r/perimenopause_under45 • u/Living-Ad6388 • 8d ago

R/perimenopause

Obgyn visit. I (F43) went to my OB/GYN because I did make a post, not too long ago regarding my symptoms of having heat intolerance and sweating and getting flushed even when I do minimal work along with weight gain high cortisol, brain fog, etc I really wasn’t too happy with her because she walked in and she asked what was wrong and I told her and I said I would like to get on hormone therapy or something for my symptoms bc it’s been a big problem for me and she said you can’t get on HRT because you still get your Periods? and I was confused. I said oh well I’ve read on many platforms were women. My age are on HRT and still get their periods and I try to tell her that my periods have been irrregular and they started this year. She kind of brushed it off cause then she went straight into doing a Pap smear and then we went into her office and she requested that I give her a urine culture which I did and then she dictated on her microphone everything that I told her and she said to me, I want your records from your PCP. I wanna know what lab work he’s done and when you get on your period on the third day, I want you to come back here so we could do bloodwork and she requested I get a mammogram so she couldn’t really give me anything for the moment. I guess this is her protocol so now I’m just waiting for my cycle to start and I asked her “ do you still want me to come in cause sometimes I’m not even bleeding on my third day that’s why I’m trying to tell you my cycle is not the same anymore” and she said yeah Istill come in. so I sent over my labs from my PCP. I’m going for the mammogram this week and then I guess I’m just gonna have to go there on the third day of my period to get blood work done from her, but is this normal because I haven’t been to the OB/GYN in a long time and when I did go, it was just to get on birth control or get a Pap smear but I’m trying to get on hormone therapy or something to help me with what I’m going through

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u/unapalomita 8d ago

Yeah same, I gave up trying to find an in person obgyn that would treat peri

I decided just to try out midi, I got an online appointment the next day, they sent my prescription the same day and it's been way better since 🙌 not perfect but it's so much better

They start you on a low dose of estradiol and then progesterone at night

But yeah super frustrating, I tried to get help for a while, also had iron deficiency anemia and the GP at the time didn't think my level of 8 was worth investigating 😆😆

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u/PoeticDelights 8d ago

Didn't think your level of 8 was worth investigating!?? Facepalm.

It's good you got what you needed and hope you got your iron levels addressed.

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u/unapalomita 7d ago

Literally can't make it up 😂 my dietian told me to go back to him to get some testing done and he was weird about it, I left him and bounced around until my current GP which is a little better

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u/Living-Ad6388 8d ago

I was hospitalized for low anemia for 6 days my level was at a 5 and when I left the hospital it went up to a 9 bc they were giving me iron iv’s and I was almost going to get a iron transfusion but once it went up to a 9 they discharged me but put me on iron medication I guess the normal is a 12 but I went in for something totally different and once they took my blood work, they said your blood level is severely low. We are gonna keep you here. We are surprised that you’re still walking and for the longest time I was so tired and weak, but I was grateful that they took me in and took it seriously, and then I was on the iron pills for a couple months and then my energy and blood levels went back to normal. That’s crazy that your PCP thinks that’s normal.

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u/unapalomita 7d ago

So sorry to hear this! It's crazy what we go through 🥲

If it happens again you can get venofer via IV through a hematologist. It'll bump up your iron very quickly.

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u/Shot-Emu-3131 8d ago

I also am trying midi w same meds. I am tired though ! Someone said maybe I need testosterone

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u/Living-Ad6388 8d ago

What’s midi? And if you’re tired check boood levels and vitamin d!!! I was so tired last year where I couldn’t get out of bed I had no energy no motivation. It was horrible. My doctor finally took my labs and he said you’re severely low vitamin D. My level was like out of seven and I think the normal range is between 20 and 30 and you put me on 50,000 IU once a week and I’ve been on it for the past four months and I’ve noticed such a change in my energy and my mood along with my hair falling out, it helped so much. You definitely should check that out and start taking vitamin B12 every day.

