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Preparing for Menopause

From the show: Are Your Menopausal and Don't Know It?
OAD: 02/06/2002

Medical Tests and Treatments Available

Some medical tests and treatments are available for women who are experiencing perimenopausal symptoms. Consult your doctor for advice on whether they make sense for you.

Blood Hormone Levels: FSH and LH
  • This test measures the amount of FSH and LH levels in your blood; levels are higher during menopause.
  • The drawbacks of this test are: (1) it does not measure the level of estrogen, and (2) during the five or ten years of perimenopause, FSH and LH levels fluctuate widely.
Blood Hormone Levels: Estrogen, Progesterone and Testosterone
  • This test measures the total amount of estrogen, progesterone and/or testosterone in the bloodstream.
  • Unfortunately, the test measures primarily inactive, protein-bound hormones.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • An estimated 20 million women take some kind of hormone replacement therapy.
  • On the pro-side, it is thought to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, relieve hot flashes, improve sexual function and control mood swings.
  • The drawbacks are side effects such as bloating, stimulated fibroid growth and an increased risk of breast cancer, blood clots or having a stroke.
Preferred Testing Methods

The following are two less common but more useful tests, according to Dr. Northrup, that measure your hormonal status.
  • Salivary hormone testing
  • Blood tests for free (unbound) hormone levels