What’s Your Menopause Type?

Do you like quizzes? I used to love taking those magazine quizzes as a teenager to determine my “true” self, or what the color of my eyes said about my personality or future spouse. Now, I lean more toward figuring out the right paint color for a room in my house based on what function it serves. Really important stuff, right?

Well, this week I found a pretty useful quiz: The Menopause Type Questionnaire. So, technically, it’s more than a quiz, but it does not take but a minute or two to complete and the online version does the analysis for you, so you get your answer almost immediately. Talk about instant gratification.

Who should or might want to take the quiz? Reasonable question. My answer: to see whether I agree with the author’s, Dr. Joseph Collins, assessment and recommended treatment plan for me. I would recommend it to anyone who is new to menopause, or who thinks they may be in perimenopause, and cannot figure out where to begin to address the seemingly random symptoms they may be experiencing. The questions ask about your mood, energy levels, sleep patterns, and overall well-being.

The Menopause Questionnaire is based on Dr. Collins’ book, What’s Your Menopause Type? (2000) The online questionnaire and analysis can be accessed at www.yourhormones.com. From either source, you can determine which type of menopause Dr. Collins would prescribe you based upon your responses to the questions. The 12 types of menopause are based according to which quadrant your particular hormonal imbalances fall. You have one of the first three: Normal Testosterone, Low Testosterone, or High Testosterone and one of four combinations: Adequate levels of both Estrogen and Progesterone, Estrogen Deficiency, Progesterone Deficiency, or Dual Deficiency of Both Estrogen and Progesterone.

Once you have completed the questionnaire, you can start learning about how your cluster of symptoms makes sense, at least sort of. I found that comforting once my doctor began putting all the pieces of my hormone labs together with my symptom profile. Even though I have no plans to modify my treatment, I still found it interesting to complete the questionnaire and to remember why I felt and behaved so poorly. I learned about different supplements that might address some of my imbalances. I especially like Dr. Collins’ chapters on diet and herbal treatments. In plain language, he tells you what imbalance each food or herb addresses and describes several ways herbs can be taken. Additionally, he provides a creditable list of resources to find a practitioner with expertise in hormonal treatments, naturopath or herbalist. The online materials appear to encourage readers to work with a variety of sources to help you feel your best: medical doctors, fitness trainers, dieticians, naturopaths, etc. His book emphasizes the plurality of menopausal symptoms and the need for doctors to address the patient’s whole picture, instead of focusing on one area and dismissing anything that doesn’t neatly fit into a category.

So, whether you’re new to menopause or an old hand, remember: knowledge is power. Pass it on.

About This Blogger

Kathy Stump

Kathy Stump writes from her home in Parkville, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City. For the last two decades, she’s been raising two children, freelance writing, proofreading, and tutoring young readers. Local and regional magazines feature her articles on travel, historic sites, nutrition, and parenting. She’s also reviewed books for Kirkus Reviews and written academic essays for Anaxos, Inc. Reading, walking, and yoga are her favorite pastimes. In her previous life (before kids), Ms. Stump was a museum curator. She studied art history and historic preservation at Mary Washington University and holds a Master of Arts degree in Museum Studies and American Civilization from George Washington University.