Do periods just stop, and that's it?

[Whattodowithit]

Hi - I'd be grateful if anyone can advise: my periods have become further apart and irregular over the past 3 or so years, to one about every 2-3 months. I also seemed to suffer from constant PMT and gripey 'phantom period pains' that just rose and rose to really intolerable levels until my period started. Thankfully, I only have occasional hot flushes. Now, I haven't had a period for 5 months, which is the longest gap ever apart from pregnancies, and the PMT and 'phantom pains' have come and gone, and come and gone... Do periods just stop? I'm 53 (and a half!) btw. Can I put all my STs etc in my daughters' bathrooms and forget about them? Thanks in advance.

If you're anything like me then no, sorry, you're likely to have a few years of 2 or 3 torrential crampy periods a year, usually when you are either camping or staying at your MIL on brand new sheets. Things started slowing down for me in 2006 and I'm just now thinking it may be a year since my last period, which would make me officially menopausal (tho as my memory is fucked too, who knows? )

You might be lucky, but I'd keep some STs handy and expect the unexpected.

Mine did, but I think every woman is completely different. I haven't had a period for at least 3 years, but have had no hot flushes, mood swings, or any other symptom. But friends have completely different symptoms, weight gain, etc.

sorry!! must admit tho, i do keep worrying that all the symptoms will arrive overnight! That I'll wake up one morning weighing 5 stone more than the night before, bed swimming with sweat and wanting to kill everyone!!! lets hope that doesn't happen.

I think after 3 years you're probably safe.

Thanks, I hope so.

I started to get longer and longer gaps between mine. And also hot flushes. One of the most unpleasant things was facial acne, around my chin and jawline, always at the same time of the month.

But then my periods just stopped. I'm 53, and haven't had one for over a year now.

I still get occasional hot flushes, but nothing I can't cope with.

I have, though, found that as a low carber the hot flushes are much less frequent than when I eat carbs. (Caffeine is also a trigger)

Thanks - you've made me laugh, and I shall expect the unexpected, along with avoiding campsites and brand new sheets at all costs, and my daughters can buy their own STs. xxx

Oh, the thought of this being the 'end' of... I'm not sure... being young/admitting you are no longer... whatever that means... More acne, and dry fanjos (not what I want, being in a new-ish (just over 3 year) relationship, with more sex than I've been used to for the past 20 years), jowls I have already, I don't have the boobs to go south, and a friend of mine warns against having to facially shave more than her husband. It doesn't sound a whole heap of fun. Am I suddenly supposed to go off sex overnight and gain 5 stone? Fewer periods are nice, for sure, but this menopause lark sounds like crossing over to 'the other side', wherever that is. Irritability comes with being the age I am, with 3 late teenage/early 20 kids; they're lucky to still be alive, the sods. Presumably we ladies survive this and still look gorge? Personally, I blame me feeling 'meh' at Tesco having a BOGOFF deal on STs, and thinking "will I ever need 2 packs again?" I bought them, nevertheless.

Everyone is different. I was a bit like you- though no pain etc. I had regular periods right up to 52-53, missed one, then a few regular ones, then missed 4 and then went another year until another light one, then another light one almost a year later. I went on HRT for poor sleep so haven't yet had to deal with any whiskers.

With regard to weight/weight loss, I've lost 2 stones in the last year, and am around 9 stone 5 now - so it's totally possible!

I had longer and longer between. No real pmt ( but had never had any anyway). Finally went a year without one.

Bastard things came back with a vengeance end of November and had one every three weeks since then and raging pmt the day before.

I've had no weight gain but I have changed shape - I'm much less curvy.
No whiskers or dry vagina. I've always been a bit spotty - no change there.

I have had quite bad depression, raging hot flushes and very unpredictable periods. Also, I seem to wake up at stupid o'clock every day but now I'm used to that I quite like it.

I had last period at 49 two years ago, after having periods every 2 or 3 months
for a year or so before that. I've been lucky in not having hot flushes but do
get quite weepy and depressed at times and find it difficult to sleep well, though
herbal sleeping pills seem to help that. In regards to weight I'm actually slimmer
now down to about 8stone 6lbs.

whiskers?

Mine did. They were always v heavy and it got worse for a while. I had thermal ablation because of it and then that was it. Not a problem since. V occasional hot flush, nothing much.

All this has been in my 40's though (now 48) so young-ish I think. I do wonder if maybe I should take some sort of supplement, but I feel A1 and don't miss them one bit, it's a relief.

I am heavier than in my younger days but I suspect that could be more to do with lifestyle than menopause.

I could do with losing maybe a stone/stone and a half but because I'm tall and the weight is spread about it makes me lazy about doing so