AIBU to think that now I'm 57, my periods should have stopped!

[WeWantSweet]

Missed odd months, then had a 4 month gap and thought that was it. But no, it's back to odd months again and alternating light and heavy.
Haven't had kids, so not sure if Mother Nature is punishing me, lol.

This is not good

I'm 52 and on HRT. I bleed monthly because of that. I had assumed I could take a break to check the real ones had stopped and then switch to the one that doesn't cause bleeding.

Stopped some time in my early to mid 40s (now nearly 64). Not very bad symptoms of menopause and have never taken HRT - never offered it.

I have heard that they now think if you start your periods early you are likely to finish them early - I started when I was eleven, so this would follow.

Out of interest, those blessed of the prolonged menses, are you married/ in a relationship? I'm wondering if that keeps the fertility drive going from a physical point of view? I mean are you sending inadvertent signals that erm, pregnancy might still be possible

I have never thought of it this way, but it would make sense in my case, I divorced in my 40s and there wasn't much sex going on leading up to it. Interesting.

It's been great not having periods for the last 20 years, but there are drawbacks - my hair is thinning and I don't seem to have aged as well as some of my peers who went through the menopause later.

I was as regular as clockwork until 52. Then they just stopped. No hot flushes or any other issues.

@appropriateadult DR said that because there’s a limited window of when I can take HRT before I have to stop, it’s best to leave as late as possible so I get the full benefit during menopause.

I started my periods at 16, started being perimenopausal at 43, and had last period at 46 - I'm now nearly 50. I still get a few hot flushes, but they aren't as fierce or frequent. I feel pretty fit, and haven't put weight on. In some ways I miss my periods 🤔 But it's nice to have it all out of the way !

Yes, you have to be cautious with HRT.

The biggest benefits that it has are that it can lower the risk for osteoporosis and decrease menopause symptoms.

It does not protect against heart attacks. It can increase your risk for blood clots. The evidence on whether it increases the risk of breast cancer is controversial. A physician told me that when they studied women on HRT for 5 years, the rates of breast cancer in the treatment group skyrocketed. But when they studied them for 10 years, they found the rates in the treatment and placebo groups were about the same. Consequently they suspect that HRT didn't necessarily increase the absolute risk for breast cancer, but if you were already going to develop breast cancer, it could accelerate the process.

I was done by 50 thank goodness.

Still regular as clockwork here at 49. Having read this thread however I'm not as bothered. Got my heavy day today though and a sore and bloated stomach. And a craving for chocolate.

DM hit menopause at 59. DGM had her's at 56 after a hysterectomy. DM started her periods in primary school. I got lucky and had a hysterectomy 30 years ago and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I started with perimenopause 12 years ago and took HRT for a while, but it made my hereditary high BP even worse, so I am sweating out the worst of it with nothing. I had a break from hot sweats at Christmas time for about a month, but they came back. I am now 2 weeks into another break from them and hope that the end is in sight.

I may say that the very thought of still having periods into my 60s is hideous! But then, my periods were a nightmare from day 1 and I was overjoyed not sorry to get a hysterectomy.

3. some women have meno symptoms that last for years from before periods stop to years after they’ve had their last periods...sorry 😟

Aargh, over50andfab that's what I was afraid of..

57 this year and haven't had one for about 5 years I think Can't actually remember when the last one was because you don't realise it is the last one until it was IYSWIM

Also 55 in 3 months' time and periods are still going strong 🙁. I could really do without them now.

Blimey, I'm 49 and still get one every month and I thought that within a year (or so) I'd be done. My Mum got her last at 56 so 57 not so unusual I guess. Hormonally is it good to keep getting them? I mean, in terms of the levels of hormones that must still be in your body?

There is a woman on youtube, a doctor, barbara taylor or menopause taylor and I have watched a few of her clips recently. there is so much to know. I don't know if i want to know it all.

@userxx While many women have an easy menopause, many more don't. My sex life pretty much ended once the hormones changed, soreness was unbearable. Nothing helped, HRT was awful and I ended up with symptoms I didn't have before, swollen breasts, hot flushes, all manner of little things.

Stopped HRT, not being a fan of it but was persuaded by medical people. Various creams and gels, oestrogen, non oestrogen, you name it, I tried it. Natural stuff, diet changes...

Soreness continued, then the dryness, sleepless nights, tiredness even when I slept, bad tempered, skin thinning, eyebrows thinning, facial hair appearing, skin discolouration, age spots, body shape changing.

I would rather have periods. I fondly remember the last one, it was very painful and heavy, unusual for me, then nothing.

I'm 55 & have just had my Mirena out. I haven't had a period since it went in so I haven't a clue where I am in terms of the menopause. I have my fingers very firmly crossed that I'm through it now & won't suddenly have another period. A blood test suggested it's all done & dusted, I certainly hope so.

Mine stopped at 46. It’s bloody fantastic. Now, where’s that smug face smiley. 😌

59,still having periods.Theyre not regular and heavy/painful and break through the HRT.
You take her to stop the symptoms cause by a drop in oestrogen so usually in peri menopause.when(if ever)your periods have stopped for a year you are officially menopausal.You are still short of oestrogen so the hot flushes,insomnia and night flushes,joint pain,dryness in your nether regions mind fogs,rage and impeding madness(to name but a few)do not stop immediately and for some women at all.
Life sucks.

Out of curiosity.... those who went through an earlier menopause - do you (or did you) smoke? I was told by someone (years ago) that smoking gave you an earlier menopause.

I smoked from 15 until I was about 28 about 10-15 a day, menopause at about 45 iirc and not many bad symptoms apart from a few sweaty nights for about a year, no HRT.

I smoked throughout my teens and twenties, stopped when became pregnant, smoked a bit in my 30s, so the smoking thing didn’t work for me.

DontCallMeShitley

Sorry you are suffering all that. I would possibly look into bio-identical hormone therapy with a good doctor? Where a specific formulation is tailored and made in a pharmacist for you? Sorry if I sound patronising. It's something I think I would try myself if I had funds

I have thyroid issues and fibromyalgia. Due to all the above, I have been told the menopause will potentially make things 10x worse. I can expect vaginal atrophy, increased skin dryness, thinning hair, weaker bones, age spots, excess skin, memory issues, hyperpigmentation...

Some studies link the drop in oestrogen with development of Alzheimers, heart disease and increases in autoimmune disease, arthritis etc in women. Which is (partly) why we develop them in higher rates than men.

Unless they are troublesome, (extremely painful etc) loss of periods is nothing for women to rejoice about. There are no upsides save convenience.

Those of you naturally having periods until late in life are very lucky. You should be skipping about in meadows with buttercups and dandelions

excess skin is a typo. Was meant be excess pigmentation. Editing fail

I'm 52. Started peri menopause when I was about 48, extremely heavy & frequent periods for about a year. Then slowing down. I have now gone about 18 months without any periods and I am considered to be in official menopause. Different for everyone but I don't feel great, moody and aches & pains still.

52 and still going

So what are peri symptoms?