am I weird or is anyone else glad about menopause?

[racingheart]

Finally skipped a period this month, aged 48 and feel over the moon. At last it's on its way. After 36 years of appalling cramps, 8-day full on bleeding, chills, night sweats, runs, exhaustion, filthy mood swings, chocolate cravings, I'm going to be free. I hated them from day 1, when I was 12, and only had a break once when pregnant.

I feel like this is the start of a new and brilliant time in life. Don't mean to be insensitive if others hate it, and am sure it'll have some horrendous effects too, but can't help feeling a bit glad, excited even that 25% of every month won't be stolen from me.

[weegiemum]

Me too! I went through it quite prematurely as I'm just about 42. After I had babies I just didn't see point any more!

[Ragwort]

I had such an easy 'menopause' - one hot sweat, no mood changes, no cravings (other than my normal chocolate cravings) and bliss - no periods and no more stressing about contraception.

What's not to like .

[RandomMess]

Instead of putting up with my hellish periods I had endometrial ablation so am now virtually period free, tis amazing!

[TheFarSide]

Yes, I am totally looking forward to menopause - my last two periods have been very late and I am very excited at the idea of being free of them. I know I will then be susceptible to all manner of other things but I live a pretty healthy lifestyle so I'm not too worried. Like you, I just see it as the next stage of my life.

[Maat]

I used to have the most dreadful mood swings with PMT.

I am post menopausal and love it.

[BeatTheClock]

I'm 47 and haven't had a period for about 2 years (maybe more I honestly can't remember) I don't miss them one tiny bit. They were heavy, too frequent, exhausting and a total pain.

My poor dd (13) is at the beginning and suffering horribly with them. I'm so worried and sad for her. She's sick of them already and has so much pain and difficulty.

Not keen on other menopause things though. Just a general feeling of 'settling' into this shape and this face. Like options are closing down and of being a 'certain' (invisible) age.

[racingheart]

Beat, part of me can't wait to be that invisible age. I want to be the bonkers old bat who goes off to walk the Great wall of China, or just to dig my own garden and make jam all day. Can't wait to be old!

[FiveOrangeFlowers]

I am post menopausal and love it.

Me too

[Shakey1500]

I can't wait either. I alternate between horrendous PMT yet a light period OR no pmt and nigh on haemorraghing.

The main reason though is that I find, and have always found, the entire period a complete and utter faff-fest.

[Francagoestohollywood]

I can't wait! I am nearly 42 and I am fed up, my periods have been getting heavier and more painful.

[Bellaciao]

I feel sorry for anyone who suffers really badly with periods - but you can try to deal with them through a variety of means eg if you suffer really bad pms, just before your period rather than half the month you can take natural progesterone (if you are not progesterone intolerant) - to alleviate the massive drop in progesterone which leads to some of the awful symtpoms ( tension, irritability, headaches). Some women find periods not so bad on the pill or mini pill. As has been mentioned there are various ways to reduce heavy bleeding eg Mirena coil which can stop periods, or endometrial ablation.

There are some lucky women who might have a trouble-free menopause but do not wish your periods away! What's on the other side could be a lot worse. Many who thought that, would gladly go back to them when they get there! Take a look here at the symptoms of Menopause:
www.menopausematters.co.uk/symptoms.php

Many women have night sweats, hot flushes, tiredness, joint aches, sleeplessness, depression and anxiety, as well as - post meno - vaginal atrophy, irritation and all sorts of problems in that region, bladder problems due to lack of collagen, and loss of libido, not to mention the prospect of osteoporosis, cognitive dysfunction and other more serious health issues caused by oestrogen deficiency.

Don't wish 'em away girls - I'd rather be bleeding naturally, pms and all and have my figure, skin, energy and libido back. HRT (bio-identical) is essential but doesn't achieve miracles.

[Splishysploshy]

Couldn't agree with you more Bella, I am 38 years old and feel like I am in the middle of a nightmare. I had my fill of heavy periods and wished for an early menopause, if only I knew. Sure some people breeze through it but for others it is shocking.

[lirael]

I have had a few symptoms - mainly lack of energy and woolly headedness - but in general I feel better than I did when I was having periods. Much more even mood-wise, less anxiety etc. Mind you, have only been period free since April so not officially menopausal yet - hope I'm not tempting fate!

