I didn't have a Menopause

[Anordinarymum]

..as such.

I don't mean I didn't go through it as I am sure I did, but my periods just stopped at 49. I never had hot flushes or night sweats. I did not gain weight or go doolally. I just carried on as normal. When I asked my doctor about it she told me lots of women are the same but you don't hear about them do you?

Just sayin.......

Posters thanking the OP - she was on the Mirena coil! It is a hormone related - it releases progestin and is often prescribed to women instead of HRT.

So the OP did not get through meno without a medically prescribed device that eased her through - and why should she? If you are experiencing peri-meno symptoms, there are no prizes for not taking HRT, whether in pill, patch or coil form.

@TheNavigator Yhe Mirena is not used for HRT. That's incorrect.
If someone has a Mirena and wants to use HRT then the Mirena provides the progestin part but you have to add in estrogen.

In fact many women feel much worse with only a Mirena because it means they have all this progestin in their system at a time when estrogen levels are falling.

The only benefit of it during peri is to control heavy bleeding.

Sorry if I misunderstood your post- it implied the Mirena was an alternative to HRT ( other than to control bleeding.)

If your mother was the same, it's probably down to genes as much as luck.

No problems here , I seemed to get through the menopause in an afternoon. Peri was a bit tricky though - one incident of flooding which lasted a whole weekend, and weight gain. Once meno proper happened, weight dropped off. Much happier now, and like OP, feel I "deserved" a trouble free menopause as I had "women's problems" earlier in life.

Menopause is not necessarily a terrible thing. For me, it just came and went and the symptoms that I did have (mainly hot flushes and some weight gain) gradually subsided over a period of about 5 years.

HOWEVER, there is one VERY IMPORTANT piece of advice that I would like to give to all pre-menopausal mumsnetters and that is to be mindful about your BONES!

I have severe post-menopausal osteoporosis, which was diagnosed last year. I wish now that I had requested HRT 12 years ago when I reached menopause, as it would have protected me from bone loss. Please everyone, take care of your bones! Consider taking calcium and vitamin D3 supplements and seriously consider asking for HRT.

My mum thought she had sailed through her menopause after her periods stopped suddenly at 46 yrs.

It turned out she was 5 months pregnant with my youngest sister.

@80sMum

Menopause is not necessarily a terrible thing. For me, it just came and went and the symptoms that I did have (mainly hot flushes and some weight gain) gradually subsided over a period of about 5 years.

HOWEVER, there is one VERY IMPORTANT piece of advice that I would like to give to all pre-menopausal mumsnetters and that is to be mindful about your BONES!

I have severe post-menopausal osteoporosis, which was diagnosed last year. I wish now that I had requested HRT 12 years ago when I reached menopause, as it would have protected me from bone loss. Please everyone, take care of your bones! Consider taking calcium and vitamin D3 supplements and seriously consider asking for HRT.

Wise words. Is it osteo arthritis that you have?

I have it in my right hip and it hurts ! I am not taking anything for it. I exercise to keep the muscles strong. If it bothers me at night which it does sometimes - a bit like toothache, I apply voltarol.

@TheNavigator

Posters thanking the OP - she was on the Mirena coil! It is a hormone related - it releases progestin and is often prescribed to women instead of HRT.

So the OP did not get through meno without a medically prescribed device that eased her through - and why should she? If you are experiencing peri-meno symptoms, there are no prizes for not taking HRT, whether in pill, patch or coil form.

I was on the Mirena Coil when I was in my thirties. Whatever medication that filtered into my system was long gone by the time I reached menopause. The only reason it is still in place now is because I have no problems -so if it ain't broke don't fix it is what I'm thinking.

@SmileyClare

My mum thought she had sailed through her menopause after her periods stopped suddenly at 46 yrs.

It turned out she was 5 months pregnant with my youngest sister.

Oh boy :) or should I say 'girl'..lol

I'm another one with 10 day heavy periods, throwing up and flooding. When they were at their worst in my teens my mum was getting heavy periods and it seemed unfair she got a hysterectomy and I had to just put up with it when mine were worse.

The pill reduced things.

My menopause consisted of my periods becoming light and happening 1 every 3 months for about 6 months, and then nothing.

Thanks OP I'm 51 and so far so good. I'm hoping to be like you.

But.. isn't a hysterectomy instant menopause?

But.. isn't a hysterectomy instant menopause?

A hysterectomy is removal of the womb.

The ovaries control menopause.

If the ovaries are removed as well, then yes, it's called surgical menopause.

Being on a combined contraceptive pill will mask menopausal symptoms. Has that been mentioned?

I'm on a progesterone/oestrogen pill and hope it will help treat symptoms when I start menopause. I'm 46 and my Dr has said there's no reason not to stay on it until menopause.

That said, I won't know when I hit menopause will I?

Jinglinghellsbells...Yes sorry.. that's what I meant.

@SmileyClare

Being on a combined contraceptive pill will mask menopausal symptoms. Has that been mentioned?

I'm on a progesterone/oestrogen pill and hope it will help treat symptoms when I start menopause. I'm 46 and my Dr has said there's no reason not to stay on it until menopause.

That said, I won't know when I hit menopause will I?

You might not unless you experience some of the things mentioned by other ladies. Fingers crossed and toes ;)

My mum said the same OP. I think the universe is making up for it by giving me all of her symptoms as well as my own.

My eldest sister had no symptoms whatsoever, she just stopped having periods.

I am hopeful I will be the same.

I have always had horrendous periods so when we hey moved into tsunami territory in my early 50’s I thought it was normal. My gynecologist thought differently and found a womb full of fibroids and I had a partial hysterectomy.
I am now 58 and have had no symptoms really. Couldn’t believe the freedom of being womb-less and wish 8 had consulted years ago. My mum suffered dreadfully with depression so I feel very grateful to have dodged that particular bullet.

The posters here who were symptom-free are not representative of all women.

3 out of 4 ( or Dr Louise Newson puts it at 80%) women have symptoms and roughly half or more have them bad enough to seek help, or try to get help. But even that can be an underestimate because women tend to suffer in silence.

I find it helpful to see the diversity of experiences. It helps people to see that there are all kinds of "normal". If you see the range of experiences, surely it helps you decide whether or not to seek help?

JinglingHellsBells I’m 47 with many peri symptoms, I also have uterine polyps, I’ve been told I will need a Mirena to shrink them, oestrogen hasn’t been mentioned, I wonder if I will need the two to balance each other out. I find more and more I need to do my own research as my gp (and some gynaecologists I’ve met) seem to know so little about perimenopause.

For all those suggesting HRT for bone density, do you know if there is an alternative for those of us who can't have HRT?

I'm so glad I started this conversation.
For what it's worth I have had fibroids in my uterus for years now, but since the periods stopped they don't cause any problems at all. It was either a hysterectomy or Mirena. I know the Mirena does not suit everyone but it sure did the trick for me.