Perimenopause

This test measures five hormones: FSH, LH, oestradiol, TSH and free thyroxine. It shows where your hormones sit at the point you test, and checks whether your thyroid is contributing to your symptoms. What the markers show FSH and LH are released by the pituitary gland to stimulate the ovaries. As the ovaries become less responsive, the pituitary produces more of both, so levels tend to rise as menopause approaches. Oestradiol is the main form of oestrogen during the reproductive years. It falls over time, but during perimenopause it fluctuates considerably, sometimes rising above the usual range before it drops. TSH and free thyroxine assess thyroid function. Thyroid disorders are common in women in midlife and produce many of the same symptoms as perimenopause, including fatigue, low mood, weight change and irregular periods. Checking both together means you are less likely to attribute a treatable thyroid problem to hormonal change, or the reverse. Who this test is for Women experiencing hot flushes, night sweats, irregular periods, broken sleep, low mood, anxiety, difficulty concentrating or fatigue that rest does not resolve. It is also worth considering if you are under 45 and your cycle has changed, or if there is a family history of early menopause. What this test can and cannot tell you It shows your hormone levels on the day you tested, and it identifies or rules out a thyroid cause for your symptoms. It gives you objective results to discuss with a healthcare professional. It does not diagnose perimenopause. Hormone levels fluctuate significantly during this stage, so a single set of results can look unremarkable in a woman who is clearly perimenopausal. In women over 45, perimenopause is generally recognised from symptoms and cycle changes rather than from blood results. Under 45, hormone results carry more weight and are more often used to inform the picture. Results should be read alongside your symptoms and discussed with a healthcare professional before any decisions are made about treatment. When to take your sample Timing affects the result. If you still have a reasonably regular cycle, take your sample between days 2 and 5, counting the first day of proper bleeding as day 1. Day 3 is best. If your cycle is irregular or has stopped, any day is suitable. Take the sample in the morning. Sample Monday to Thursday and post it the same day, so it does not sit in the postal system over a weekend. How to give your sample The standard option is an at-home finger-prick kit, posted to you with everything required to take and return the sample, including the return shipping label. It takes around ten minutes. If you would rather have a venous sample taken, you can book a phlebotomist at a Superdrug health clinic or arrange a mobile nurse visit at home. Both carry an additional fee. If you know a healthcare professional qualified to take a venous sample, they can use the kit instead. Your results Results are normally ready within two working days of your sample reaching our laboratory. Every result is reviewed by a doctor and released with a comment in plain language, so you are not left to interpret the numbers on your own. Results are delivered through our secure online portal. They are yours to keep and to share, including with your GP. This test is not a substitute for medical care. If anything in your results is clinically concerning, we will tell you and advise you to see your GP.