[TheFarSide]

Thanks lirael - it's good to hear there might be life after menopause.

[higgle]

I was not happy at all to contemplate thin hair, changes to my voice, vaginal atrophy, loss of libido and increased risk of osteoparosis! After one week of hot flushes, strange panicky feelings and smelling odd (you seem to loose your essential scent) I decided that it was HRT for me, for as long as I could get it.

[MissBoPeep]

I can't see the appeal of being post meno at all. You are at far greater risk for a load of health problems. I concur that if your periods or PMT are horrendous it might seem a godsend, but overall, I'd rather be fertile than post meno when the time comes.

[Jellykat]

God i'm peri meno, or menopausal, i don't know as my GP doesn't test.

Every joint aches, cant sleep and am knackered, my hairs coming out, i can't think properly, i feel anxious, i itch and i'm constipated.. all classic symptoms.

Yes, 3 years ago when my periods starting going awry i thought wow this peri menopause business is a doddle - now it's hell.. i'd much rather have a monthly period and feel like a human being the rest of the time, then this!

[TheFarSide]

We don't really have much choice though, do we? Best to celebrate the good side (ie lack of periods) than lament the downsides. Not everybody has a hard time and I suspect some of the problems are to do with the normal ageing process.

The problem with HRT is that it just delays the inevitable. I think I'd rather be coping with menopause symptoms in my fifties than putting them off until my sixties.

[chickydoo]

Am 45
periods still like clockwork....had enough now to be honest. I just discovered evening primrose oil. I ignored it for years. One month of mega dose pills, and I feel much better.. boob pain gone, and skin good too. May opt for Hrt in a year or 2 if I feel the need.

[alcibiades]

I went through the menopause at 52 - some ten years ago. I rarely suffered much beyond some cramping and little in the way of PMT, but I was still happy to see the end of having periods. I didn't suffer much in the way of menopausal symptoms either - very few, brief hot flushes in the year or so after. I didn't want HRT but asked my GP for dietary and supplement advice - which he knew nothing about.

I think one of the main problems about the menopause is that people often only talk about the scary effects. I recall one colleague telling me that some women still have hot flushes well into their 80s. I really doubt that, unless there's some underlying endocrine problem.

I also think that some of the conditions typically associated with the menopause are more to do with genes or lifestyle, etc. Older men can get osteoporosis, too.

Plus: all that money previously spent on sanpro can now be spent on something else much more interesting!

[TheFarSide]

@ alcibiades

I have just appointed you my official role model for post-menopause.

[MissBoPeep]

alcibiades

Sorry to contradict you but you are misinformed.

You were lucky

25% of women are lucky as you were. The rest have symptoms.

This is not a choice or something anyone can control with a "positive attitude".

Women do have hot flushes in their 80s- my mum does.

There was recently some info on the web about this and it was informing drs that they ought to be aware that it happened more than people think.

As for osteop- 1:3 women over 50 have it. It's a serious disease and most women do not know until they are in their 60s or 70s and have a break.

Lifestyle is a factor- and so are genes. But they are not the main factors- unless you have a mum with early onset osteop.

There is no getting away from the health issues which affect women with no oestrogen: bones, heart attack risks, atrophy of the vagina etc , just to name some :)

Not ALL women have these but a lot do.

And HRT does not necessarily postpone the symptoms- if you reduce the dose over many months which is possible with some types, then you can perhaps avoid the meno symptoms.

[Mintyy]

I am in the midst of the menopause. It is nice to be (almost) shot of periods but the depression is utterly horrendous. Hopefully yours won't affect you the same way.

[birthdaypanic]

I too couldn't wait, I saw consultant because of a prolonged heavy period and had tests when I went for results he told me I was definitely going through menopause his tone of voice was as if it was terrible news I actually cheered, he said if that's how you feel you will sail through it. I did apart from flushes which were not a problem. Been a few years now and its wonderful.

[Ponders]

my periods, which had been appallingly heavy, stopped dead with chemo (for breast cancer) when I was 50, over 10 years ago now

I did have some hot flushes, & now have sad skimpy eyelashes, rather bristly eyebrows & random long hairs on my chin, but not having periods is utter bliss