Most people don't need a test to check if they are in perimenopause. You are likely to be perimenopausal if your periods have stopped or become irregular and if you have symptoms of perimenopause. A blood test can check the levels of two hormones, FSH and oestradiol.
Diagnosis of of perimenopause
Hormone testing is done through a hormone panel to test your levels of estrogen and other sex-linked hormones. This kind of testing can often show whether you are nearing or in menopause.
The first sign of perimenopause typically a disruption of your menstrual cycle. For many women, your period starts earlier or later than normal. For example, if your menstrual cycle has always been 28 days, during perimenopause, your period could come as early as 21 or as late as 35 days.
Early Stage. Perimenopause can begin in some women in their 30s, but most often it starts in women ages 40 to 44. It is marked by changes in menstrual flow and in the length of the cycle. There may be sudden surges in estrogen.
Hot flashes during perimenopause
Hot flashes — sometimes called hot flushes and given the scientific name of vasomotor symptoms — are the most commonly reported symptom of perimenopause. They're also a regular feature of sudden menopause due to surgery or treatment with certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs.
Your GP can usually confirm whether you are menopausal based on your symptoms, but a blood test to measure your hormone levels may be carried out if you're aged 40 to 45. Blood tests may also be carried out to help diagnose suspected premature menopause if you're under 40 and have menopausal symptoms.
Often your doctor can make the diagnosis of perimenopause based on your symptoms. A blood test to check hormone levels may also help, but your hormone levels are changing during perimenopause. It may be more helpful to have several blood tests done at different times for comparison.
Contributors to weight gain at menopause include declining oestrogen levels, age-related loss of muscle tissue and lifestyle factors such as diet and lack of exercise. Treatment options include a healthy diet, regular exercise, strength training and menopausal hormone therapy.
When testing for menopause is warranted, doctors may order an FSH test to detect elevated levels of FSH in the blood. Measuring FSH can help determine if a woman is perimenopausal or has already gone through menopause.
Usually, most testing is done in the luteal phase, around days 19, 20 or 21. This is the phase when PMS symptoms are at their peak, so I always tell patients you want to be tested on your bad days.
Measurement of FSH is indicated in women under 40 and 40-45 with menopausal symptoms. Premature menopause is diagnosed by elevated FSH levels on two occasions, 4-6 weeks apart.
mySysters is a social and self-care mobile platform to help women manage the symptoms that can occur from the hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause. The app lets women track their symptoms, print a chart of what they've tracked, and share advice with other women in discussion forums.
Are menopause tests accurate? Home tests can detect FSH levels about 9 out of 10 times , but they do not determine whether a person is experiencing menopause. As females grow older, their FSH levels may increase and decrease during menstruation.
Premenopause is the time between a woman's first period and the onset of perimenopause. Perimenopause is the transition phase into menopause that typically lasts about six years. It typically occurs in women in their 40s to early 50s, according to the National Institute on Aging.
The average age for women to start going through menopause in Australia is 52 years old. Perimenopause commences as there is a controlling centre within a part of the brain called the hypothalamus.
Premature menopause is estimated to affect 1% of women under the age of 40 years and 0.1% of women under the age of 30 years. Premature menopause is different to menopause which occurs at around the average age (45-55 years), as premature menopause means that the ovaries aren't working properly.
But women are more likely to gain excess belly weight -- especially deep inside the belly -- as they go through perimenopause and into menopause, when their menstrual cycle ends.
An increase in visceral fat occurs not only during perimenopause but with stress, lack of exercise, and poor diet.