteron levels? If so, how? I go to a gyno who likes bio-identical hormone treatment (rather than synthetic) and she told me that saliva testing is generally the way to go for this type of testing and cheaper (about $300, blood tests can cost up to $800). I'm having a hard time believing that you are not experiencing peri symptoms at your age. I don't know what LH is. You say you are going to use the Patch, do you mean birth control patch? If so, you may be getting hormones (synthetic) that you don't really need. I'd really be questioning this. It just seems from posts here that many doctors out there are not very knowledgeable about menopause.

seekingnormal05 · 09-20-2005, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katidid95

I'm curious, did he test your estrogen, progesterone and testosteron levels? If so, how? I go to a gyno who likes bio-identical hormone treatment (rather than synthetic) and she told me that saliva testing is generally the way to go for this type of testing and cheaper (about $300, blood tests can cost up to $800). I'm having a hard time believing that you are not experiencing peri symptoms at your age. I don't know what LH is. You say you are going to use the Patch, do you mean birth control patch? If so, you may be getting hormones (synthetic) that you don't really need. I'd really be questioning this. It just seems from posts here that many doctors out there are not very knowledgeable about menopause.

Just saw a woman being interviewed the other day who's an "expert". She said the same thing. Use the saliva test to base decisions on, not the blood. She said the blood test can vary dramatically on the same day but the saliva gives a firmer diagnosis.

I'd also ask some more questions. If for no other reasons than to get an idea of how much your doc really knows.

Good luck.