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🧬 Why I Finally Asked for Hormone Testing—And What I Learned

My real experience with confusing symptoms, bouncing progesterone, and finding clarity with estrogen patches

There was a time I honestly thought I was just losing it.
One minute, I was crying over laundry; the next, I was snapping at everyone. Then, suddenly, I was flat, tired, and not feeling much of anything.

I thought: Is this stress? Burnout? Am I just getting older?

But deep down, I knew something was happening beneath the surface—something hormonal.

That’s when I decided to stop guessing… and start testing.

😵‍♀️ The Symptoms That Pushed Me to Ask

What made me speak up?
It wasn’t just the mood swings. It was the exhaustion. The crashing energy. The lack of motivation.
My libido was gone. My brain felt foggy. My spark felt dimmed.

And worst of all?
I didn’t feel like myself anymore.

My period was still showing up—sort of. But everything about my body felt off. I just knew I needed more than another “you’re fine” from a provider.

🩺 I Asked for Hormone Testing (Even Though I Was Nervous)

I went in and asked for a full workup:
Estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, SHBG, B12, ferritin, thyroid. I wanted the full picture.

Before starting estrogen patches, my estradiol was 19—barely hanging on. I felt every bit of that number.
Now that I’ve been on patches consistently, my levels are up to 212, and I feel the difference.

But progesterone? That’s been a whole different story.

🔁 The Progesterone Rollercoaster

I’ve bounced around with progesterone—some cycles I try it, some I stop.
Some nights it helps me sleep. Other times it makes me feel off or even more anxious.

It’s been trial and error. It’s not something I’m on consistently because it hasn’t always worked for me.

My latest lab had progesterone at 1.0, which tells me my body’s not making much on its own—but it’s also taught me to listen closely to how I feel, not just what the numbers say.

💡 What Estrogen Has Done for Me

Estrogen patches have been my biggest win. Once I started them, everything began to shift:

• My mood became more stable

• My energy picked up

• My brain fog eased

• I started to feel hopeful again

It didn’t fix everything overnight, but it gave me a sense of balance—and a place to rebuild from.

💬 What I’ve Learned

• You can’t rely on standard lab ranges alone—trust how you feel

• Your hormone needs change, sometimes month to month

• You’re allowed to adjust, explore, and advocate for yourself

• Estrogen isn’t the enemy—it can be the missing support your body needs

And most importantly:
You’re not going crazy. You’re going through a major transition.

🔄 My Hormone Rollercoaster: Periods, Patches & Progesterone—A Real-Life Midlife Tale

Because if I don’t laugh about it, I might cry (again)

Let me tell you, I used to have my period under control. After nine kids, I thought I’d seen it all—until perimenopause showed up like a plot twist nobody warned me about. My cycle? Chaos. My hormones? A full-blown circus.

Here’s what it’s really been like—and I’m sharing it so you know: you’re not the only one going through this wild ride.

🎪 Act 1: My Period, the Shape-Shifter

Some months, I’d go 60 days with nothing, thinking, Maybe this is it… maybe menopause is coming! But just when I got hopeful, bam—a period so heavy I needed to cancel everything, wear black, and line my car seat just in case.

Other times it would show up out of nowhere, like:

• Middle of the night: surprise flood

• After sex: the party crasher

• Or worse, just spotting for days and never knowing when it was going to end

I’ve learned to laugh, cry, and always carry a backup outfit.

🎭 Act 2: The Estrogen Patch Diaries

When I started using the estrogen patch, I actually felt like myself again.
✔️ My brain fog cleared
✔️ I had energy
✔️ My libido woke up from the dead

But the rollercoaster didn’t stop there. Some weeks, I was high-functioning and joyful. Other weeks, I’d rip that estrogen patch off and cry over nothing, confused.

Sometimes I’d forget to put it on and feel the shift instantly. Other times, I’d switch the patch and get a random headache or heart flutter.

Is it working? Or is it messing with me? I’ve asked myself this a hundred times.

🎢 Act 3: Progesterone—Blessing or Betrayal?

Oh, progesterone. I wanted so badly for it to be my calming best friend. And some nights, it was—I’d drift off peacefully and sleep like I hadn't in years.

But other nights?
I’d feel loopy.
Or dizzy.
Or wide awake at 2 a.m., wondering why I took it at all.

Some days it made me feel relaxed and balanced. Other days, I wondered if I was drugged or just exhausted from motherhood, hormones, and life.

🧭 What I’ve Learned Along the Way

• Hormones change fast in perimenopause—sometimes day to day

• What worked for me last month might not work this month

• I’ve had to listen to my body in a deeper way than ever before

• Most importantly, I’ve had to advocate for myself in every doctor’s office and every pharmacy line

This journey has taught me to trust my own instincts and find strength in sharing what I’ve lived through.

💬 Final Thought

If you’re feeling like a stranger in your own body—I’ve been there.

If your period is a mystery, your patch is a puzzle, and progesterone has you asking “what now?”—I’ve asked those same questions.

You're not crazy. You're not broken. You’re in transition. And that deserves care, support, and real conversation.

I’m walking through it right alongside you—one day, one patch, and one weird period at a time.