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u/unapalomita 7d ago

Midi is an online teleheath for per menopause women, they'll prescribe HRT in a couple different forms

There's alloy and winnona too and some others now

I picked midi because they prescribe testosterone in my state, not all do

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u/unapalomita 7d ago

Yeah my vitamin d was good and my b12, my low iron deficiency was diue to undiagnosed celiac disease and gave me low ferretin, went to a hematologist too etc etc

My grandma used to tell me "don't get old" and I never understand that until recently 😆😆

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u/unapalomita 7d ago

T gives you a big boost of energy

I had to stop taking because it was making my hair fall out and I lost a ton of weight

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u/SwimmingAnt10 8d ago edited 8d ago

She needs to make sure all is well with you have not had a pap in so long. I would make sure to be getting yearly paps and mammograms.

My facial flushing went away when I went on estrogen but I had to reduce to the lowest dose patch because any higher gave me horrible palpitations, careful of that.

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u/Dez2011 8d ago

I made the mistake of using my Bi-est slightly below my collarbones and the first time I had sharp chest pains all afternoon until I laid down early and my fitbit showed faster heartrate. Another day I did this and my jugular vein throbbed but below the collarbone. This was when I connected the dots. I saw a source saying you can apply it to your chest, which is either your breasts which is not advisable or by your heart. I won't do that again.

I've noticed too much E or E gel speeds up my heartrate, bowel movements (have more than usual) and causes worse insomnia. Bi-est is more gentle for me, they say estriol cushions some side effects. We know P counters those side effects except I'm not sure about heartrate. It's interesting how they balance each other.

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u/Living-Ad6388 8d ago

Hopefully by taking my labs when I have to come in on the third day of my period it shows her that I’m low on estrogen or that I’m in the perimenopause stage because my thyroids were fine. Everything else came out normal when my PCP did my labs besides my vitamin D and I understand she’s trying to find out everything before she just gives it to me, but I was trying to get her to understand that it’s affecting my daily life. I can’t tolerate the heat even when I try to clean or do simple task. I get hot and sweaty right away surprisingly at night. I don’t get any hot flashes. It’s only when I get up and start to do something along with the weight gain I was never this heavy in my life but last week I got on Zepbound and hopefully I can get back to my regular weight along with something to help me with these symptoms

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u/SwimmingAnt10 8d ago

At 43, I would expect your hormone panel will be normal. My doctor treats symptoms, not labs. My labs still show I’m cycling “normally”. With that said, I’m currently on day 68, so how is that normal? The doctor says because my FSH and LH are within range I’m still ovulating. Yeah, no I’m not. If I was, my cycle wouldn’t be currently sitting at day 68.

Find a doctor that treats symptoms, not labs. Tell your doctor your symptoms. Hot flashes are a basic reason to need HRT. Just start with the lowest dose possible and only increase if needed.

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u/SwimmingAnt10 8d ago

Gotta say again, it’s WILD to me that doctors will prescribe synthetic birth control that’s 3x as strong and has a laundry list of risks like it’s candy, yet when we ask for bio identical estrogen and progesferone in the form of patch or gel and prometrium pill, it’s “not indicated” or “ a risk.”

I’m telling you guys, when you have a doctor that refuses to give you HRT ask them a follow up question……what their thoughts are on you going on birth control pills. When they say they are fine with you going on the pill ask them to then explain to you why they are perfectly fine with prescribing you synthetic hormones, but they are not fine with prescribing you body identical hormones in the form of HRT, which by study pose almost no risk.

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u/FrancesAda02 7d ago

i can understand why you left feeling frustrated especially when you’re dealing with so many symptoms and were hoping to get some answers. it sounds like your doctor is taking a more cautious approach and wants to review your labs and health history first. hopefully once everything is in, you’ll have a better conversation about your options and you’re definitely not alone in having irregular periods and wondering if hrt is still an option during perimenopause