FSH testing strips?

[PutTheBunnyBackInTheBox]

Hi all.

Has anyone any experience of these?

I'm mid 40's and since the start of the year my periods have been all been a week early and the flow has been very light (unusual for me) with the odd day of so heavy I've had a couple of embarrassing accidents at work . My current period started, stopped, started, stopped and started again.

I'm not having any hot flushes or night sweats but my mood has been very low and I even cried at the emmerdale music the other day .

I'm also having trouble getting to sleep, it sometimes feels like things are crawling on me which makes me itchy, and I'm waking up constantly throughout the night, I look like shit. I'm also peeing a lot during the night.

I bought the FSH strips but they were negative. Does this mean it's not peri?

No, I think it just means you're not in menopause, they just measure if FSH levels are substantially raised. They just go by symptoms if you're over 45, FSH levels can be up and down and all over place (bit like periods are!). Cycle length decreasing is one of the best signals of being in peri, next stage involves cycle length difference of more than 7 days, and then the next stage going over 60 days between periods. You can google 'straw menopause' to get more information on these stages which most people go through.

Great, thanks Paris. I'll check that out.

I don't think that FSH strips are accurate! Sometimes even blood tests aren't accurate at peri!
If your symptoms are severe and your quality of life is affected ask for hrt! Don't wait letting your body and mind suffer!

Emerald My GP isn't the most helpful so I didn't want to go if she wouldn't do anything. I didn't think they would consider anything unless I was getting hot flushes etc.

It's definitely annoying me though. I've had depression since I was a child and I've got myself in a good place (without meds) so the low mood is affecting me. Not to mention the flooding and stop/starting. I work full time so not getting much sleep is affecting me too. Are those symptoms enough for them to do something?

For me Put hrt is a necessity at young ages if your symptoms are too severe and you cannot go on.
I have a highly demanding career and I couldn't function at all! I was without sleep, my energy was too low and I was feeling that my brain didn't function as before! Try to find a gyn who knows and want to help you! It is very important! For me hrt was a lifesaver! :)

Thanks Emerald.

Other women with heavy periods use the Mirena as it usually minimises bleeding. If you then get HRT you'll only need the estorogen. You do say it's light apart from the odd flooding incident though, so maybe using towels as well as tampons is an idea - it has saved me a couple of times.

Worth getting ferritin levels and vitamin d levels checked out. I find keeping a diary of symptoms helps too.

The diary is a good idea, thanks Paris.