Great post Dancinggirl
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Just to add re the discussion on FSH levels and post-menopause or not - we have seen several examples of women being told from blood tests (FSH) that they are post-menopausal when they are not - and in fact one member on here - I won't mention her name as it was a while ago - was very upset at being told this by her doc - I think she had only missed one period or maybe two - and was told it was unlikely she would have another. She went through a a traumatic few weeks coming to terms with what she thought was the end of her fertile years ( she hadn't had children) - but was in fact in early peri-menopause and her periods resumed. She could have been spared that upset caused through ignorance on the part of the doc!
Dr Currie says on this site in the section on diagnosis of menopause:
"Home kits can be used to check for a raised FSH in a urine test, and you can have a blood test to measure the level, however the level depends on the phase of the cycle and can vary by a factor of 10-30 or more during the menstrual cycle. If having a blood level measured, the blood sample should be taken on the 3rd to 5th day of a period. A normal level does not exclude early menopausal transition and a raised level does not exclude continuing ovarian function. One raised level should therefore not be relied upon as a reason to stop using contraception since egg release can still occur late in the menopausal transition."
http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/diagnose.phpSo although that FSH level is very high you may not be yet post-menopausal but if that's all you've had in 9 months (one episode of brown spotting) then you are likely to be very late peri-menopause and may well be almost there if not there already. Remember that in the absence of HRT you can only date menopause in retrospect since the 12 months period free need to have elapsed.
If you want to take HRT we can help you decide between the myriad of products on offer. Can't remember how old you are nor what symptoms you have wish you may like to control with HRT?
I make absolutely no apology for being pro-HRT - I mean this is the view of the most gynaecologists and the medical profession in general. We on here are just reflecting the prevailing advice. Please ask if you need any help Dennylou48
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Hurdity x