Periods and menopause

[Purdyflick]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to know peoples experiences of this.

I am 46 and know sooner rather than later the menopause is going to start. I have had no symptoms yet,that I have noticed anyway.

Thing is, throughout the whole time I have had my periods they have been painful. Stomach cramps, bloating,swollen tender boobs, back ache and leg aches. These symptoms start about 10 days before my periods and a couple of days during.

So what I am wondering is, as I have had painful periods for over 30 years now. Should I expect the menopause to be difficult too? I know everyone is different and no two experiences will be the same. But I'd just like to hear people's views.

Thank you.

We cannot make the hypothesis that painful periods will be an indication for difficult meno.
I had painless and light periods but my peri was a real nightmare.
My hrt is a lifesaver for me! You can wait and see.

I'm 46 and could have written your post 3 months ago, until my period arrived, then arrived again after 10 days, then again after another 10 days then stayed for 5 weeks ! Just started progesterone only pill so will see why happens now!

Thanks for your comments ladies.
Please let me know how you get on @Ilikesweetpeas

I had easy pain free periods until I hit my mid 40s, but have more than made up for it during peri. Hopefully you'll have an easier time of it through peri and into menopause, seems only fair!

I don't have very painful periods, but have noticed that when I'm eating cleaner (salad, veg, fish etc) that they are even easier. I hardly notice them arrive.
Have you tried a couple of months of not eating processed or junk food, no sugar, biscuits cakes etc? Could be worth a try. Perhaps with a daily multi-vitimin containing minerals too, if you're not already taking one.

Thank you @ParisUSM I hope your symptoms subside a bit soon. @DianaT1969 thank you for your advice too. I do eat a good health diet and i exercise for 7 hours a week. So I'm hoping this will help 👍🏻.

I guess it depends on what you mean by having a bad menopause. I had no issues with periods all my life, no sign of peri, no flooding, no nothing, periods just dwindled out over about 9 months in my early 50s but once my periods stopped I had insomnia, flushes and so on and I still would if I wasn't using hrt as it all comes back if I try to reduce it. Some of my friends say they had nothing at all and sailed through menopause and out the other side.

I'm wondering about this - I'm 43 and my periods have got heavier and less predictable. I flooded unexpectedly during the space of an hour spent sitting in a lecture recently, really embarrassing at my age (or any age, but especially after 30 years of periods!)

Is it within the normal range to get heavier and less predictable in your 40s?

@Purdyflick
things are definitely getting better the closer to menopause I get, thanks. Has made me realise just how bad some people have it with heavy, painful, unpredictable periods - really feel for anyone having 30 years of it.

@catinapoolofsunshine I think anything is 'normal' in peri - normal goes out the window and things have been very unpredictable for me. I always use a pad as well as a tampon in case of flooding, was very scary the first time it happened to me.

Periods without ovulation are supposed to be heavier. So maybe if your pain is linked to how heavy you are, they could be more painful for you as you begin to stop ovulating.

I had painful but light periods, though, then almost pain-free and just getting lighter & lighter (am only 50, though, and wouldn't surprise me if I am still fertile). MNers seem to have extremely predictable in every way periods for most their lives, though, maybe I'm the odd one out.

I had regular periods all my life . Bit grumpy for a day but no big deal. They dwindled at 50 onwards. No flooding. Had hot flushes for a year but nothing l couldn't cope with. My main symptom was forgetting stuff. No hrt. So overall had an easy enough time. ( My pregnancies were a different story) . I don't think there is any patern really but keeping vitamins and iron going was a help to me plus exercise.

I'm trying to retrain in a language I speak imperfectly and only started learning in my 30s, with exams a couple of times per month and juggling 2 primary and one early secondary age kids while this is going on - forgetting things is a frigging disaster

Purdyflick I'm on my 2nd week of the mini pill, have some breakthrough bleeding but it seems to be lessening and I understand that's a common side effect so hoping it will stop soon! Bloods showed I was anaemic and low on vitamin D and I'm having a scan this week to check my womb and ovaries.

@Ilikesweetpeas Thank you for letting me know. I hope all goes well for you and you get some answers from your scan. Fingers crossed 🤞.Take care. X