Is there a test for menopause?
If you’ve started to experience symptoms that you think may be related to menopause, such as changes to your periods, hot flashes and changes to your mood, you may be wondering, ‘Is there a test for menopause?’
In this guide, we explain how to find out if you are going through menopause using an Advanced Menopause Profile blood test that assesses the levels of key hormones in your blood alongside expert advice from a private GP. We also share the benefits of getting tested, from providing reassurance to enabling you to seek treatment or make changes to your lifestyle to help manage your symptoms.
What is menopause?
Menopause describes the stage in a woman’s life when their periods stop due to declining oestrogen levels.
In most women, this naturally occurs between the ages of 45 to 55, although it can also occur in younger women due to lifestyle factors or genetics. Surgery to remove the ovaries or uterus and some cancer treatments can also cause women to experience menopause earlier.
What is perimenopause?
The term menopause is used when you’ve not had a period for 12 months, whereas the term perimenopause describes the transition into menopause and is used when you first notice symptoms of oestrogen decline, such as missed periods.
Why should I consider getting a menopause test?
Both menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms that can start years before your periods stop and continue for a time afterwards. For some women, the symptoms can be relatively mild, but for others, they can have a significant impact on their lives, affecting relationships, work and more.
As a result, a menopause test can be beneficial in helping you understand more about your hormonal help and enable you to seek appropriate treatment or make lifestyle changes to help manage your symptoms.
Common symptoms of menopause
Common symptoms of menopause include:
- Irregular periods – this could be more infrequent periods, changes to the length or flow of your periods, or even spotting in between your periods (any spotting should be investigated by your doctor as there are other potential causes which must be ruled out).
- Hot flashes – these tend to be short and intense and can cause profuse sweating, blotchiness on your face and neck, dizziness and disrupt your sleep.
- Night sweats – body temperature changes through the night can cause you to wake up and struggle to get back to sleep.
- Vaginal dryness – falling oestrogen levels can cause the lining of the vagina to become thinner and dryer making sex more painful and uncomfortable.
- Difficulty sleeping – it can be harder to fall asleep, or you may start to wake up multiple times in the night (often not helped by hot flashes and night sweats).
- Low mood – you may find yourself more irritable, anxious or confused than normal which can lead to lower mood and even depression.
- Reduced sex drive – falling oestrogen and testosterone levels can cause you to lose interest in sex.
- Memory and concentration difficulties – this can affect your work as well as your personal life.
- Dry skin – as oestrogen levels drop, the production of collagen and elastin in your skin reduces, which can cause your skin to become thinner and looser, and you may notice more wrinkles.
- Muscle and joint pains – it is common for women to experience aches, stiffness and swelling around their joints during menopause.
What are the benefits of a menopause test?
The benefits of a menopause test include:
- Providing you with insights into your body and hormone health
- Ruling out other causes of your symptoms
- Offering reassurance that your symptoms are related to menopause
- Enables you to take a proactive approach to managing your symptoms, whether through lifestyle changes or seeking appropriate treatment
How long do menopause symptoms last?
Generally, the symptoms of perimenopause start from a few months to a few years before your periods stop, while the symptoms of menopause typically occur for around four years after your last period.
The length of time you may experience symptoms means perimenopause and menopause can have a significant impact on your life, especially if you experience more severe symptoms. It’s therefore vital you seek support from your GP if you are finding your symptoms hard to manage, as they may be able to offer treatments to ease your symptoms.
Can you have menopause without symptoms?
Most women will experience some symptoms of menopause, but you may not experience all of them.
Changes to your period are often one of the first telltale signs of perimenopause, but other menopause symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats and mood changes may be more subtle, or you may not experience them at all.
Can I check if I have gone through menopause?
It is possible to check you have gone through menopause using:
- Your menstrual history - your healthcare provider may ask you about your menstrual cycle over the last year, as you’re only considered to have reached menopause if you’ve gone a full year without having a period.
- Blood tests - you may be advised to have blood tests to check certain hormone levels, which can suggest you’ve reached menopause and rule out other causes for your symptoms. However, due to fluctuations in hormone levels during perimenopause, hormone blood results should always be considered alongside your symptoms and discussed with a GP, which is why our Advanced Menopause Profile includes a private GP consultation.
Can I use an at-home menopause test to diagnose menopause?
Although home menopause testing kits are available, we do not recommend using them as the results of these tests can be misleading.
Fluctuating hormone levels mean that urine or blood tests alone cannot determine menopause. Further information regarding your medical history, menstrual history and symptoms is required for a healthcare provider to offer meaningful insight into whether your symptoms are likely due to menopause.
At Bluecrest Wellness, our Advanced Menopause Profile blood test includes a private GP consultation as well as testing five key hormone markers to enable us to offer more comprehensive insight into your symptoms.
H3 When does menopause end? You reach menopause when you haven’t had a menstrual period for 12 months. Immediately after reaching menopause, you move into postmenopause and this stage lasts the rest of your life.
Check your hormone health
If you are experiencing symptoms you believe may be related to menopause or perimenopause and want some reassurance, why not book a private Advanced Menopause Profile blood test? At Bluecrest Wellness, our complete female hormone package provides insights into five key female hormones as well as a private GP consultation to discuss your symptoms and help determine if you are experiencing menopause. It can also help you plan and adjust treatment options like hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to your bespoke needs.
We offer appointments across the UK, so you can book a private hormone profile blood test at a time and location to suit you. Plus, you can be confident that we will deliver fast, efficient and accurate results as we have established links with leading UK laboratories and are fully accredited for a wide range of private blood checks.
