“But my doctor says my labs are normal.”

Of course they are. But that’s likely far from optimal.

 

“But my doctor says my labs are normal.”

I hear this all the time from women: They go to the doctor complaining of classic perimenopause and menopause symptoms. They ask for lab work, the doctor obliges (sometimes reluctantly), and when the results come back, they’re all in the “Green” – aka “normal” range.

Of course they are! Because it’s NORMAL for your hormones to be in the crapper at this age. But that’s far from optimal.

The problem with “normal” labs

Here’s the problem: hormonal lab reference ranges are based on population data. That means the “normal” range is where 95% of tested individuals of a similar age fall.

And because 95% of menopausal women will have low hormones, the “normal” range is low. Not to mention, people who get labs tested do so because they feel unwell, so that drags down the “normal” range even more.

(Remember how in school, one bad grade on a test would pull your entire semester grade down? Yeah, it works like that.)

An educated provider will understand this and base treatment on both labs and symptoms. And the symptoms of menopause are SO WIDE-RANGING (I had 20 out of these 54, plus a few that aren’t listed):

 

Many women find themselves being referred to multiple specialists (cardiologist, ear/nose/throat specialist, a sleep center, physical therapy, orthopedics, pelvic floor therapy) to treat these issues as though they’re unrelated. But they ARE related.

For me, the heart palpitations were the scariest. That, plus the unexplained anxiety, made for a fun combination. Between the palpitations and pressure/tightness in my chest, I actually took myself to the ER thinking I was having a heart attack. They told me it was a panic attack. No one mentioned a hormonal connection, but I later learned that heart palpitations are EXTREMELY common in perimenopause and menopause.

Another major issue I had was bladder incontinence/overactive bladder. If I had to go, I had to go RIGHT NOW. It became a running joke that “mom has to pee all the time.” I’d had 2 C-sections, so it wasn’t a pelvic floor issue. I got on two different overactive bladder meds, which helped. But those caused dry mouth and are associated with Alzheimer’s risk. Considering my mother’s condition, I wanted off of those immediately.

There is a solution

Thank goodness I found a provider who knew that normal DOES NOT equal optimal.

When I started hormone replacement, so many “weird” symptoms resolved:

• heart palpitations stopped,
• overactive bladder resolved (I got off those meds within the first 6 months),
• my chronic shoulder pain improved dramatically (Did you know that frozen shoulder is proven to be associated with estrogen decline?).
• overall body aches improved.
• my persistently itchy ears quit itching (I know that sounds crazy, but it’s very common in menopause!).
• brain fog lifted, my short-term memory returned and I could think clearly again.
• anxiety went away.
• my energy, motivation and drive came back!
• I could finally sleep again.

You’re not crazy. And it’s not all in your head. Your labs might be “normal,” but that likely just confirms you’re in a low hormonal state.

Please don’t let a doctor dismiss you or prescribe seven other medications. Advocate for yourself. Find another doctor if you have to. Maybe if we all start demanding better care, they’ll get the message.

**This is not medical advice, and I am not a doctor. The information here is based on my personal experience and research.