I just came across what appears to be a very interesting study about hormonal changes during the menopause transition. I don't have time to excerpt right now, but will do it later. Until then, here's the link:

http://humupd.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/13/6/559

Here's just a taste (I've removed the references to make for easier reading), I have a personal interest in high E2 just before menopause:

While the FSH elevations in some women of advancing reproductive age were once thought to be secondary to a fall in E2 levels, many studies have now shown increased FSH levels are associated with normal or even higher than normal E2 or urinary estrogen levels. Significantly elevated mean cycle levels of E2 have been observed in regularly cycling women even up to age 55. It is plausible that elevated FSH levels play a role in maintaining or even increasing E2 levels.

:

Once the follicular phase began in these elongated ovulatory cycles, estrogen excretion was significantly higher than normal, with a positive correlation occurring between the length of the ‘lag phase’ and the amount of estrogen excretion during the luteal phase.

:

The mechanisms which lead to menstrual cycle irregularity presumably involve the critical numbers of follicles and temporary ovarian non-responsiveness to FSH stimulation. With the rise in FSH no ovarian response may occur for days or weeks, but ultimately a follicle may start to develop and may in fact hyper-respond with higher than normal E2 concentrations.

[quote name='SandraSmith' date='Nov 19 2008, 11:53 AM' post='251609']
This seems to back up something I began to suspect for myself - during our urinary troubles of menopause, it may not be real infections that cause the frequency and burning, but altered chemical content. Doctors always think in terms of bacterial infection when one complains with symptoms, but it occured to me during a particularly nasty spell of this, that it is biochemically caused rather than bacteriologically caused. This article at least seems to back up the fact that if our fsh is raised in the bloodstream, then our output in the urine must also be altered, and this is the cause of a lot of menopausal distress in women.