The menopause is a difficult time for many women, and as the symptoms differ for everyone, it can be frustrating to know whether you’re actually entering the menopause or not. …read moreSee less
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What is the menopause?
The menopause is a stage that women usually experience when they are between the ages of 45 to 55, and it refers to you stop having your periods. This can be sudden or gradual, for example, your periods may become infrequent before they stop altogether. The stage before your periods stop is called the perimenopausal stage.
When your periods stop, this means your oestrogen levels are in decline, your ovaries are no longer working and you can’t become pregnant. In the UK, the average age for a woman to go through the menopause is 51.
What is early menopause?
Early menopause is when a woman’s periods stop before the age of 45.
It can happen naturally if oestrogen is no longer being produced, as the result of cancer treatment, or from a medical condition like Turner syndrome.
The signs of early menopause are similar to the typical symptoms of menopause, including hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and a lack of interest in sex, difficulty sleeping, low mood, and problems with memory.
The combined contraceptive pill or HRT is usually prescribed as a substitute for missing hormones.
Do you need a blood test to test for the menopause?
Yes, a blood test is an accurate way for your GP to determine whether you’re in the menopause by looking at your hormone levels. But a blood test is not the only way you can test for the menopause; home testing kits are a fast and easy way to test for the menopause in the comfort of your own home.
How to test for the menopause
With a menopause testing kit, you can test for the menopause in the comfort and privacy of your own home. If you’re still having monthly periods, take the first menopause test during the first week of your cycle. If this result is negative but you’re still having symptoms, repeat with the second test a week later. If you’re no longer having monthly periods, take the first test anytime during the month and take the second test a week later.
Taking a menopause test is simillar to taking a pregnancy test; you hold the test into your urine stream and read the results after a few minutes, with the lines in the display window indicating whether the test is positive, negative or invalid. Alternatively, you can get a blood test from your GP to determine whether you’re in the menopause or not.
