How do you tell it's over if you are on the pill?

[Crosbybeach]

I'm 46, been perimenopausal for what seems most of my life (8/9 years) - on the pill to manage mood, bleeding, anxiety etc so using it as HRT - which is great. It's Qlaira a combined pill.

But periods are fading out. Is the only way to know if I'm through it by coming off the pill and seeing what happens?

In a word, yes.

Right o. Not doing that any time soon then!

I had about 4 years on the pill where I thought things were winding down. I came off it at 49 and had 5 months period-free (took pop for 12 weeks of that time). Then loads of periods.

I wouldn't give it up before 50, if I had the chance .

Qlaira is supposed to be a good one to take when you are perimenopausal as it has the same oestrogen as HRT, which is more like our own. KOKO.

I'm going to stay on it as long as I can!

You are supposed to be able to stay on the pill until you are 50, as long as you are fit and healthy and don't smoke.

I was unlucky in that they suddenly found out I had migraines just after I was 49 and pulled the plug on me (it was their fault, the guidelines had changed 5 years before and they did not check. In fact I don't think anyone ever asked me in the 26 years I was at that surgery so obviously they had to stop prescribing it to me in case I had a stroke in the next 9 months. It seems fine to have hrt though...)