Menopause test: where to buy and how to use?

Why do you need a menopause test?

Similar tests to determine menopause should be used to monitor changes in a woman’s body.
Thanks to the tests, it is possible to promptly identify aggravated symptoms, which in the first stages of menopause rarely manifest themselves in a pronounced form, and thereby stabilize the condition in time.

Main indications:

• a woman experiences hot flashes during menopause;
• muscle cramps may occur;
• problems sleeping , more unpleasant symptoms torment you at night;
• increased sweating;
• headache;
• frequent mood swings, irritability appears.

In addition, women during menopause experience increased sweating, and some experience loss of appetite. It is worth noting that the listed signs may not only indicate the onset of menopause. Symptoms are also characteristic of other diseases. Therefore, it is important to undergo tests and diagnostic examinations on time.

https://youtu.be/8jNW9aPW4nk

"Frautest" No2

The FrauTest line is produced by an Israeli company that specializes in medicines. In Russia, they, along with MediSmart and Diagnostik Menopause Selbsttest, occupy leading positions in sales in pharmacies. The line of this production also includes stripes that determine:

• pregnancy,
• thrush,
• ovulation.

Instructions for using "Frautest"

Like other manufacturers, they mark the strip with special reagents that react with urine. They contain antibodies to FSH. The period of immersion in the container with analyzes is 10 seconds. You can see the result in 3-5 minutes. The package contains two indicators.

Note! It is better to do not 1, but 2 checks with an interval of 3-4 days. This will show accurate results.

Recommendations for use:

• Collect morning urine, it contains the highest concentration of substances.
• If it is not possible to test in the morning, then refrain from urinating for 3-4 hours.
• All strips are exclusively disposable. Before use, make sure the packaging is sealed.
• Do not touch the indicator with your fingers, but rather the part that is colored. Otherwise, fingerprints may cause false results.
• Place the used strip on a flat surface without exposure to direct sunlight, aerosol or other extraneous influences.
• Interpret the result no earlier than after 3-5 minutes.

How does the test work?

Tests to determine menopause are inexpensive, and the procedure can be done at home. Every woman should understand that when sexual function fades, cardinal hormonal changes begin to occur in the body.

During this period of time, the level of follicle-stimulating hormone in the woman’s blood gradually begins to increase. The main goal of the hormone is to force the ovaries to actively produce not only progesterone, but also estrogen. But as soon as menopause occurs, this process does not occur.

Menopause tests according to the instructions only work to detect FGS. During menopause, the indicator is higher than the norm, which means that menopause is approaching.

The test works specifically to determine hormones. You can test for menopause at the age of 40-50 years. But it is worth noting that these tests for determining menopause can also show unreliable results at the very beginning of the menopause process.

After testing, it is recommended to contact a specialist who will help correct the course of this period.

When to use the test

When you are already on the verge of menopause, any disturbance or discomfort can be a cause for concern. Consulting a doctor for every reason is not a way out of the situation. Menopause tests will come to the rescue. In what case is it appropriate to use them?

Symptoms of menopause vary in nature, since at this moment the functioning of almost all body systems is disrupted.

Main symptoms:

• Firstly, psycho-emotional disorders often make themselves felt in the form of menopausal neuroses, increased fatigue, sudden changes in mood, depression, depression, absent-mindedness, sleep disturbances, and feelings of anxiety.
• The most common symptom is hot flashes, which can occur up to 30 times a day, followed by severe chills. These are typical violations of thermoregulation, which occurs due to the receipt of false signals in the brain regions responsible for normal body temperature. This may also be indicated by profuse sweating and sudden changes in body temperature.
• Pains of various types and locations begin to bother you, often in the lower abdomen, lower back, headaches, muscle cramps, numbness of the limbs.
• The quality of sexual life decreases, sexual desire decreases, and dryness in the vagina and other organs of the intimate area is annoying.
• The cardiovascular system suffers, which makes itself felt by tingling in the heart area, rapid heartbeat, surges in blood pressure and exacerbations of a number of ailments.
• The appearance changes noticeably: the skin becomes less elastic, dry and thin, rashes and facial wrinkles appear.
• And the most important symptom is a violation of the menstrual cycle, and with the onset of menopause - its complete cessation.

