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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Surely 40 years will be enough

32 replies

Morph22010 · 06/05/2024 19:50

I started my periods at 11, I’m 51 one this year and I’m still getting regular monthly periods, surely I’ve done my innings now?

OP posts:
ALPHAFEMALESINCEBIRTH · 06/05/2024 20:26

im unique as im 43 and never had a period due to severe PCOS
i do have 2 kids though(natural pregnancies, how i never know)
no medical procedure or medication ever worked so i have no experience apart from bleeding after births

what ive come on to say is ive know a 53 y old since 2015 who's from my home education group who's pregnant with her 11th and 12th child
got pregnant(on purpose)6 weeks after her last set of twins
she's uses herbal fertility tablets(clomid equivalent) and as she's had 2 sets of twins on it(and the unborn ones) she's convinced they work
and as soon as these are born she's trying again

ok she is the extreme as its her lifestyle beliefs/choices(white witch, hippy type, vegan, home education festival going type family)
they live in 3 giant off grid yurt in a field(its amazing )
but she's always said as long as her body is still able to get pregnant she will always get pregnant

menopause age seemed to have changed
these days women are well in the middle 50s+before periods stop
so you might have years yet

TowerRavenSeven · 06/05/2024 20:28

I thought I read the earlier you start the Later you finish? I started at 11 and went into menopause at 40 but that was because of chemo.

sevenseasoftea · 06/05/2024 20:31

Usually earlier periods mean an earlier menopause but there isn't any hard and fast rule as my gynaecologist tells me just like you can't go by your mothers dates either. My mum was done by 40 after starting at 13 while I am still going regular as clockwork at 47 after starting at 10.

KimberleyClark · 06/05/2024 20:34

I started at age 13 and was all over by 50.

Tickletuesday · 06/05/2024 20:35

Mine stopped 2 months after my 52 birthday

BIossomtoes · 06/05/2024 20:38

I did 43 years (11 to 54). Life’s sweet once it’s all over.

Abitlosttoday · 06/05/2024 20:39

ALPHAFEMALESINCEBIRTH · 06/05/2024 20:26

im unique as im 43 and never had a period due to severe PCOS
i do have 2 kids though(natural pregnancies, how i never know)
no medical procedure or medication ever worked so i have no experience apart from bleeding after births

what ive come on to say is ive know a 53 y old since 2015 who's from my home education group who's pregnant with her 11th and 12th child
got pregnant(on purpose)6 weeks after her last set of twins
she's uses herbal fertility tablets(clomid equivalent) and as she's had 2 sets of twins on it(and the unborn ones) she's convinced they work
and as soon as these are born she's trying again

ok she is the extreme as its her lifestyle beliefs/choices(white witch, hippy type, vegan, home education festival going type family)
they live in 3 giant off grid yurt in a field(its amazing )
but she's always said as long as her body is still able to get pregnant she will always get pregnant

menopause age seemed to have changed
these days women are well in the middle 50s+before periods stop
so you might have years yet

Blimey. Good luck to her, but that makes me feel quite panicky at 45.

Sevenwondersofthewoo · 06/05/2024 20:42

Started at 15 stopped 53. Got a period twice at 55 due to the covid injection very murky and heavy for 5/6 days then nowt since.

Still getting the hot flushes though at nearly 60??

my mother started at 13 but had a hysterectomy at 45 so I can’t compare.

OldTinHat · 06/05/2024 20:47

I started at 12. Now 52 but take the mini pill so no periods. Occasionally, I get mega sore boobs, but nothing else.

I really, really hope that, when I stop the pill at 55, I've sailed through the menopause and never have another period 🤞

Lancrelady80 · 06/05/2024 20:55

im unique as im 43 and never had a period due to severe PCOS

Yay, it's not just me! (Have had a few though, but definitely able to count on fingers and toes.

DS was an IVF baby, dd was definitely a natural surprise.

I remember thoroughly confusing all the midwives /ultrascan people by being completely unable to answer their standard question of "when was your last period?" Apparently "um, about three years ago maybe?" is enough they need to find someone senior.

Dd's surprise appearance is the reason I am on the pill, but absolutely no idea how I will know when it is no longer needed / when menopause kicks in.

TotalDramarama24 · 06/05/2024 23:21

I started at 10 and finished at 46, which was great, but just in time for my DDs to begin their periods so I still get to enjoy the mood swings, cost of sanitary products and the washing every month.

Rookangaroo4 · 06/05/2024 23:24

i started me periods at 15 and had my last at 45, got off lightly with 30 years. However that was 7 years ago and menopause symptoms are hanging around like a bed smell.

Rookangaroo4 · 06/05/2024 23:25

TotalDramarama24 · 06/05/2024 23:21

I started at 10 and finished at 46, which was great, but just in time for my DDs to begin their periods so I still get to enjoy the mood swings, cost of sanitary products and the washing every month.

