ARGH! When will it stop?

[55AndFedUp]

I'm 56 in a few weeks' time.
I've had various peri symptoms for nearly 10 years. Still having a period. They are more irregular but I'm still having the buggers!!
This year I've had a total of 6. A couple have been 3 months apart, the rest were all 35ish day cycles with one that was a 14 day cycle.
They're also more painful - my breasts have been very sore for the last week and the cramps are the worst they've ever been. But to be fair, I never had particularly troublesome periods - period pain for the first 24 hours and fairly light flow has always been my normal.

I'm so fed up of it, I just want it over with. I'm also worried because I know that late menopause increases breast cancer risk. I do have other risk factors so this is increasing my anxiety.

I don't know what I want from posting, maybe just a bit of hand holding or someone to tell me they were also nearly 56 when they had their last one!

[PollyPerky]

It's not likely to go on much longer- you are pretty much at the limit, age wise.

I really wouldn't worry over the age and cancer. There is nothing you can do about that except make sure you offset the extra risk by lifestyle changes: very little alcohol, (2 units a day increases the risk by more than anything), don't become overweight, and take plenty of exercise- studies have shown that women who walk 7 hours a week and more reduce their risk considerably.

[55AndFedUp]

Thanks Polly.
I'm already considerably overweight. Is it too late to do something about it now? I've managed to lose about a stone and a half this year, still another two stone to go.
I didn't know that about walking but that's certainly something I start to do immediately. I walk now for between 30-45 minutes a day outdoors so I can work on increasing that time.

[PollyPerky]

This shows relative risks from lifestyle factors (and risks we can do nothing about too.)

menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/Understanding%20Risk%20of%20Breast%20Cancer.pdf

No of course it's not too late. Well done on your weight loss so far. You might not be aware too that fat feeds estrogen, so fatter women can have fewer symptoms at meno but also heavier bleeds and it does increase risks of all female cancers.

Keep going with your diet and up the exercise!