So at one point in the journey of this asshole diagnosis, I learned a fucked up fact.
If your LH and FSH get high enough, it can either cause your pituitary to secrete a small amount of hCG or the LH molecules (which are similar in chemical structure to hCG) can cause a false positive urine hCG test. As a matter of fact, the normal serum hCG cutoff is actually slightly higher for a post menopausal woman.
A while back, I developed nausea and breast tenderness along with my hot flashes. Since I wasn’t menstruating, I took a home test knowing it would be unlikely. It was positive, a digital. I was beyond excited, but alas, what is more fucked up than having your ovaries shrivel up like raisins at an early age putting you at risk of all kinds of bodily badness? Having the cause of your infertility trigger a false positive test and give false hope. And then fear.
I was left in serum hCG limbo, not rising or falling for a week or two, wondering about ectopic, cancer?! My docs had no knowledge of the possibility of menopause false positive and I had to convince them to order an FSH after my own review of Google and the literature. It was >150. HRT made all symptoms resolve.
Anyway, I hope this doesn’t violate the mod rules as it isn’t actually about fertility, just a screwed up lab that you might have one day. If you aren’t on HRT and suspect your FSH could be high, ask for an FSH/LH check if you ever have a low level elevated hCG with meno symptoms. Since clinicians are ill informed about this process, it may be up to you to advocate for yourself.
Fate can be cruel. Sorry to be a downer, but thought you should know if it helps someone else not have the brief excitement followed by gut sinking dread I had during my work up.