Menopause can be unnerving if you don’t know what to expect. By doing your research into menopause, including what the symptoms and tests are, you are setting yourself up for a more comfortable experience.
It's important to remember that you're not alone; it is an entirely normal process that every woman goes through, and you’re in the right place to find out more about it. In this blog post, we explain what menopause is, the signs and symptoms to look out for, tests to check for menopause and possible treatments for the symptoms.
You may be surprised to learn that instant, at-home menopause tests are available to purchase, so you don’t even need to visit a doctor to begin the investigation into your internal workings.
Official Rapid Tests have developed instant, at-home tests such as the menopause test, male fertility test, thyroid test and vitamin D test, to name a few.
What is menopause?
Menopause is a completely natural process for women. A change in hormone levels causes periods to stop and leads to other symptoms too.
One of the first hormone changes is the decrease in the hormone inhibin. The ovaries make inhibin and tell the brain's pituitary gland to make less follicle-stimulating hormone. During the menopause transition, when inhibin levels go down, FSH goes up. These hormone changes can occur months or even years before menopause sets in.
Menopause typically occurs 12 months after a woman's last period. It usually happens around the age of 45 and 55, but it can happen sooner or later. In the months or years leading up to this point, women can experience symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings and weight gain.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause means around menopause; therefore, it refers to when a woman's body transitions to menopause. During perimenopause, women may start to experience symptoms and changes that lead them towards menopause.
This phase is relatively quick for some women, lasting only a few months from their last period to menopause. For others, the perimenopause stage can last years, and so can the symptoms.
Early Menopause
Menopause that starts before the age of 45 is considered early menopause. Natural, early menopause affects around 5% of women. Women can experience early menopause for many different reasons; even certain surgeries and cancer treatments can cause it.
Other reasons for early menopause include:
- Ageing - the risk increases after 35.
- Family history
- Genetic disorders
- Autoimmune conditions
- Infection
Premature menopause
Premature menopause is when menopause naturally occurs before the age of 40. Premature menopause means the ovaries aren't working correctly, as they've stopped producing eggs years before they should, drastically reducing the chances of a woman becoming pregnant.
Premature menopause affects around 1% of women under the age of 40 and 0.1% of women under the age of 30. However, in 90% of women that experience premature menopause, the reason goes unknown. If you suspect you're transitioning into premature menopause, see a doctor to get checked out.
What are the signs of menopause?
Menopause and perimenopause symptoms can be tough to deal with and significantly impact a woman's life. But menopause symptoms differ from woman to woman, so some get more severe symptoms than others.
Here is an overview of some of the signs and symptoms of menopause that you can look out for if you suspect you’re entering perimenopause.
- Changes to your period
- Changes to your physical self, such as hot flashes
- Changes to your mental health, such as mood swings
Take a look at some of the symptoms of menopause in more detail to see if you are experiencing any of them.
Changes to your period
A change in the usual pattern of a woman's period is usually, but not always, the first sign of menopause. Your period may become irregular, less frequent and become less and less until they stop altogether.
Changes to your mental health
During perimenopause and menopause, you may experience some mental health changes, such as:
- Anxiety
- mood swings
- low self-esteem
- difficulty concentrating
- depression
If you're struggling to manage the changes to your mental health, speaking to someone about it is essential. Contact your GP for some advice and treatment; it could also help to talk to other women who have experienced menopause.
Changes to your physical health
Common physical symptoms of perimenopause and menopause include:
- hot flashes
- difficulty sleeping
- headaches
- changes to your skin
- weight gain
If you think you have perimenopause symptoms, you can also speak to your pharmacist for advice about treatments and things you can do to ease the symptoms.
What is the best test for menopause?
A doctor can usually tell if you’re going through perimenopause based on age and your symptoms, but it can be confirmed by doing a blood test. However, due to innovative technology, you can now test for menopause in your own home!
Instant Menopause Test
The Instant Menopause Test is a rapid self-test that detects the follicle-stimulating hormone in urine that identifies the onset of menopause. The test can be ordered online for just £14.99 and be at your door within a few days.
If the test indicates the onset of menopause, you may wish to see a doctor to do further tests to confirm the result. A doctor or pharmacist can also help with treatment for your symptoms.
This Instant Menopause Test was created by Official Rapid Tests, started by a team of expert medical professionals, and they now have over 11,000 5-star reviews online. For more information or to ask a question about the instant menopause test, visit the frequently asked questions page.
How will a doctor test for menopause?
A doctor can usually diagnose menopause just from your symptoms and age, but they can also do a blood test to measure your hormone levels. They will check the oestradiol levels, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone.
How do I stop early menopause?
In most cases, early menopause cannot be avoided. However, you can reduce the risk of early menopause by living a healthy and active lifestyle. Quitting smoking and reducing your alcohol intake can improve your overall health.
Are there any treatments for menopause?
In most cases, because menopause is an entirely natural and normal process in a woman's life, no treatment is given to stop or slow down menopause. For early menopause, the treatment is either the combined contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy.
Medical treatments
There are, however, treatments and things you can do to help with the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. Hormone replacement therapy can successfully relieve some of the symptoms by replacing the missing or reduced hormones in the body.
Sometimes, blood pressure or epilepsy medicine can be given to help with hot night sweats and hot flushes. Antidepressants are sometimes prescribed to treat the symptoms of depression and anxiety associated with menopause.
Can you still get pregnant after menopause?
Many people think it’s impossible to get pregnant after menopause, but this is untrue, particularly during perimenopause. It is far less likely to happen than pre-menopause, but getting pregnant is still possible even after symptoms start. Some women use fertility treatments and IVF to conceive after or during perimenopause.
Although highly unlikely, if a woman does get pregnant after menopause, it can lead to complications, so it’s important to do a test to confirm menopause or premenopause.
About Official Rapid Tests
Official Rapid Tests was set up by a team of medical industry experts with a combined experience of 40 years in the testing, diagnosing and medical services sector.
Our founders identified a need for faster, more reliable, affordable covid testing solutions in the UK. Tackling this problem was the foundation on which Official Rapid Testing was born, then expanding to other rapid tests, including men’s fertility tests, instant menopause tests, and other health tests, including vitamin D, ovulation, thyroid, bowel cancer tests and many more.
We use Welzo and NFC technology, the latest technology, to ensure that our medicines and packages are tracked and managed effectively throughout the supply chain. Our customers are always our top priority, and we are committed to providing the highest quality care and service.
Visit our website today and order your menopause test for instant results and peace of mind. After all, it’s always better to know.
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