On mini pill for 15 years - how do I know if/when I've gone through menopause?

[rosebud5678]

Just that really - pill means I've had almost no periods all this time but I've recently experienced some light spotting for the first time. Other symptoms include constant waking at night and occasional low mood / irrational anger. Will the Pill continue to disguise the whole process or is there no escape?! I'm almost 53.

Will the Pill continue to disguise the whole process or is there no escape?! I'm almost 53.

But the Pill's not disguising it- you've got symptoms :)

The symptoms are due to loss of estrogen- the mini pill it 100% progesterone.

Thanks - I think what I'm wondering is whether being on the Pill might for some reason lessen the symptoms...With no regular cycle it's going to be hard to tell when I'm on the other side!

I had blood tests to see if I still needed contraception. One when I was 50 and advised to stay on the mini pill. Then a couple of years later another one showed I didn't need it any more.

Yes, my GP has said I'll get tested at 55. Did you have many symptoms @HemlockStarglimmer?

@rosebud5678 The combined CCP is sometimes used in younger women as an alternative to HRT as it contains estrogen. The mini pill is not the same and indeed might make you feel worse as you will have more progesterone than estrogen in your body.
You could carry on with the mini pill and add estrogen to it (pill, patch, gel) as a form of HRT. But at 53 it's unlikely you would conceive anyway, so you could stop the mini pill and go onto HRT .

Great, thanks very much for the info - as you can probably tell I'm fairly clueless about all this...

Also you don't need a test at 55. NICE guidance (pinned on this forum at the top) says no blood tests in women over 45. By 55 almost all women are post menopause and the risk of getting pregnant is practically if not zero. Why don't you stop taking it for a couple of months or more and se if your periods come back? The average age of menopause in the UK is 51. You are probably not fertile now but condoms are ok if you are worried.

I highly recommend having a look at this - FSRH Clinical Guideline: Contraception for Women Aged over 40 Years:

www.fsrh.org/standards-and-guidance/fsrh-guidelines-and-statements/contraception-for-specific-populations/aged-over-40/

Are you on the pill for reasons other than contraception? The odds of you falling pregant at fifty three is practically non existent.

Being on the Pill has suited me very well all this time - I've had no periods and no side effects either. In some ways I'm therefore reluctant to rock the boat. I was hoping to keep taking it as long as possible, and then come off it to find the menopause was over! Probably naive of me really - will have to see how bad symptoms get and then make a decision...Thanks all for your insights and advice.

@rosebud5678

Yes, my GP has said I'll get tested at 55. Did you have many symptoms *@HemlockStarglimmer*?

Not really. I think I had the easiest menopause in history. The odd hot flush is all.