Perimenopause Test
One of the truly annoying things about perimenopause is that you don't know you have it until you've had several symptoms for some time. And even then, your doctor may still tell you that your symptoms are being caused by something else. Perimenopause isn't the type of ailment that has a conclusive test, rather its diagnosis is determined by several tests and several symptoms all pointing in the same direction.
The closest thing there is to a perimenopuase test is the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) test. FSH is the hormone which increases each month in order to trigger your ovaries so that it produces eggs. The hormone is produced by the pituitary gland, and is one of the hormones integral to the menstrual cycle. The FSH test can determine whether or not you have high levels of FSH in your urine. If the levels are high, it could mean you have perimenopause, and you will have to confirm the theory with other perimenopause tests. The FSH test can be done by your doctor, but there are also home kits that you can do yourself.
An FSH test is like a pregnancy test. You drop urine into a small section of the test stick, or you dip a portion of the test stick into a disposable cup of your urine. After a few minutes, a band or two bands should show up on the results area of the test stick. Sometimes the entire stick changes into a certain color. Your test box should tell you which color will indicate high levels of FSH.
Most people take the FSH perimenopause test if they have symptoms of perimenopause. However, once getting a positive result, they will have to go to a doctor for further perimenopause tests. A doctor will usually take your positive FSH result, look at your medical history, and consider other factors of lifestyle and heredity. Remember, however, even if your FSH test comes out “negative”, it doesn't mean you don't have perimenopause. If your symptoms are persisting, see a doctor.
If you get a positive result, a doctor will confirm the FSH test's positive result by giving you a pelvic exam, in which he determines whether or not your body is beginning to enter perimenopause. Second, your doctor is likely to order an estradiol or estrogen perimenopause test. In this test, the doctors will see if your estrogen levels have dropped. If they have, it could be another indicator of perimenopause. Finally, your doctor will conduct a thyroid stimulating hormone test to see if your perimenopause symptoms are being caused by a thyroid problem. This is done to simply eliminate the possibility of a thyroid problem.
As you can see, there is no one perimenopause test, but a series of tests which can help doctors determine and assess your situation. In fact, the best perimenopause test is that of number and longevity of symptoms. That means that the best thing you can do as a patient is to begin taking down notes as soon as you notice your first symptom. Always note the time of day of the symptom, what the symptom is and other important details surrounding the symptom. After some time of documenting your symptoms, you can show your journal to your doctor, and they can diagnose your problem. This journal will also be really helpful to your future doctors visit and to your treatment as a perimenopausal woman.
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