to hope this is the start of the menopause?

[furlockbones]

I'm 50 in a few months, periods have been a bit erratic for a few years, but in the last 6 months I've had 3 periods, the last was in early September.

I am on quite a strict diet currently (started mid Sept) so that may be a factor. I don't have any symptoms like night sweats or hot flushes, I have found I get generally more anxious about things since I hit my mid 40s but that's not exactly a new thing.

My mum suffered terribly with hot flushes and night sweats around this age so I'd kind of expected similar. As it is I'm just relieved to have no periods as for the last 10 years they have been very painful and (if I'm not taking medication) unpleasantly heavy.

Could this be the end?

It could be. 25% women apparently go through with no symptoms other than periods stopping. But I wouldn't count my chickens just yet...

I hope so, for your sake OP.

I'm 51 and have had erratic periods for over a year and I missed my period for a few months. I was thrilled and thought that I was getting off lightly.

Then the bastard period came back and now I have horrible night sweats, hot flashes, my sleep is horrible, my joints are achy, etc...

I'm crossing my fingers for you and me that it just ends soon!

Can't wait til I hit menopause - I'm 52 - my mum and grandma both had their last period at 52 but mine are still going. But getting closer together and lasting for longer . Added to that joint aches and pains (base of left thumb - why???!!) exhaustion, brain fog and myriad other irritating niggles I must be getting close surely??

I only had heavy periods and the really occasional hot flushes. I had my last period 6 years ago and I have not suffered anything since then

I'm trying not to count my chickens too much.

It's funny because I remember in my 30s thinking I would feel sad when I hit menopause and was 'old' but it feels a relief more than anything. Maybe giving us worse and worse periods just before menopause is the body's way of making us grateful when it finally happens :)

I'm lucky, so far no random aches - I do get a bit of knee pain (I'm a couch to 5ker, and I know that running is bad for the knees especially when you're overweight like me) but nothing other than that so far at least. I do find it hard to deal with lots of information - I've always been a really quick thinker, my brain would be going a mile a minute but now I have to write things down to organise my thoughts and I get really irritated if I'm interrupted while doing something (although to be fair I've always got irritated by that)

Sorry for those of you going through it - let's hope for as swift and symptomless a menopause as possible for us all.

I've been in peri since age 41 and now menopausal at age 46. Most of that time I've not really had symptoms, occasional hot flush. The last year or so has been horrendous with insomnia, night sweats, brain fog etc etc. I've started on HRT to try and help. You may get away lightly but it's a long old process!

@blobby10

Can't wait til I hit menopause - I'm 52 - my mum and grandma both had their last period at 52 but mine are still going. But getting closer together and lasting for longer . Added to that joint aches and pains (base of left thumb - why???!!) exhaustion, brain fog and myriad other irritating niggles I must be getting close surely??

My periods have been erratic for a couple of years. Stopped altogether for a while but are now back again. And I also now have pain at the base of my left thumb. What's that all about?

peri at 41. hotflashes, aches, bitch of a temper, zero tolerance - menopause is utterly pants so far.

I've always been a really quick thinker, my brain would be going a mile a minute but now I have to write things down to organise my thoughts and I get really irritated if I'm interrupted while doing something

This is completely me! I get SO STRESSED OUT these days if anyone interrupts me when I'm trying to focus on something. And I make endless lists, label EVERYTHING, and have to use diaries to remember anything stuff.

My colleagues take the piss out of me, a lot.

Corrag Mine is definitely linked to hormones (or lack of!) as its worse around ovulation and up to my period then better immediately afterwards.

AlbertBridge me too! I have lists everywhere and each 'task' is broken down into much smaller actions ie clean bathroom now becomes clean bathroom sink-toiletbath-shower--floor!!! Each time I cross something off I feel like a champ so five tasks = five times feeling better about myself

My last period was when I was about 48 and prior to this my periods generally became shortly, lighter and the time between them increased. I sometimes thought maybe I had hot flushes but I was always a little prone to overheating so I am not sure. Otherwise no real symptoms (I am 51 now) and would say your experience sounds a bit like mine.