What blood tests did you have to diagnose Menopause?

I'm not sure what the tests were that I had. I was feeling awful anyway and they did a few.

I just remember my GP saying I was in peri menopause not to worry it didn't mean anything, all it was was I still had eggs but not enough estrogen to "push them out" she also did not say that could be why I was feeling so horrible.

I didn't even research it because she told me it wasn't a problem!

I have really only found out all my woes have been caused by it since my periods stopped and I began researching menopause.

Hi

I had blood test in august and then repeated two weeks ago and they tested for everything to rule out Diabetes, liver problems, white blood cell count etc, Both came back with Hormone readings up and down, I'm on the pop pill so I don't have periods that's why I was having other symptoms, hot flushes, lack of sleep etc, I have now been put on HRT patch form , very low dose to see if that will help. 

I haven't had a blood test, basically Dr said "you are too young (48) and even if it is menopause, there is nothing you can do about.  You can test every day for a week and get a different reading of hormone levels.  Will only test if symptoms are really severe to rule out other things".  So good luck, am interested what they test for.

If you ask to have your fsh levels checked this will give a good indication where in menopause you are. The results indicate ovarian reserve and quality. I'm 9.6 which means mine are fair so perimenopause. Hope this helps.

Under 6 Excellent

6-9 Good

9-10 fair

10-13 diminished reserve

13+ hard to stimulate

Hi Ella

In England,at my surgery,  the criteria for menopause, is, 1 blood tests done 3 months apart totalling 3 test over 9 months, if two out of three come back positive your considered on the menopause, if two come back negative your not, but really, its more about how you feel, because hormones fluctuate massively during peri so, doesnt always show in first blood tests, and drs wont keep doing tests for you at my surgery.   You just need to know dont you, so you can settle with whats wrong, and drs for some reason dont seem to get this. i was 47 when i started, and peri does come first,  noticed increase in anxiety, pmt symptoms and bad depression, weeing bucket loads, fatigue, fainting spells, migraines, loads of symptoms, then you can tie it in if you get period changes which, i did, some women dont, which must make it harder for them, some women just stop altogether at the end and then they realise...............ive been on it nearly 10 years, and ive been post for one year, still have hot sensations, but most of my other symptoms have declined now, which is normal when post, but they can continue for a further 5 years after post, or, if your unlucky continue you for the remainder of life,  but, symptoms are a lot less severe and it becomes moreeasy to live with, and when you start to help yourself and listen to your body and whats its telling you to do,  you do start to get the balanced feeling back, so good luck, it is a nightmare at first, but it does get better. 

Hi i had blood tests done a couple of wks ago, i just asked my dr to do bloods to check my hormone levels. Id had them done in jan 15 and they were normal, now my 'levels' are high, i am now peri and havent had a period for 4 mths, my periods also stopped last year for 3 mths. I think now looking back that all of last year feeling low, crying, night sweats etc was leading up to this point, i just thought i was going a bit mad!!, haha. Im 46. Definitely ask ur doc to do the bloods for you.

All the best, Angela

Hi. Thank you all so much for your suggestions.

I have to pay for my own tests and it sounds like it can be a useless exercise in the early stages as hormones fluctuate.

You have given me a baseline to work from though. 

i think  I may have to find a naturopathic dr as the mainstream ones told me I'm nuts basically because of my age, forget the fact early meno runs in my family. 

But yes ok FSH and LH seem to be the go to tests, thanks everyone

I've had many blood tests to check for many things (due to all the weird symptoms), but mainly you'll want to have a total blood cell count, and they should check not only fsh but also your progesterone, estrogen, testosterone and also some others.  I've jus tnow heard that the results can vary depending on when in your cycle you have the test done (makes sense).  Mine all came back "normal" but I'm sure that its wrong (maybe it was too early or late in my cycle) as I'm havingall the symptoms and both my mom, aunt and grandmother were all completely through it before they were 50 (I'm just 45 right now).

I had blood tests because of how weird I was feeling, I told my dr all my symptoms and he said I should get tested and it came back I was in full blown peri, the funny thing I asked him was how long will it last a few weeks, and he smiled, he said no you may feel this way for years unless you take HRT's which he did NOT recommend.  He said there are natural ways to address it.  And, that is true, but honestly nothing has helped a great deal.