The availability of at-home health tests has made it much easier for me to check in with my body. While I am grateful for the NHS, it isn’t designed to provide tests for every ache and pain I experience. The US system (which is by no means better) is about profit and therefore allows for blood work and other diagnostic tests much more easily.
Writing this blog has allowed me to try at home testing with Fitness Genes DNA analysis and have a food intolerance test. The explosion of Covid has also made home testing much more common place, with both rapid rests and popping a blood sample in the post. I had Covid antibody test in 2020 to be confident I had not contracted Covid yet. After two years of weight gain and poor sleep, both of which we blamed on getting a puppy, I felt it was time to look into a menopause diagnosis after having my period four times in two months. Period cycles can also be affected by stress, which has also been omnipresent since the pandemic started so it hard to determine what was going on with my body. (I have always had trouble regulating my body temperature too.) I recently learned that brain fog is another symptom of menopause.
When I heard about Forth, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for. They offer different types of home tests in the following categories:
- Wellness
- Nutrition
- Hormone tests
- Mental health
- Sports tests
I went for the women’s hormone check which includes a written report and a private call with the endocrinologist that leads Forth’s research program. It took a few days to find a time when Dr. Nicky was available, as she had a few deadlines to meet. We talked for nearly an hour, both to review my personal report and to discuss all things hormones. I highly recommend taking advantage of this aspect of Forth’s kits. You would pay on average about £300 for an initial consultation with an endocrinologist (that is before you even have blood work done) where with the £129 fee for the advanced perimenopause test included a 1-2-1- call with Dr. Nicky. And Dr. Nicky wants to hear from her Forth patients more.
Dr. Nicky used her 30 years of experience in the field to help design the report you receive with the advanced perimenopausal test. The report includes graphics to show average test results and where you fall on them, plus written descriptions of how to interpret the results. Dr. Nicky is so passionate about Forth’s services, she reviews every report before it is sent to ensure that the automated suggestions also take into account the lifestyle factors submitted by the patient.
On our call, I briefly explained to Dr. Nicky the symptoms that caused my interest in the test (I also submitted these when registering my kit). She agreed that the patterns I was seeing could be do to stress (thanks Covid), in which case the brain elicits a certain response, or the ovaries are not working properly. My low progesterone score indicates my ovaries were not working. If my FSH and LH were low, it would indicate that my brain is signalling to my pituitary gland to switch off. However, my FSH is high which indicates my brain is switched on. Therefore my ovaries are slacking. Dr. Nicky concluded that I am perimenopausal.
Menopause is defined by absence of periods for a year, which then lead to the start of hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It typically starts when a women is between 45-55 years of age. Nowadays, HRT is often started before this clinical definition. Dr. Nicky feels there is no need for women to suffer when treatment is available. HRT can help ease uncomfortable symptoms often associated with menopause. It is important to discuss risk factors and medical history with your GP when choosing the best type of HRT (transdermal vs tablets). I have a blood clotting disorder which prevented me from taking hormonal birth control. Therefore, I need to ensure my GP and I research what the best option is for me (probably transdermal). There is an increased risk of breast cancer when taking HRT, which studies have shown can be decreased by exercised two and a half hours per week.
Dr. Nicky said that lifestyle factors have affect your score with the Forth test and can help manage your symptoms too. Exercise, nutrition, and sleep quality are very important in all aspects of your health and wellbeing. She is advocating as a member of the British Menopause Society to help educate the public and GPs more on menopause, symptoms, and treatment options. I actually have a call with my doctor today to discuss the Forth report and see if I can start HRT soon. In July, I will have more time to regular exercise too, including weight training. These should help boost my metabolism to help with weight loss. I hope exercise will also help me fall asleep faster and improve my sleep quality. To be thorough, I also made an appointment with my GP to enquire about HRT. The doctor was not convinced at first based on my presenting symptoms and age bracket. However, after sending my Forth report, I have a referral for bloodwork to be done.
The Forth at home test for perimenopause has been eye opening for me. It has been the catalyst to have blood work done by the NHS. I hope by sharing my story, we can remove some of the stigma around menopause and learn more about the journey together.
Thanks to Forth Life for the complimentary test kit. All opinions are honest and my own.
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