Yes, There IS A Menopause Home Test

Menopause Home Test

Most women think that it's necessary to go to their doctor for a test. And in the past in order to get reliable test results that was true. Today, however, a a woman can pick up a highly reliable home test at a local corner drugstore such as CVS or Walgreen's or order one from a multitude of online sources.

A home test is designed to test the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) that is produced by the pituitary gland. FSH levels generally rise each month as the body attempts to stimulate ovaries to produce the eggs for fertilization. When you enter menopause and your ovaries no longer work, FSH levels increase. A home test will register whether the FSH levels are elevated. An increased FSH level is a strong indication that you are truly in the stages of onset.

Using a home test too early can result in a false reading, however. You will not generally want to do a home test unless you have irregular periods, hot flashes and/or vaginal dryness. These are the most common symptoms of onset, although there are many more conditions that are caused by menopause. Before doing a home test, you will want to at least have an irregular menstural cycle in order to get reliable results. Doing a home test can put your mind at rest in regard to symptoms and provide you with information to give your doctor, as well as research any treatments you may need.

FSH tests, whether through blood work done in a doctor's lab or through a home test, are not always trustworthy, however. Often a woman can be in menopause and have a test result from a home test or lab where the FSH level is normal. If this should happen, always treat the symptoms, and not the test results. No test is 100% sure, so the safest thing to do is to see that you get the appropriate treatment. As one doctor said, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck, it more than likely IS a duck. So if your body is telling you it's entered menopause, listen to it--and find a medical provider who will treat you and not the test results as well.