Shouldn’t my periods have stopped by now?

[Blondiebeachbabe]

I’m 55 in a couple of months. I’ve missed a few periods here and there, but generally still going strong. Currently in a lot of pain and in the middle of a very heavy one. Anyone else still having periods at almost 55? I’m desperate for this to just end!

53 here. Still regular as clockwork. A recent test said I wasn't even really peri menopausal. I've had it as well. Just want it all to be over. However apparently my mum only stopped close to sixty and my grandmother got pregnant at 54 (such a scandal! Sadly miscarried at 4 months) so I'm stuck still using contraception while all my friends are finished with the whole palaver.

Mine have only just stopped at 56. Almost got to one year and then they kicked in again. Had it checked out and apparently it is not uncommon for your ovaries to have one last effort.

My periods got increasingly heavier from my late 40's, getting increasingly more debilitating - went on for about 3 years.
Eventually had a minerva coil fitted and the stopped immediately.
I know not everyone gets on with it, but worth a try.

Women can get pregnant up to the age of 55

I'm nearly 54 and mine have just started to go a bit irregular in the last couple of months. Hope yours end soon, along with your pain and discomfort.

My stepmums only stopped at 58 because she got the mirena in.

Think I had my last one at 56. Started when I was 11.

Completely regular until 55. Started missing the occasional one then and wasn't properly menopausal until 57. PITA. I hated them from the age of 12.

Runs in my mums side of the family, late menopause. MIL is the same too 55 still going. Except MIL suffers a lot due to fibroids so gets very heavy bleeding. An intravaginal ultrasound is useful for this.

Mine just stopped suddenly.

It's good to see others stopping a bit later. I'm only 51 and constantly hear women talking about how they stopped in their 40s. I think I am the only woman in my friendship group still going, and regularly too.

Women can get pregnant up to the age of 55
There was a woman who conceived naturally in The Channel Islands aged 59 a few years ago.

My friend was quite angry at me when her periods stopped and asked if I was done, but I told her mine were still going. 🫤 It was like competitive ovulating.

I had to remind her that even if we'd started out with the same number of eggs, I hadn't ovulated monthly due to PCOS, pregnancy and breastfeeding, so possibly still had a few more stored in the coop. She'd decided not to have children and was as regular as clockwork on the other hand.

Frighteningly she's a doctor, and works in a branch of healthcare too.

How are they a sign for longevity? I'm almost 50 and no sign of periods stopping.. I didn't start having periods until I was 14 and have had heavy periods for years. My sister went through the menopause a few years ago and hasn't had a period for the last two years.

I’m 57 now. Has my last period a year ago. They were pretty regular until a couple of months before they stopped. I had a baby at age nearly 45. No menopausal symptoms really, though I do look and feel older in the last year. My periods were very heavy and painful and I am glad to be rid of them.

I don't know about the longevity thing but I do know estrogen is good for you. So the longer you have periods, the longer you have higher estrogen levels for strong bones and cardiac health.

What age did you start? Apparently an earlier start age is linked with a later menopause. Some fucking cruel twist that. I started at 11 😬

I didn't know that having children delays the menopause either.........

I that's true I'll be waiting a long time. I don't know that it is.

Started at 13 awful pain and heavy taken home from school a couple of times. Had PCOS so then two periods a year. Fertility drugs had a baby, periods settled down. Had a surprise baby at 45. At 50 heavy periods. At 56 stopped dead. Then the hot flushes started. 12 years later I still get hot flushes at night around bedtime.

I still get that ovulation twinge in my ovaries though which is weird.

This made me laugh. If its any consolation I didn't start having periods until I was 14 and there is no sign of them stopping earlier.

A gynaecologist told me that roughly 2/3 of women will have stopped menstruating by age 52 and the final third by around age 57. They clearly hadn’t met some mumsnetters! I guess there is always outliers.

Sympathies OP. I never thought I'd be dealing with all this nonsense in my fifties. I think mine is mostly fibroids though 😭😭 , if there are any eggs in there I'd never notice them amidst the general deluge. Am on the list for a hysterectomy and it can't come soon enough. I'm losing a week of my life every month. It's awful.

I read somewhere that the earlier you start your periods the later you reach menopause! Not sure if it’s true but I won’t tell my sister who started periods aged 8.

56, still going. It's hard to tell because I have a Mirena coil, though it's out of date so no progesterone, and I'm on HRT. I usually get a sort of annoying dribble at random times, but last month I had a full on bleed that took me by surprise and I wasn't prepared. Had to use looroll at work. They provide sanitary wear, but only tampons which I have never used, don't want to use, and which I'm not sure are a great choice for menopausal women with fragile inners!