Menopause - how old were you?

[LiquoriceStick]

Just that really - I know we're all very different but I wanted to ask, what age did you start menopause (or peri) & then how long after did you totally stop having periods?

I'm 41. Zero symptoms yet, regular periods.

I have Endometriosis and Adenomyosis (yay) and have been offered a hysterectomy. I'd rather wait for my natural menopause than go through surgery for my periods to stop, but realistically how much longer have I got?

I had my last period just before my 57th birthday. For the year prior to that they had been getting irregular.

I've never had a hot flush or a night sweat. But I have brain fog and muscle weakness.

Perimenopause probably started in my mid forties looking back. It was when my periods became huge, unstoppable floods.

After various medical interventions (but not a hysterectomy even though I wanted one) I finally had my menopause (final period) just as I turned 57. I will be 59 in August, so it looks like I can now safely say that I am finally postmenopausal. At long last my ridiculously stubborn ovaries have given up the ghost and I am free of my awful periods. I don't miss them at all.

My main symptom was the years of heavy, flooding periods, which were horrendous. I do get some brain fog but have never noticed a hot flush or a night sweat.

As far as the question of how long you might have left with periods, I'm afraid I think you are asking how long is a piece of string. It really is that variable, as you can see from my own and other responses on this thread.

Depending on the state of your ovaries you can have a hysterectomy and keep one or both. I have one ovary left, hysterectomy at 44 due to endometriosis and all other treatments failing. The ovary is not attached to anything and has no blood supply. It's just there, like a satellite out of orbit. Six years later I have not a clue if I am peri/ menopausal or not. Maybe it is still doing something, maybe not. It is bliss.

38 started peri and repeatedly told I was ‘too young’ for HRT by GPs. Meno by mid-forties, finally got HRT and my mojo back.

Peri menopause started at 33.(confirmed by bloodwork). Crash menopause due to radical hysterectomy at 40 (thanks cancer.). Can't take HRT as it was hormone driven but wow life is better without the mental periods.

Peri mid 50's, not sure as pretty mild, and periods still regular, but did go on HRT at 56. Recently stopped the hrt at 59 and not had a period since December. So I think thats it??

Late forties periods got slightly closer together (26 days rather than 28, maybe heavier too). Moving towards 52 no period for 5 months, but then a very heavy flooding one (now 52) - really hope I don’t keep getting those now! That was last week. No other obvious symptoms of peri (no hot flashes etc) but maybe some so mild/gradual that I haven’t really noticed. I blame things on peri (why did I come into this room?) but not convinced they are much different from before.

Im 46 and have PCOS and never had a regular period, needed m ivf to conceive.
But for the last 3 years been like clockwork with all the signs for ovulation!!!!
Turns out I’m fertile in my 40’s.
Mum was my age when she went through menopause, my sister who is 48 reckons she is now… I’ve no idea, just have the fear of having a ‘surprise’ baby.
My Granny had twins at 44.

Menopause is officially just one day - the day you reach a full year of no periods. After that, strictly speaking, you're post menopausal.

@Bringinguptherear I think it's actually counter-intuitive in that the earlier you start periods the later you tend to hit menopause and conversely the later you start the earlier you finish. I'm sure I read data on that a very long time ago, but of course it's entirely possible I've got it wrong or have misremembered. Maybe someone who's more up-to-date or has a better understanding could comment.

Most women are about the same age as their mums when their periods stop apparently, unless theres medical issues that the mum didnt have.

I was 41, and I’m 56 now. I needed to have my ovaries removed and the hot flushes started very quickly.

41, no sign of anything
just had a massive endo excision surgery and a mirena fitted for deep infiltrating stage 4 endo and adenomyosis

That's interesting @Crudd99

My mother had a hysterectomy when quite young and I use an IUS so it will be hard to tell

I think perimenopause began at about 42/43 for me. My hair thinned dramatically, I got itchy skin, I had brain fog and anxiety, and many aches and pains. HRT helped a little while giving up alcohol has helped a lot.

And the most important one - really terrible PMT which I suspect is PMDD. It's been getting steadily worse for a few years. Sertraline has helped.

I'm 46 and not there yet but a few small signs of peri like aching joints, brain fog and I get really bad muscle aches after exercise now when I didn't use to.

I've always wondered whether people who go through menopause later age "better" than those who go through menopause earlier. Do the extra hormones keep you looking younger for longer?

Had a long road to parenthood eventually conceiving naturally a year after after refraining from actively 'trying' and/or actively 'preventing' pregnancy. I was 42.

After giving birth, my irritating GP insisted I immediately go on mini pill because I was 'the oldest mother the practice had ever had'. Took mini pill until DC was about 4. I really didn't like not having a period and in a world where I felt elated to finally be a parent the mini pill lack of a cycle was a weirdness I really didn't like. Took myself off it, had erratic periods for a couple of years then ziltch.

Annoying GP retired around this time. I enquired re HRT and was told I'd had 'rapid' menopause and wasn't eligible.

I've always been someone who doesn't feel the cold. My Mum called me a 'hot body' 🤣. But it went ballistic at menopause and - even now, 10 plus years on - I could walk around the house in shorts while DH and DC wrap up in jumpers/blankets. However, that's really the end and beginning of symptoms. The main symptom was our menopause baby, that little fertility peak that made parenthood possible. So I'm not complaining.

Started at 51, finished 56. It wasn't fun.

I'm 52, still regular.

I had issues with heavy periods and a shorter cycle around 49. GP put me on the pill, took it until 54 (the age my mum went through menopause) and never had another period. So somewhere in the early 50s I’d guess.

Periods went haywire and I was on for longer than I was off at 42, last period at 44, I’m now 52 and on HRT because of my age

49 now & peri since 47 , having a shit time at the moment, infact was at doc’s yesterday to change up hrt, I was on estradot patches since March 24 , found them zero help , well sorry, did stop hot flushes , but thought with coil fitted & patches would stop the awful down & out feeling 😔, didn’t though ..
Was put on spray yesterday, so 🤞…

I was prob in peri- menopause for 4 years ( started around 44) The last 18 months I had very large gaps between periods and then they completely stopped at 48.

Last period at 58. My mum and sisters were about 50. Don’t know why I was so late.

Menopause at 41. Didn't know I was perimenopausal, just thought my periods were a bit erratic.

dead on 50 for peri, but still on the pill at 54 so no idea if I am in full menopause. I assume so though