I know my ob/gyn said I'm not peri-menopausal, but my friend brought up the logic that it is only a hormonal moment in time that the blood test captures, not the full picture. For the full picture it's taking into account:

1. Random hot flashes followed by horrible fatigue that are not blood sugar related. Protein helps, but doesn't offset it

2. Hair loss. I managed to reverse it by taking biotin supplements, but something was shifting to cause that, even after the liver symptoms reversed.

3. Sleep disturbances. I wrote this off to re-setting my schedule in the hospital where I had to be up by 7-8 am for breakfast and doctor rounds, but after a few months I still wake up at odd times, can't sleep in and have to take naps to try and address the lingering fatigue. I still don't have a total handle on this and am using my "lunch break" as "crash out on the loveseat and sleep for an hour" breaks.

The IUD keeps my period away permanently, so that's not a reliable gauge, but considering all of these other symptoms, and having my thyroid tested as well (it's fine), the only thing left is peri-menopause. 

So for now I'll try to figure out how to address the sleep problems, and find what can work for me since my doctor isn't going to help me out on it. Billions of women have made it through menopause without any assistance, so I guess it's time for me to join their ranks. Portable fan, check. Quick-dry towel to wrap around my neck when flashing, check. The rest will follow. 

I made the mistake of responding to one of the more ignorant comments by my cousin on Facebook. He's 100% MAGA/Trump to the point of alienating his brothers, and occasionally I will respond with facts. In regards to the US removal of Maduro from Venezuela I stated that the action didn't accomplish much since there's no concrete plan of how to follow up other than "Oil!" and that installing the VP instead of the opposition leader as the new government head will accomplish very little, if anything. We risk further destabilizing the country for no other reason than Trump got a bee in his bonnet about it and didn't even check with Congress (I phrased it more diplomatically).

Aaaand cue the flying monkey Trumpers who are all of his Florida retired golfing buddies. Even pulling examples from the past century of interventions/occupations/nation-building that the US has tried and failed at (and the list is long) didn't sway their view that this was the US's Trump-given right and that this will be different.

I eventually just hit like on one of the more moderate comments and peaced out, since it really is like talking to walls. They pulled out the "Oh, and Trump is still your President," and the Lefty/liberal jokes as...I don't know, proof of something? Or more likely, a convenient way to dismiss the facts I was presenting about prior engagements and how Panama was the exception since we DID install the opposition leader who had rightfully won election and was prevented from taking power by Noriega.

I miss when actual discussions could be had on various topics and it wasn't an instant brand of MAGA vs Liberal and name-calling. Facts do matter, have always mattered, and contrary to some popular opinion, will continue to matter in the present and future. When did we lose the capacity for debate? I know Facebook is not the place to find intellectual arguments, but the sheer volume of hatred and disdain for others is rather horrific. I think it's past time for me to leave Facebook alone again.