K.B.
You didn't mention how old you are or any other background. Hot flashes are a red flag for peri-menopause.
Peri-menopause (pre) - is the time period that every woman complains about like hot flashes, chills, headaches, irregular periods from your normal, etc. You can still get pregnant. Things are just out of whack during transition.
Menopause - is the time when everything has past and you cannot get pregnant anymore. You have made the final transition into menopause.
The average age is in the 50s and 60s, but it can start much younger and can take years. Some can get throw into it due to surgery and such. Your blood levels may not detect that you're going through menopause, but you know what you're feeling and doctors can still help.
For me, I started noticing real changes after I had my tubes stapled/tied/cut. (they wanted to make sure I was good to go after my triplets, lol) I was 39 when I gave birth to my triplets. I started feeling symtoms almost to the day of their first birthday right after I turned 40. My hot flashes weren't just the sweating on the outside, it was my inner core overheating and not being able to cool down for nothing. Then suddenly I'd get chilly! There were other things as well but that was the worst part.
I was never regular with periods. Seems like most women I've talked, whatever their norm was before with periods became the opposite during peri-menopause. I wasn't regular (once every 1 - 1.5 years without the pill and HEAVY & long) and had horrible pains before. With peri-menopause, I had more regular, short and light period and NO pains at all.
My doctor did a battery of blood tests and reviewed my past and present history. We found that if I took the pill it would regulate my hormones. She chose one that did not give a different level of hormones every week and then a week off to bleed. She gave me the kind that gave me equal 3 weeks of hormones and then one week off to bleed. This would force my body to bleed IF my hormones allowed it. The idea was that once I went a full 12 months of no bleeding I would officially finally be in menopause. This BC pill did wonders for my hormones! I only have the rare, mild hot flash, and don't bleed very often at all, and when I do, I don't even need a liner, it's hardly a smear. So my time is getting closer. Woo hoo!
I suggest going to the doctor to get your blood levels checked. Discuss all possible options. (normal levels doesn't mean nothing is going on. You know what you're feeling, as my doc told me)
Good luck!
K. B
mom to 5 including triplets
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