Well my period just stopped an i am not pregnant so....

[forgotMyusernameAgain]

I havent had a period since june, normally as regular as clockwork. I have taken 3 pregnancy tests and all were negative so i am pretty sure its not that.

I am 46 years old so it could be menopause but i didnt think it just stopped and i am absolutely fine otherwise, no hot flushes or mood swings or anything else like that.

I thought i would come and see if the mumsnet collective wisdom had any thoughts. I am a little baffled.

I realise a trip to the doctors in on the cards to get to the bottom of it all but no harm in preparing for what they could say.

So anyone else experienced something similatr? Thoughts please.

My DM was the same. Periods stopped suddenly overnight and no menopausal symptoms. She was a lot older than you (about 55 if I recall correctly) but she also took a pregnancy test just in case, much to DDad’s consternation!

It's quite common to have a few missed periods in the run-up to the menopause. You've only missed 2 , so it's possible that you'll start and stop a few times over the next year or so. That's how it was for me. For some women it just stops and never starts again - you can't guarantee anything with the good ol' menopause. Good luck !

You are probably in the peri menopause stage which can go on for a few years.

My DM told me that she missed several in a row on a number of occasions leading up to her menopause. It's normal AFAIK to do this, but it doesn't mean you'll never have a period again - they can come back! Or not. Ask your DM about her menopause, if you can, as there are often similarities.

Yep, same for me. Mine went erratic from about age 41 (now 46). They vary between 3 - 9 months apart now which is a pain because I never know when they will start. I was regular as clockwork before. No other menopausal symptoms other than very occasional fleeting hot flushes.

Happened to me 3 years in a row from a slightly earlier age, one period a year from regular as clockwork. A few months ago I realised I hadn’t had a period for almost 2 years and I was still under 50. GP supremely unbothered and said if no other real issues don’t do anything.

Thanks everyone, i am reassured a little now. My DM wont talk about such things, so i couldnt get any useful info there.

In a way i am quite enjoying the lack of periods but i will carry on carrying protection around with me as it sounds like they may or may not appear at any time. Oh to be a woman 🙄

Yeah I missed a few about 2 years ago, but they’re regular again now

I've also found my erratic ones are much much more painful than they ever were. 😭 good job they are few and far between.
Also just to mention that you need to continue using contraception until you are 2 years clear of a period if you are under 50.

I always remember my Nan telling me how her periods stopped when she was 44 and she thought that she was pregnant which she was overjoyed about. Unfortunately, it turned out to be menopause and she was devastated by it 😢 Personally, I would be overjoyed if my periods had just stopped like that because I have been perimenapausal since my 30s and it has been horrendous.

I'm down to four periods a year now, but with no idea when they will be 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm forty, have been like this for three years now. My shortest cycle was 54 days and my longest 117 days.

You give me hope they could be gone soon. Still regular as clockwork here, 28 days and the hot flushes I had over the winter have stopped too.

One of my friends (early 50s) thought they were well and truly gone, hadn't had one for over a year, and then whilst on holiday she had one out of the blue!

OP I would google peri menopause and check out the symptoms

@forgotMyusernameAgain
I realise a trip to the doctors in on the cards to get to the bottom of it all but no harm in preparing for what they could say.

Unless you feel unwell, don't bother your GP. Appts are so hard to get these days for serious stuff, you don't need to go about 2 missed periods at 46.

This is par for the course at 46- peri menopause and you have just missed 2 at most. This could go on for a few years with bigger gaps between periods, shorter gaps, or both.

It's unlikely they will never return and far more likely you will have another one before long. After that you may have regular ones for months then another blip and so on.

I can recommend the website of Dr Louise Newson - mymenopausedr - or any good book on menopause.

@JinglingHellsBells i had pretty much decided on the basis of the responses here not to bother the doctor. I dont feel ill or anything so just running with, seems its pretty par the course

Some womem see their period going from regular to just stopping for good, but most will hskip 1, 2 3 or more periods before it comes back.

I went at 44 from no periods for 4 months, then 2 normal ones, then nothing for 5 months, then two massive periods, then just spotting for a day or two for 6 months, then bleeds every two weeks for 3 months, back to nothing for 4 months, light spotting for a few months, nothing for 7 months, 2 tiny tiny spotting for 12 hours and finally nothing for 12 months. Every time I went for 3 missed periods I thought that was it!