Layman's Terms

I learned that I can look up the results of my lab tests via the lab’s website – the same website I use to schedule my appointment to give the sample. I understand this is a nicety the lab offers but they really shouldn’t. Yeah, sure it’s a good thing for patients to be involved in their care. It is. But, uneducated eyes reading this information and trying to determine what it means is probably not so great. But, I did it anyway. I looked up my results for the plethora of tests and I skimmed through it and then went back and read everything slowly, trying to determine which test held the clue to what’s wrong with me. Some of the tests gave a helpful line with green being a “good” level and red being “not good.” I fell in the green range for those. Other tests gave ranges depending on things like age and where I was in my cycle. The only two I could determine are deficient are my LH levels and Progesterone. From what I can tell, my LH levels indicate I’m perimenopausal (holy F*ck!) and also Progesterone deficient. It appears my thyroid is ok and my sugars, while on the high side, are not dangerously high. So, essentially, my ovaries are giving me the big one finger salute and about to turn into dust. And I’m only 35! On Monday I will visit the Nutritionist RN and see what she has to say about things, since obviously I’m not qualified to determine what the numbers mean. I’m sort of frustrated that it seems most of my levels are within normal range because I was hoping there was some big sweeping change coming to right all the imbalances. Still, from what I’m reading, if I can get the pesky progesterone levels to perk up, that might help with the symptoms I’ve been having. I don’t know if there is any hope for my rusty old ovaries – they might be a lost cause. I can’t say that doesn’t hurt, emotionally, not physically. I mean, who wants to hear their ovaries crapped out a decade before their time? And, if I’m honest with myself, a tiny portion of me had hoped they would still be good, just in case I found Mr. Right and things worked out in our favor. Regardless, if I can get my periods under control and not feel like they are destroying my life, that would really be a good thing!