If you think you're menopausal, do you actually have to DO anything?

[SolidGoldBrass]

My AF has been getting a bit erratic over the past year or so, and now I think it is 2/3 months since it actually happened. Do I need to report myself to the GP or anything (suggestions of mooncup burning rituals etc will be not that welcome).

[colditz]

A pregnancy test.

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

How old are you, if it's not too personal a question?

[SolidGoldBrass]

LGP: Am 44. Colditz, trust me, that one is well ruled out.

[LadyGlencoraPalliser]

Hmm. Well at your age it's only to be expected of course.
Disclaimer: am actually a year older than you but I am going in the opposite direction, mine have upped their frequency to every three weeks which by my reckoning equates to four extra periods a year.
I think this too, is something to do with the menopause but am choosing to stick my head in the sand.

[Portofino]

I'm interested too! I too have erratic AF and have felt increasingly anxious/bit depressed/odd hot flush in recent times - all signs. I am a bit in denial as only 41, plus being abroad, not sure if i have to see GP or a specialist. I worry that it might be something else rather than menopause but have doctor phobia.

[hambler]

SGB any other symptoms apart from irregular periods?

[themoon66]

Go to GP if you are truely curious.. it's a simple blood test. Otherwise do nowt.

[SolidGoldBrass]

Tiredness, mainly. Assorted aches and pains. These could be nothing to do with it (mind you, I used to get hot flushes about 6/7 years ago and reckoned I was heading for the menopause then, so ended up being careless with contraception one particular night and, er, had DS).
Mind you, my complexion is as horrible as ever, which suggests the hormones are still at it...

[SolidGoldBrass]

Hmm. I used to reckon I would want HRT as I have scoliosis and don't want to lose any more bone density than necessary.

[hambler]

Blimey, if it's tiredness and bad complexion I will join you in a support group

[SolidGoldBrass]

Hambler: I think that fact that I am still a pizza face (am going to be the world's first acne-riddled pensioner at this rate) means that maybe it's not the menopause just yet...

[ThingOne]

Sorry to disappoint but I'm post menopausal and I still get zits. Bizarrely I get them from going swimming ...

[purplepeony]

You only need to do something if you are having an early meno- and that means before 45- all periods stopped at 45. In this case you'd need to discuss HRT as you bones are at risk with an early meno- you would need to take HRT up to "normal meno" age which is 51-ish in the UK.

If you have been having erratic periods for months, then I'd say go to your Drs. The thing is, it's not as simple as one single blood test! I have a great gynae who did a blood test, told me I was post meno according to the results- I swore I wasn't as I hadn't missed a period at all at 52+, and lo and behold, I had more periods after the blood test, having my last period at 53.5. The point of this is that the blood test shows how your hormones are on that one day- they can be all over the place as your body tries to pop out any remaining eggs. You really need two or three tests in a row to see what's going on.