Is there any damn reason why my norks have been sore balloons for a week now, given the extreme unlikeliness that I am up the duff? Am I just heading for menopause?

[motherinferior]

It's getting on my nerves.

oh I have had the same thing MI

I suspect myself of being menopausal a lot recently
I am grumpy
my norks hurt
AND (sorry if tmi) I seem to be on the blob for a day, then stop for a couple, then on properly

I have moaned at my gp but he says I am just stressed

(I am only 40)
(AND since when did being stressed give you sore norks???)

Apparently the average age of menopause in the UK is 49, according to my lovely GP. I could just be precocious. I have to overcome this unreasonable dread of the menopause - it's so culturally loaded and all.

hi sea!

Have to say that not having periods is fab (mine were deluges before they stopped) (sorry if TMI )

So is it all pretty straightforward, WW, did you find?

If average age is 49, then average range is presumably 44-54?

WW can we have a Q&A with you about it? And anyone else who wants to join in? I'd like to know more too, find all v scary. Esp hormones, I'm mad enough as it is without menopause

MI. worry not, it'll take you years to crank up to the menopause proper, even I'm still not there yet

It's the cranking I'm worried about, Cam, if it means ever inflating norks. I'll look like that Lolo wossname woman who was on Eurotrash by the time I finally get through.

Or should that be crank down

you get sharp shooting pains don't you? i do

i wish people would stick to the same name .

lolat lollo whassername.
Right, it's way past my bedtime, must go to bed, night all.

Ah, well, I think my floods were peri-menopausal - from around age 46, can't remember exactly. I was still flooding at 49 but then had chemo which kicked me straight into no periods at all (lots of hot flushes etc though)

OTOH my same-age 1st cousin's peri-m meant hardly any periods for years on end - but not no periods.

I don't think there is a route. Def worth getting your hormone levels checked if not pg now.

I'm the one who called me precocious . My GP is a love. She is very cheering and gorgeous and not exactly a slip of a girl.

Must take the norks to bed, thank you all for the ahem reassurance!

WendyWeber... how old are you if you don't mind me asking? I'm 46 and my periods seem to have disappeared since April. I even bought a pregnancy test in my lunch break last week out of panic, but it was negative {phew emoticon] My norks are still all swollen and sore though.

Good night, MI - sleep well - hope the morning brings good news

I'm 56 now, moon - no periods for 6 years - wonderful!

(Actually, while we're on the subject, I used to bulk-buy sanpro and still have a carrier-bag full - all individually wrapped - I can't bring myself to throw them away but somehow passing them on seems wrong, but is there anybody who would be happy to use 2nd-hand-unused-STs??? I would be happy to post them out ))

I've been told by a menopausal friend (who is 42, btw) that the older you are when you start having periods, then the younger you are when you reach menopause. Is there any truth in this?

MI - up the stick I reckon Is it possible that your overuse of the webbed-gloves this week has aggravated your upper body?

Maybe she's over-exercised her pecs

FWIW I was late starting periods (nearly 14)and was def un-menopausal at nearly 50; I hadn't heard there was a pattern like that but will google

Which charity collection, Cf? Can I send them to Oxfam?

I consider myself 'lucky' in the periods stakes.

Started at almost 16, lasted approx 3 days in every month and light with it. Menopaused at 36 with no symptons other than the obvious no bleed. I have been period free for 20 years