Average age for menopause?

[Lottie4]

I'm now 47 and just wondering what the average age for the menopause is. If you're going through it or have been through it, can you let me know what age it started. Also, what were the first signs. Just wondering what to expect and when!

[CointreauVersial]

I'm 46, and pretty much through it, I think. Only one period in the last 12 months (but it was a whopper, and went on for 29 days). Not much in the way of hot flushes, but have had a few years of irregular, monster periods, moodiness etc.

Teasel - interesting what you say, I wondering if the opposite is true. I started really late (15 1/2), and seem to be stopping early.

[teaselweasel]

So was I!

[stillenacht]

Oh God teasel!! Was hoping for earlier rather than later!!!

[teaselweasel]

My mum and I both started at 11 years and she didn't go through menopause till her fifties. I have read that women who start early often finish later! I'm 46 and just starting to get odd warm episode, scatter brained and felt a bit pmtish the other day despite being mid cycle. My doctor directed me to menopausematters website for more info.

[MsIngaFewmarbles]

bunbaker not necessarily pregnancies. All females are born with a number of immature eggs. Menopause begins when these have run out.

IVF forces the body to mature many eggs per cycle so would reduce the number of 'normal' cycles a woman would have.

[stillenacht]

Does starting periods early mean you go through menopause early?

I was 10 when I started (10 and 5 months) and am 40 now. Just had blood test last week to check hormone levels as have had upset cycle for last three months. Also keep getting very warm, walking around in t shirts, everyone saying they are cold and I am hot (I am a bit overweight but this feels different to me than just being comfortably warm due to blubber )

[MsIngaFewmarbles]

I'm 35 and mine has started, I knew it was likely (huge family history) and have had all the babies I want.

So far, hot flushes (occasional), periods missing, closer together, further apart, PMT dreadful, but was never great. Back ache and worse cramping than before. Sex drive non existent then crazy. Mood swings and anxiety, also brain blips like in late pregnancy.

[squeaver]

Haven't had a period since I was 39 (Mirena) but definitely now peri-menopausal, at least - hot flushes and night sweats.

Doctor told me it's very much dictated by the age your mum started menopause and that would be correct in my case (46).

[TheArticFunky]

I have known a couple of women to become pregnant over the age of 50, they both miscarried but must have been ovulating.

[ShotgunNotDoingThePans]

I'm 50 and had my last period almost a year ago, after a coupleof false alarms where I had 6 month gaps then back with a vengeance.

I now realise I was in pm for a few years before that; mood swings, anxiety and hot flushes, plus insomnia and brain death.

Sage tablets by Dr Vosgel sort out the flushes/sweats I find.
I've had awful aches and pains since having DS1 18 years ago, so can't comment on that - other than that learning Alexander Technique helps.

[digerd]

Rockin
My GYNe told me a woman over 50 still having periods they are not ovulating at that age.
When my sis came of the pill at 55 she said to her gyny " But what if I become pg?"..Gyny laughed at her and said if she became pg at 55 it would be a miracle.
Before IVF the Guiness Book of Records showed 48 to be the oldest age for a woman to give birth.

[TheArticFunky]

In my family it's 57 and according to my mum it's symptom free!

[erilou38]

You lucky lot of ladies!! I'm only 38 and going through menopause already! Experiencing hot flashes, vaginal dryness, anxiety, mood swings and palpitations. Menopause is a big bag of shit!!!!!!!!!!

[RockinD]

Ha! I know how you feel. I've just had another period after an 11 month break. I'm sure it was a period because it was preceded by homicidal PMT and I've had a full gynae check up only a few months ago when everything was fine.

I am 58 in two weeks and very glad I didn't take my GP's advice to dispense with contraception when I was 50!

[ArgyMargy]

I'm 49 and have had about a year of strange periods - close together, 2 days flood then it's over, then a bit a of gap etc etc. Also some heat but not full on flushing. Mood swings - ha! that's just normal for me...

[digerd]

52 is the majority age for periods to stop. Some stop much earlier, but later are in the minority. Don't worry Basket.
Those on the pill continue with the pseudo period/bleeding, as with DSIS, but she was not ovulating. If she had stayed on the pill until 70s she probably would have continued to bleed in the 7 days off.

[BasketzatDawn]

Well, I spoke too soon. Obviously 52 1/2 too early for my menopause.

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

Willthisworknow -can I ask if you were told that you would go into the meno early because of IVF? I started with meno about age 41, I had IVF at age 36. My symptoms have been very bad anxiety, sleeplessness, night sweats, hip ache, restless legs, back ache, I could go on....
I have a hrt patch for the oestrogen and mirena for progesterone.
I am thoroughly sick of feeling like this, the hrt has helped with the sweats, but the aches and pains haven't gone at all.
I went to a meno clinic referred by my GP. Their expertise and understanding were second to none. It's worth getting a referral if there is one in your area.

[MoreThanWordsforAnyFucker]

Started with night sweats around 41; at 42/43 periods started to go haywire, closer or further apart, heavier, then hot flushes.

Now on hrt and mirena but I have no idea how I will know when it's all over because I finally don't have periods with the coil.

[nemno]

This is a useful thread, thanks for starting it. I'm nearly 51 and nothing is different for me yet. Same regular heavy periods as always.

[helzapoppin2]

Hot flushes started at 45. Periods stopped at 50.
Doctor called it an "early menopause". I didn't think it was!

[Jinty64]

I'm 49 and haven't had a period for a couple of years, they just stopped. I get an occasional hot flush but nothing much.

[Seaoftroubles]

I was still having regular, heavy periods at 55. My GP put me on the mini pill- for contraception no less-as I was in a new relationship and he said I could still be fertile! My periods disappeared but I came off the pill due to side effects and, with the onset of hot flushes etc, started hrt 6 months later.As I have been on hrt since then I was never quite sure when my periods finished completely but I'd guess about 56.

[digerd]

52. My sis had them regularly on the pill until she came off it at 55 - no more since. No symptoms before or after.
    I had a couple in my late 50s early 60s, but they were only break throughs on HRT due to stress.

[Ragwort]

I stopped my periods around 48 (I think) - I had one hot flush and absolutely no other symptoms/problems at all. .

I think I was very lucky though - had one pregnancy at 43, don't know if the two facts are linked .