"What did you call me?"

"Peri menopausal"

".............."

"That means—"

"I KNOW. I'm staring at you blankly out of shear denial that I'm actually 43 years old, and that I could actually be...."

"Peri menopausal"

"Yeah, THAT."

FURK.

The good news is, my symptoms are not likely caused by my thyroid levels being off. I didn't fit the classic symptoms of hypothyroid, like high heart rate, weight loss (damnit!) or tremors. The doctor did a more specific set of tests to make sure, which I'll get results for in a few days. If those numbers come back fine, I will need to go off birth control for about a month, and then introduce a natural progesterone to see if that helps. If it does.... peri-menopausal. I'm on birth control to help with my heavy cycles (sorry TMI!) and I'm SO scared to go off of them. The last time I went off, I broke out like a pubescent teenager, among other awfulness. But I have to try this. One can only go so long with little to no sleep. I have felt weird about being on birth control for so long too. After the birth of my son, my doctor diagnosed 'Second Degree PMS'. One of my girlfriends asked if that meant I had a black belt in PMS?

Yes. Yes I do. Wish me luck. (Or, you know, everyone around me)