Funny you should say that, the month after my last one my daughter started!

Rookangaroo4 · 06/05/2024 23:26

BIossomtoes · 06/05/2024 20:38

I did 43 years (11 to 54). Life’s sweet once it’s all over.

When is that? My last period was 7 years ago but the menopause symptoms are as bad as ever!

mrsfollowill · 06/05/2024 23:34

I've well and truly done my time- started at 11- 1st week at high school. I'm 53 now and crossing my fingers at the moment. Have been 2 weeks on two weeks off for 4/5 yrs. Dreadful time - 80+ orange Tampax and countless heavy flow pads as well. I hardly say it out loud but I'm 10 days overdue and thinking this might be it! I do hope so 😂it's been bloody awful and DH is a saint!

mondaytosunday · 06/05/2024 23:38

I started at 11 and think I had my last at 54 or 55. Luckily it just became irregular then eventually stopped - no other symptoms! My mother had a nightmare I was dreading it.

DramaAlpaca · 06/05/2024 23:38

I started at 13 and had my last one at 46 when I got a Mirena coil, so 'only' 33 years. I've no idea when I would've gone through the menopause naturally.

All was fine and period free until I had six months of postmenopausal bleeding in my mid-50s after starting HRT, which only stopped when I got another Mirena. I hope that's the end of it now.

UnctuousUnicorns · 07/05/2024 00:04

I started at 12, had my last at 44, so who knows? 🤷‍♀️

maddening · 07/05/2024 00:06

I would appreciate that you are not having to experience menopause yet and that your bone density and other things that decline in menopause are not yet impacting you.

pinkdays · 07/05/2024 00:06

Started age 11 and still menstruating at 56

Sick of it now

aurynne · 07/05/2024 00:12

Started at 11, still going regularly at 47. To be honest, I won't miss periods when they're gone, but I have been very, very lucky in that apart from the bleeding my periods are very mild. So I won't complain too much just in case I end up having a horrible menopause.

Answersunknown · 07/05/2024 00:15

ALPHAFEMALESINCEBIRTH · 06/05/2024 20:26

im unique as im 43 and never had a period due to severe PCOS
i do have 2 kids though(natural pregnancies, how i never know)
no medical procedure or medication ever worked so i have no experience apart from bleeding after births

what ive come on to say is ive know a 53 y old since 2015 who's from my home education group who's pregnant with her 11th and 12th child
got pregnant(on purpose)6 weeks after her last set of twins
she's uses herbal fertility tablets(clomid equivalent) and as she's had 2 sets of twins on it(and the unborn ones) she's convinced they work
and as soon as these are born she's trying again

ok she is the extreme as its her lifestyle beliefs/choices(white witch, hippy type, vegan, home education festival going type family)
they live in 3 giant off grid yurt in a field(its amazing )
but she's always said as long as her body is still able to get pregnant she will always get pregnant

menopause age seemed to have changed
these days women are well in the middle 50s+before periods stop
so you might have years yet

Sorry to jump on this but any idea what she’s taking?!
trying for #1 in late 30s (fingers crossed)

AliceMcK · 07/05/2024 11:47

OldTinHat · 06/05/2024 20:47

I started at 12. Now 52 but take the mini pill so no periods. Occasionally, I get mega sore boobs, but nothing else.

I really, really hope that, when I stop the pill at 55, I've sailed through the menopause and never have another period 🤞

This is what I’m hoping.

i didn’t take any kind of contraceptives between 23 & 46 and only went on the mini pill in the hopes it would control my period pain. It completely stoped my period so no more pain. Yay

i did have my last child at 42 and apparently that can delay menopause, no idea if it’s true. But I fully intend on staying on the pill until 55 and hope I miss it.

AntisocialPotNoodle · 07/05/2024 11:51

what ive come on to say is ive know a 53 y old since 2015 who's from my home education group who's pregnant with her 11th and 12th child
got pregnant(on purpose)6 weeks after her last set of twins
she's uses herbal fertility tablets(clomid equivalent) and as she's had 2 sets of twins on it(and the unborn ones) she's convinced they work
and as soon as these are born she's trying again

That's the most horrifying thing I've ever read, why does she want so many children?

JaninaDuszejko · 07/05/2024 12:11

My Mum started her periods at 11 and had her last at 55. Had an easy menopause, didn't take HRT. Still youthful looking in her late 70s.
I started my periods at 14 and am still having regular periods in my early 50s, only getting slight symptoms of peri and if I wasn't looking for them I probably wouldn't put the two together. My fertility was tip top in my late 30s and early 40s (got pregnant first month of trying for each of the 3DC) so not that surprised I'm still having periods.

Average age is suppose to be 51 with a spread from mid 40s to mid 50s but don't know when those stats were collected and what the diversity of the group they looked at was like.

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