What age did you go through menopause?

[tartanzebra]

As the title says what age did you go through menopause?
Also was it around the same age as your mother? If you know and how long from the start of peri menopause had you reached menopause and what were symptoms?

Periods still every 28 days at 45.

I'm 45 and I had thought I was in peri a year back, turns out I had a thyroid issue.
Now I'm back to regular, same as always, bleeding every 25 fecking days. I thought I'd be done by now!

I'm 58 and still having periods. Although they are more erratic now. 100 days gap this time so hope the end is in sight. Started menstruating Age 12.

Periods stopped at 47. Peri 3 or 4 years before that (a few hot flushes, night sweats, erratic periods). Read The Menopause Manifesto: fab book. I have been really lucky and love not having periods but still found it a great read.

My mums periods stopped at 41. I’m 39 and think I’m having symptoms of peri. Periods still reasonable regular but they have got remarkably more painful in the last few months. I’m having hot flushes (and I’m practically cold blooded), tired, my insomnia is worse, my skin is dry and itchy, my allergies are worse, I’m getting headaches, muscle aches, joint aches. Can’t concentrate or even finish a damn sentence without forgetting what I was saying and my boobs hurt for almost the whole month and not just the day before my period. Basically feel like an old woman right now. Don’t really know what to do about it to be honest.

It's really interesting to see such a wide variation in ages. I'm 53 and still going, I thought I'd be done by now, though bleeding is very erratic.

Not sure that "peri" is a real thing, so never actually thought about it.
Menopause seemingly from 56 - still not 100% sure, but seems likely.

Mine stopped completely at age 48 after maybe a year of erratic timings and spotting.

My sleep has been quite bad and also sex became painful but apart from that I haven't had any major symptoms so am feeling quite fortunate.

Mum didn't go though it till her mid 50's...

Peri around 48/49, if I have no more bleeds until May, then that’s menopause and I will be 55. Have had times when symptoms are quite bad, but often I’m fine. I get hot flushes and can’t sleep and get very forgetful and moody. Then I revert to near normal for a few weeks. Had about 2 years of really heavy unpredictable periods in my early 50s which was bad, but then the periods just got lighter and longer between. No idea about my mum!

Started at 50 but at 53 it really kicked in and got worse.

Still having regular periods age 47. My mum was 54.

I'm obviously some way in to it at 51 but as I take progesterone only pill back to back to stop heavy periods, I'm not sure when it will really kick off or really end. The moment I stop taking the pill I get a period so I'm scared to stop taking it.

@cobblers123 post that it really kicked in at 53 is sort of what I'm expecting. I'm not suffering with any ailments or headaches or hot flushes so I do still think it's ahead of me.

32

43 all over.On HRT.

Mid fifties. Although Mirena coil made it difficult to tell exactly whe. I had coil replaced at 53 because I start getting periods after four years with it and I have endometriosis so panic when pain starts. Was put on HRT 3 yrs ago because of muscle pain and odd hot flushes and poor sleep. But came off it last year after breast cancer diagnosis. I was tested to see if I was through menopause and I had so now have to take anastrozole. My oestrogen is very low now and apart from joint pains and very mild hot flushes I feel much better. I think anastrozole has just accelerated post menopause. It’s peri that makes you feel like a fire breathing dragon.

My periods started when I was 12 and always had short cycles of about 23-26 days. Maybe my eggs depleted faster.

It is great not having periods. Very liberating and has given me a fresh lease of life. No contraceptives needed.

Not good on the face though. I think it does age you. Look at Angelina Jolie who started looking old and gaunt after she had surgery to remove her ovaries which put her into early menopause.

Does anyone know is there actually an accurate test you can take to tell if you really are in peri?

I am 51 and full into peri of not full menopause. My mum 50 too.

She was on HRT 40 years ago as am I now!

I am still on the pill so not sure about periods. Prob should come off it really!

Interesting thread

Am 50 - I have a daft Q - as I am on the Mirena coil so no periods how would I know if I am Peri?

Peri at 43, still having regular periods but very light and shorter. Horrendous symptoms so went on HRT at 47.
DM had a hysterectomy at 40 --and tried to convince me
not to take hrt due to breast cancer concerns. I respectfully told her things have moved on a bit from 25 yrs ago--
Maternal GM and GGM both also had hysterectomies before their 40th. Was that a thing?

I'm 45. Had my last period 2 years ago, 6 months after what I thought was my last one (which was a doozy and lasted 6 weeks).
Caved and contacted the doctor. Lovely lovely trainee GP who basically wouldn't let me leave without HRT! She apologised on behalf of her (male) colleagues who I'd been seeing on and off over the previous DECADE with varying symptoms (mostly being bloody knackered and hormonal) who had basically palmed me off and sent me away as she was sure I'd been peri that whole time and my symptoms could have been eased/controlled. Could have bloody kissed her!
HRT has made such a massive difference (have other non-related health issues to so am not quite all-singing all-dancing yet but hopefully it's only a matter of time!)

Doctor did blood test a few weeks ago and said I am menopausal, I am 52, had no periods since June 2021. However I do still have a contraceptive implant in my arm, will be taken out next year.

However this week I have had a slight bleed, so any advice anyone? I am confused now lol

I’m 46 and my mirina coil has stopped my periods so I don’t know how I’ll know!

@Dirtystreetpie

Does anyone know is there actually an accurate test you can take to tell if you really are in peri?

Unfortunately not. Your GP can do bloods, but that only tells you what your hormones were doing on that particular day. The only guide really is symptoms, and as can be seen just from this thread those are many and varied.

As for me, I realised I was in perimenopause when my periods changed at 44. My cycle became erratic and my periods heavier. I got a Mirena coil at 46 and that completely stopped my periods, so I actually don't know when they'd have stopped naturally. I had the Mirena taken out when I was 54 and nothing happened so I'm definitely out the other side. I don't know about my mother as she had a hysterectomy at 44.