Easy menopause?

[Spinstar]

I'm 52.5 and haven't had a period for 11 weeks - the longest without one since I was pregnant. However, I feel happy, healthy, energetic and with none of the usual symptoms associated with menopause.

Over the last 2 to 4 years, I've thought I was probably perimenopausal, as my periods, whilst still regular, were slightly less regular than they'd been and I sometimes felt very angry about things that might only merit minor irritation.

Then earlier this year, I became very ill with an unknown flu-like virus that nearly had me hospitalised - more ill than I've ever been in my life. It took 4 to 5 months to recover and I was suffering with symptoms that were the same as bowel cancer or Inflammatory bowel disease. After tons of fast track investigations and a very scary time, I was deemed 'fine' and told it was now post viral IBS. The flu like symptoms have long gone and I feel healthy and well, except for ongoing stomach pain - but no issues with going to the loo.

I've radically changed by diet to self-help my presumed IBS and wonder if this is stopping me from having menopausal/perimenopausal symptoms and led to an easy end to periods?

Previously, I ate a wholefood vegetarian diet for over 30 years but am now eating fish and white meat and occasionally red meat and far far fewer veg and fruit. It's what they call a Low Fodmap diet and so no wheat/dairy/several veg and fruit not possible anymore - but is therefore high protein instead.

Is it completely coincidental that my periods have suddenly stopped altogether and I'm feeling very healthy - except for the ongoing stomach issues? I don't have any menopausal 'look' about me - ie no extra facial hair, no extra dry skin or wrinkles, no hot flushes, if anything, less water retention than I've had for years and so so much more physical energy and happy mood.

I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience? Might this just be the calm before the storm and periods return and even 'flooding'/heavy periods, bad moods etc - or is my new lease of life, diet related? Yet so many people talk about needing more fruit and veg and calcium at my age - which my Low Fodmap diet prevents.

I'm really curious to know why I feel so well and so much stronger in my body than I've done for years. Is it hormones 'flat-lining' or is it the change in diet - or even the sense of reprieve from a life threatening illness? Has anyone else had an easy menopause when periods just simply stop and you feel and look vibrant, strong and really really well?

Ha! I could have written that post when I was your age. various food intolerances mean I have a restricted diet though it's very healthy. Not on the fodmap but no wheat, dairy, booze, caffeine and a few other things. I thought I'd not 'had' The Menopause at almost 53. No peri symptoms except The Rage though that was par for the course with teenagers at home. No flooding, no really weird cycles, just lighter periods and slightly shorter cycles. Then almost overnight after missing 4 cycles (so about 16 weeks) hot flushes and insomnia started. You might find you sail through this or maybe you have the grotty stuff yet to come. who knows.

In the last four years I have had three breaks in having periods of up to eight months. Each time, I thought, that's it. I also had hot flushes at nighttime earlier this year. But I am obviously not in menopause just yet. In fact I have just started another period at 51.

Eleven weeks might be too early to call it.

Before this, I had never missed a period except for pregnancy, and they came every 21-26 days.

But I am sure that eating what is right for you must help at least a bit.

Just be grateful for what you have, OP.