Menopause - do you just get on with it

[BarchesterFlowers]

Or go to the doctors? 48 - presume this is it, I do have fibroids which don't cause me too many issues apart from v heavy periods.

A v heavy period stopped mid flow a couple of weeks ago - like a tap being turned off and I ovulated the same day.

Two weeks on my breasts feel like they did when I was pregnant and I am having another period.

DH asked if I needed to see a dr - I didn't think so. Hence my question, menopause is just a normal thing isn't it?

I am at this stage too. I just presume you get on with it unless some aspect becomes unbearable. Then I would go to the gp. It's just so annoying with periods being all over the place and the flooding heaviness of it all.

I didn't even realise that other people went to their Dr. I bought a cheap and simple urine test to confirm what I already knew, then just let it happen. I still have the occasional hot flush but it's mostly all calmed down now. I am 10 years in.

If you're still bleeding but it becomes wonky and irregular or very heavy, that's perimenopause. It's menopause when the bleeding stops and you don't get periods anymore. I just got on with it. IMO it's a natural process that doesn't require medical intervention unless you're experiencing serious problems with it.

I didn't see a doctor but I had no real symptoms - my periods just stopped and I had one hot flush (didn't realise what it was until afterwards).

That was it, I was very lucky but then I have never experienced any menstrual symptoms or anything 'gynae' related ever . Would never have had any idea when I 'ovulated' - didn't even realise wome could tell when they were ovulating .

When I was having a smear test in my early 40s the practice nurse carrying out said to go to the gp if I had any menopausal symptoms that were bothering me. She seemed to suggest that it was a good idea to go and not to suffer in silence. Personally I've learnt to go to the gp for this reason as I thought my heavy periods were to be endured but routine blood tests told me I was severely anemic. There are so many things that can help and I think a gp visit would be good even if the answer is everything's normal.

Thanks, DH comes from the land of commercialised overprescription for the privilidged few, US, so I am wary of his advice on anything medical .

I have well managed anaemia and pernicious anaemia so have blood tests regularly enough.

I will carry on then and hope these hormonal surges last as long as Ragwort's did.

I wouldn't bother a doctor with it unless you really can't manage any symptoms. Menopause isn't an illness and there is a lot of advice online.