How will I know if I'm hitting the menopause - I'm 49 - since I'm on the pill and never have periods?

[AJ65]

I did talk to my doctor about it a couple of years ago and she suggested taking myself off the pill for a few months to see what happens, but I was just about to get married so I didn't want to and I'm not sure how informative that would be anyway as my periods were always madly irregular (anything from a 2 week gap to a 3 month gap naturally).

But now I'm wondering. What would happen if I just kept on taking the pill?

Is it a combined or progestogen only pill?

OP I have no idea and am in the same boat so will be hoping someone has some answers. However, I am having a lot of symptoms which suggest being perimenopausal so maybe I am not that far off.

Same here. So far I haven't actually asked the GP (will try to remember when I'm next in for more Pills) but I think the usual advice is that you can come off the pill for a while and have hormone tests, which may or may not tell you anything helpful.

My current plan is to stay on the Pill for as long as the GP will let me, at least until past 50 so that I'd only have to go 1 year without a period instead of 2 before I could stop having to worry about it.

I'm in the same situation. My practice nurse recently told me that the only way to know was the come off the pill - I then wondered why I felt the need to know IYKWIM. I'm having a few weird symptoms but nothing too alarming so was quite relieved when she said I could stay on Cerazette for a while and then we could talk about HRT if necessary.

All very low key - but I'm still bracing myself for potential onslaught ahead!

Oh and I'm 50 in January so apparently I'll have to come off the pill sooner rather than later.

I had to come off COC at 49 and thought I had had a lot of menopausal-like changes. However, I had 5 months with nothing then followed by 3 weekly periods. Two years later, I am still having frequent bleeding and am taking hrt (for other reasons) which has helped with that problem. COC are only licensed up to 50, anyway.

People on pop can continue taking them until they are 55 and no longer require contraception. If you have menopausal symptoms, you can take hrt as well. You only need to stop taking them if you want a blood test (FSH) done, but these tests are not reliable anyway, so it might not be worth it.

Thanks everyone.

I'm on Cerazette and have had no menopausal symptoms that I'm aware of so I guess I can just carry on taking it until the GP says to stop or anything changes. I don't really want to come off the pill as our sex life is quiet enough as it is without adding the complications of alternative contraception!

I did find, coming off coc, that I suddenly discovered libido. Didn't last, though and contraception is a headache :(

Hi DayLillie - I'm sure you're right about libido, but alternative contraception is just too much for us. He won't contemplate the cap after a bad (blister in an unfortunate place) experience, we both loathe condoms, and I can't have a coil after my body rejected the last attempt (also caused hideously long and painful periods so I wasn't unhappy when it just came out)... So, it's the pill or nothing!

I'm in same position. Nearly 50 on the mini pill. No symptoms excepts couple of really hot occasions in bed. I've used condoms for years and have recently gone on the pill as I'm sick to death of condoms.

I am on cerazette pop. I constantly feel like my body wants to start a period. I am 51 years old does anyone have the same symptoms???

My symptoms on mini pill were low mood, flushed, lethargy and at times utter exhaustion with daily life, brain fog, no sex drive, anger, weeping and complete disinterest in things that normally excited me. I take evorel sequi and it has been life changing. I’m 47

I got fematab today any advice from anyone how long it takes to work.
With moods and sweats

I’m 48 (49 in April). I’ve been on cerazette for years after coming off the depo injection. I had not had a problem before until now. Now I feel like I have constant period pain, breast soreness, low mood and tiredness. I have no sex drive at all (not a problem cos I’m single). Have tried to talk to my drs about it, but,tbh, I find they are dismissive and not really wanting to answer questions. I’m happy to have found this chat as it’s answered a few question for me and it’s reassuring to read that others feel the same as I do 😊

I’m on cerazette as well. Worked brilliantly. Had no periods for years and years. Was amazing.
Then I re started having periods again. Now mine last for at least months at a time and sometimes only a week in between. My doctor said she thinks I am peri menopausal and the pill is not enough to stop them from coming any more

Fed up with this entire thing already and I’m only 44.

This could be me talking. I'm in exactly the same boat. Had my fsh blood test and it was 31. Apparently menopause is 35. Thinking of stopping cerrazette justvto know exactly what my body is doing now

Hi .I have just finished taking cerazette after 11 years on it.Im 50 end of year.I just want to see what happens and we using other contraception.I think was masking memopause as im having hot flushes but nothing can't cope with.If it's really bad I seeing Dr on a month so let's see.I just got sick of taking it and dont mind periods for as long as have them.