Dear Christine,

Whew - I know what you mean. So many women find themselves in a similar position. Sometimes, other conditions or hormonal factors can make the perimenopausal symptoms worse. 

I hate to recommend that you see yet another physician/group; however several women in your circumstances have found relief by  using integrative or holistic MD's or groups. Ideally, nutrition, vitamin counseling, and saliva testing for hormones would be done. Frequently, adrenal hormone is quite low and many women suffer from low thyroid, which many holistic MD"s  believe is best diagnosed by clinical symptoms rather than blood levels.

Case in point: I was continuing to have horrific hot flashes, insomnia, etc. even with herbs and progesterone cream. I found a holistic MD who prescribed natural thyroid hormone. (And my blood tests had all been normal.) Within two days, my hot flashes decreased and I slept through the night.

So it is a good idea to find a practitioner who looks at the whole person. Two places you might find a recommendation for such a practitioner are the American Holistic Medical Association and Women In Balance.

Good luck and please keep us posted - your story can help other women. Women sharing wisdom will get us through this.