Of course, these symptoms can also be a manifestation of certain diseases, disorders in the body, or hormonal imbalance. However, if these symptoms begin to bother you at a certain age, you should resort to a menopause test.

How to do the test correctly instructions

Testing can be done at home. To make the result of the test used more reliable, you must familiarize yourself with the rules described below.

1. Doctors recommend testing to determine the menopausal period should be carried out in the morning.
2. You should not buy tests if they do not have sealed packaging. Otherwise, the result may be false.
3. Before removing the strip from the package, wash your hands well and dry them.
4. Goes to the toilet (collect urine in an appropriate container).
5. Immerse the test to the required level on the strip.
6. Hold for 10 seconds.

After all these activities, put the test on a dry and clean surface, wait 5 minutes and look at the result.

It is important to note that in order to determine the onset of menopause, it is necessary to use tests from different manufacturers, thereby achieving a more informative result. Experts recommend purchasing 2 types of tests and doing them simultaneously or on different days.

Before using the test, carefully read the instructions; each manufacturer has a different shelf life for the test in urine, so you should pay special attention to this.

Additional Information:

1. If the test result is negative, even in the presence of a pronounced clinical picture of menopause, then it is necessary to repeat the procedure after 1-2 months.
2. If a woman has no symptoms of menopause and the test result is negative, then it is worth repeating the test, but only after 6 months.

Some women may continue to have regular menstruation during this period of time and still show signs of menopause. Experts recommend conducting the test for the first time 7 days from the start of the cycle. Repeat the procedure every week.

There are cases when the first test showed a positive result, and the second negative. This phenomenon is considered normal in medical practice. Why? The fact is that the level of follicle-stimulating hormone changes. Therefore, tests must be carried out every 2 months; this is the only way to obtain complete and reliable information.

Manufacturers of menopause tests

Here are some of the most common tests that can be used to determine menopause:

• MediSmart Menopause Test , Swiss manufacturer. As the manufacturer claims, within two to three cycles the test shows a result with a probability of 99.9%.
• The second common test is FRAUTEST menopause . The package contains two test strips. In the absence of menstruation, the test can be performed at any time of the day. Manufacturer Israel.
• Recently, women have been actively buying tests from German manufacturers - Diagnostik Menopause Selbsttest - to determine the menopause.

All tests work the same, the most important thing is to read the instructions carefully and wait the allotted time.

Reliability of the result

If all instructions are strictly followed, the reliability of the result reaches 95%.

However, various factors beyond a woman’s control can affect the quality of the reagent. To protect yourself from low-quality goods, buy only sealed, uncreased packaging and only in a pharmacy, where all storage rules are more likely to be followed. Do not take samples from display cases that have been exposed to direct sunlight. And don't forget to pay attention to the expiration date.

False positive

Since the analysis shows only the level of FSH, the result cannot be called unambiguous until additional studies are completed: on the level of estradiol, AMH and thyroid hormone.

Causes of elevated FSH:

• tumor disease of the pituitary gland;
• surgical removal of one of the ovaries;
• pathology of the gonads;
• renal pathology;
• X-ray irradiation;
• increased production of testosterone in women;
• smoking;
• poor-quality hormonal therapy;
• genetic abnormality of the X chromosomes.

Any causes of disrupted hormonal levels require attention, identification and treatment.

False negative

The result may be inaccurate if a woman violated the instructions for use or purchased an expired kit. If the analysis is carried out too early, in the very first stages of menopause, then it is necessary to do a control check after about six weeks to clarify.

Reagents with low sensitivity from cheap kits may not recognize the amount of hormone in morning urine if a lot of water was drunk the day before the test: the urine will not be concentrated enough.

What to do if the result is positive

If the test shows a positive result, this indicates the onset of menopause. But you shouldn’t immediately worry and be afraid of unpleasant symptoms.

Not all women feel bad during menopause; the period can last without pronounced symptoms. However, you must carefully monitor your health and follow all doctor's recommendations.

If the symptoms are severe, then it is worth undergoing treatment; hormone replacement therapy and homeopathic remedies are prescribed for menopause. If necessary, the woman is sent for examination to a gynecologist-endocrinologist (a more specialized specialist).

