Woefully ignorant here - how would I know?

[ButYouJustPointedToAIIOfMe]

Hello all

So the following article gave me menopause

I am 50 soon, have had no periods for two months following the second AZ vaccination but I have had Mittelschmerz/cramps and I have also had the sorest boobs since last pregnant (not pregnant 100% would be Mary in the bible if I were).

I have always had long, heavy periods. I have struggled awfully with insomnia particularly over the last six months, mood swings and anxiety.

No itchiness, dryness, hot flushes or night sweats.

I assumed I would know if and when I reached menopause and assumed you just stopped/periods got lighter and petered out and I would have symptoms I haven't had yet.

I didn't know you could bleed horrendously - this will be grim as I am stood up all day.

Anyway, I wanted to ask how old you all were, how you knew/how long it was til you knew, how long it lasted and whether you, too had the supersoaking described in the article.

I am due my smear soon, I have not filled out missing cycles on the AZ symptom form yet but can if you think it is more likely to be that, and just wondered whether anyone had gone from heavy bleeding to no periods without irregular or ultra bleeding or symptoms usually referred to e.g has anyone been menopausal without hot flushes?

Thanks in advance
www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/22/there-will-be-blood-women-on-the-shocking-truth-about-periods-and-perimenopause

I think the worst was in my mid to late forties when it was hard to get through early morning hour long meetings. I’m now 54 and having quite short cycles but still see signs of ovulation, although not as obvious as it used to be. The duration and volume are not bad now. A friend who stopped at 45 or so said nothing changed until she just suddenly stopped. I hope that helps start a discussion.

Ah thank you for replying. It would be lovely if I was like your friend. I cannot help but think I am going to end up with three periods in one next month. If I knew it was not an impossibility I would have been weeing on a stick by now!

Were the Mittelschmerz/cramps more than a couple of weeks ago?

Watch Dr Louise Newsome on YouTube. She really explains things clearly. It's possible to have any combination of symptoms. Also Google NICE guidelines for menopause. It's a retrospective diagnosis . So your experience is equally valid as anyone else's, and you only know how your menopause is by looking back at it.