Do you think I'm almost there?

[Knackered69]

I'm nearly 47. When I was 43 I started with night sweats - not too disruptive but noticeable. I was joking about it at work and one of the doctors suggested the menopause.

I laughed

Then my periods became lighter and skipped a bit. I started with hot flushes. My God - they are extraordinary - it's such a whole body experience! I also had palpitations with them. Sometimes I would be drifting off to sleep and I would be jerked upright into a sitting position thinking I was dying - it was a palpitation coinciding with a hot flush.

3 years on, and the hot flushes and palpitations have lessened. I haven't had a period for 8 months, and that was just a couple of spots. I rarely get palpitations now, and the hot flushes aren't every day now.

Do you think I'm nearly through it?

Possibly. But many women go 11 or even 12 months then bleed again. You are young for menopause- early meno is classed as before 45 and some consultants go as far as 47. Might be worth keeping an eye on your osteoporosis risk and checking if you have any risk factors because the average age of meno is 52 so you will have a theoretical higher risk of low bone density.
You might also- just for the bad news!- start having other symptoms that can kick in after the flushes have stopped- eg bladder problems, vaginal dryness, stiff joints etc.