Testing rules

In order to get the most accurate result, you need to adhere to certain principles when testing. These include:

• if the test is negative when climatic symptoms appear, the procedure must be repeated no less than two months later;
• if the result is negative and there are no pronounced symptoms of menopause, re-diagnosis is allowed no earlier than six months later;
• if the first test was positive and the second negative, then this is considered within the normal range and the examination must be repeated after 2 months;
• do not use strips after the expiration date;
• Hormone therapy and oral contraceptives may confound results.

If you have performed 2-3 Frautests at weekly intervals, and they indicate a positive result, you need to consult a gynecologist for advice - you are in a state of premenopause. The doctor will tell you how to make it easier to endure this difficult period, which can last for a long time.

You can purchase such a product at any pharmacy, even if you are in a small town. While pregnancy test strips are produced by different manufacturers, menopause products are produced by only one manufacturer, Frautest Menopause, which creates tests to determine ovulation and pregnancy. The cost of two strips usually does not exceed 200 rubles.

The test for detecting menopause can be considered reliable, since they have been used for several years, and many women have recognized their convenience. To get an accurate picture, one examination will not be enough. It is advisable to make 3-4 of them, that is, you will need two packages. But still, some representatives of the fairer sex are scratching their heads: are there methods for determining the approaching menopause? And they don’t know the answer to it.

Interesting video on the topic:

https://youtu.be/EC8RipgMVRs

About

How to improve the condition?

Hormonal medications can be used during menopause only after prior consultation with a doctor.
To improve a woman’s condition, agents containing gestagen and estrogen are used as treatment.

For example:

1. Silest.
2. Marvelon.
3. Janine.
4. Norkolut.
5. Turinal.

Less commonly, during menopause, drugs are prescribed in the form of suppositories: Ovestin or Estriol.

Herbal medicines are also used to alleviate the condition. Due to pronounced changes in the body, a woman may experience unpleasant symptoms. Therefore, to eliminate them, doctors recommend using herbal remedies.

For example: mahogany extract or Estrovel, Klimadinon helps to cope well with the signs of menopause. Less commonly, doctors prescribe Remens as a treatment.

Stages of menopause

With age, the ovaries cease to produce sufficient amounts of estrogen and gestagens, as a result of which the menstrual cycle is disrupted, and gradually menstruation disappears completely. Since the level of female hormones decreases faster than the concentration of androgens, in the initial phase of menopause a woman can gain up to ten kilograms of excess weight, which will be very difficult to get rid of.

Menopause is divided into three stages:

• Perimenopause occurs several years before the last menstruation; it is during this period that hormonal levels begin to change. On average, perimenopause occurs at 45-47 years of age; a woman may notice that the nature of her menstrual discharge has changed, which may become scantier or heavier, and the duration of the cycle may increase or decrease by several days. Most women report such unpleasant symptoms as hot flashes, migraines, irritability, and insomnia.
• Menopause is the last period of menstruation, as well as the period of time that follows it, about a year long. Menopause usually occurs around age 50, but cases of early menopause before age 40 and late menopause after age 55 have been reported. In women who smoke, this phase of menopause may occur a couple of years earlier than in non-smokers.
• Postmenopause begins after menopause and lasts until the end of a woman's life. At this stage, the ovaries lose weight and become smaller, their function is completely inhibited.

https://youtu.be/JJFbVXHZKRE

Is pregnancy possible during menopause?

It is known that a woman’s fertile age is the period when she is able to become pregnant, has certain dates and ends with menopause. This new period is characterized by a decrease in libido, the extinction of the systems involved in the production of sex hormones, the production of follicles by the ovaries and the weakening of ovulation. For a woman, menopause is one of the turning points in life, a new stage that entails not only new sensations, but also limited reproductive capabilities.

Stages of menopause

There is a special classification of periods that allows you to determine whether pregnancy is possible during menopause:

Perimenopause is a period during which the functions of the ovaries decrease, but they still continue to work. During this period, the issue of pregnancy during menopause is very relevant, because pregnancy occurs quite easily in the absence of protection;

Perimenopause is the period when the ovaries stop functioning. This period takes about a year. It is believed that if there is no menstruation for 12 months, pregnancy is impossible; however, to exclude possible pregnancy, it is still worth protecting yourself.

Postmenopause is the final stage. From now on, menopause is over, menopause has arrived. The female body has stopped producing eggs, therefore there is no danger of unwanted pregnancy.

