[Wellness] Home test for Menopause

["Karen Patterson" <Patterson@womens-wellness.com>]

I recently heard about a home test for hormone levels indicating
perimenopause of menopause.  That sounded so wonderful to me I had to
research it.  Following are links on this topic:

http://www.menopause-tests.com/   "A substance called follicle stimulating
hormone or FSH is produced in the pituitary gland and is necessary for
reproduction. FSH is always present in the body, but the pituitary produces
more of this hormone when the ovaries slow down the production of eggs.
High levels of FSH are associated with low estrogen levels, thus a positive
FSH level test can help a woman identify that her period changes are caused
by "menopause". Women have traditionally had their FSH levels monitored by a
physician with a laboratory blood test.
The CARE Menopause Home-Use Test™ is a urine test that allows you to measure
your FSH levels in the convenience and privacy of your home. The CARE
Menopause Home-Use Test™ was compared to laboratory blood tests to detect
FSH levels and showed a 99% agreement. The CARE Menopause Home-Use Test™ is
approved by the FDA."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/03350/251687.stm  "Tuesday, December 16, 2003
By Jane E. Allen, The Los Angeles Times

Women who've missed several periods and wonder whether they're nearing
menopause now can turn to an at-home test -- but the results may not be as
conclusive as a visit to their doctor.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Menocheck as the first retail
home test to measure the level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), whose
levels rise as a woman's body approaches the cessation of fertility.
The test works like a pregnancy test: A woman checks her urine first thing
in the morning using the absorbent tip of a special wand that also has an
indicator panel. After five minutes, she should see a positive or negative
result for high levels of the hormone. She repeats the test five to seven
days later."

http://www.menocheck.com/  "New At-Home Diagnostic Kit Menocheck™ Can Help
Improve Women's Quality of Life and Long-Term Health with Early Menopause
Detection . A recent national survey on menopause reveals that two thirds of
American women do not visit their doctors to discuss menopause symptoms. If
they do, they wait a critical six months on average to seek counsel"

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/health/WABC_oncall_121803menopausetest.html

This info on three different tests on the market should prove helpful to all
women wondering if they are perimenopausal.  Good luck.  Good information
promotes empowered decisions.

My best,
Karen Patterson, Founder of Womens-Wellness.com and a breast cancer survivor




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