The FSH test is for follicle stimulating hormone. This is the hormone that tells your ovaries to do their thing and produce an egg every month. The range for a postmenopausal woman is from around 22 to 150 mg/dl. Having this test after stopping your period for around a year can confirm that you are through menopause and out the other side. You don't have to have the test; I asked for it because I wanted to be sure I could stop taking oral contraceptives.

The bone protection thing is somewhat different. Women experience their life peak bone mass in their early 20s and gradually decline from then on. After menopause, in the greatly reduced presence of estrogen, our bone mass starts to decline quite rapidly. Calcium plus vitamin D is a proven bone protector, and most endocrinologists seem to agree that we should be making sure we get enough calcium on board pretty much our entire lives. Low-fat dairy foods, dark green vegetables and soy are good sources. Calcium supplements become more important as we get older. AS far as hormone replacement, there are other choices available now besides the hormone replacement therapy that our mothers used. I think it is worth it to investigate my options to protect my bone mass, heart and other stuff that estrogen used to protect. Just my opinion.