Sex during menopause

• You should not assume that with the onset of menopause your sex life automatically comes to a standstill. Its normal course is actually hampered by several factors:
• decreased sex drive;
• anorgasmia;
• vaginal dryness.

However, the following methods may help you:

• taking natural stimulants to increase libido;
• use of artificial lubricant;
• rationalization of nutrition and daily routine;
• healthy lifestyle;
• strict adherence to the regimen of HRT (if prescribed by a doctor);
• use of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications;
• performing Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles;
• sports (swimming, yoga, Pilates).

Delay in menopause

Gradually increasing periods between periods are normal during menopause. But the fact is that the ability to conceive also does not fade away immediately; a surge in hormonal activity can lead to an unwanted pregnancy. And then the signs of menopause and pregnancy will be difficult to distinguish from each other. You can check how well your ovaries are working using a blood test. If there are no eggs in the ovaries, the level of the hormone FSH will be elevated.

Pregnancy, oddly enough, can occur at 40 or 50 years old, and in recent years there has even been a trend towards late childbirth, as women at this age do not want to feel old and are ready to have a baby. During perestroika, the reproductive function is maintained for 1.5 – 2 years. This is how long doctors strongly recommend using birth control during menopause. According to some studies, the maximum period during which menopause and pregnancy are completely compatible is not 2 years, but 5 years.

If pregnancy does occur during menopause

Pregnancy during menopause is also possible. The question here is only about its expediency, because your body is already undergoing a lot of destructive changes. In addition, for mothers after 40 years of age, the risk of having offspring with genomic pathologies increases. If conception is highly desired, medicine can help you. First of all, you will be given hormonal treatment. If it does not produce results (with early menopause), artificial ovarian stimulation or in vitro fertilization (IVF) is possible. As a last resort, in the modern world it is always possible to turn to surrogacy.

If the pregnancy turns out to be unplanned, consult your doctor about the possibility of continuing it.

Late pregnancy - how to carry it to term

Pregnancy during menopause and late childbirth are in any case justified, but a woman should immediately prepare for difficulties. Biologically, a woman’s body is not designed to bear a child at this age, so during pregnancy all organs and systems suffer, and the body faces very serious stress. In addition, the body is simply not able to provide everything necessary for the developing fetus. All this affects the woman’s condition, the course of pregnancy, and the development of the baby.

Another component of the question is also important. Is it necessary to think in advance about issues such as a good education and other everyday issues that are somewhat more difficult to cope with in adulthood? It is also necessary to consult not only a qualified gynecologist, but also a geneticist, as well as a psychotherapist.

How to distinguish pregnancy from menopause?

Menopause is characterized by a number of symptoms that are called “menopausal syndrome.” This term includes symptoms of neuropsychic, cardiovascular and endocrine disorders:

• On the part of the nervous system, there may be increased irritability, insomnia, a constant feeling of anxiety and fear for yourself and your loved ones, depression, lack of appetite, or vice versa, an increased desire to “eat up” your worries.
• The cardiovascular system also makes itself felt: frequent headaches due to vasospasm, increased blood pressure, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, sudden hot flashes, during which the woman breaks out in sweat.
• The endocrine system also suffers: malfunctions of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands are possible, which result in a feeling of fatigue, joint pain, changes in body weight, and itching of the genitals.

Common to pregnancy and menopause is the absence of menstruation and some symptoms that overlap with those described above. However, during pregnancy there are signs uncharacteristic of menopause:

• toxicosis,
• breast swelling,
• aching pain in the lower back.

A woman should pay attention to the “tips” and not remain careless in this situation, but clarify it by going to the doctor and conducting laboratory tests.

Pregnancy test during menopause

It is important to know that a pregnancy test may not show pregnancy because... The hormone necessary for the test reaction during menopause is poorly produced and may not be enough to determine the condition! Late pregnancy has its own characteristics.

Ectopic pregnancy during menopause

Ectopic pregnancy during menopause in women occurs for the following reasons:

• Frequent inflammatory processes that occur on the ovaries and fallopian tubes.
• Cystitis, gynecological infectious diseases.
• Surgical interventions, including abortions.
• Age-related hormonal imbalance, which leads to narrowing of the tubes.

The formation of adhesions occurs, which do not allow the zygote to enter the uterine cavity through the remaining holes. If an ectopic location is detected in a timely manner, an operation to terminate the pregnancy is performed.

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