Clockwork periods have suddenly stopped

[Indecisivebynature]

Has this happened to anyone else?

I’m 49, periods are like clockwork and have suddenly stopped. No changes beforehand, they hadn’t become longer or shorter, lighter or heavier etc, just stopped. It’s really freaked me out. I was expecting to notice changes before they stopped. To the best of my knowledge I’m not having any other menopause or even peri menopause symptoms although obviously I realise I am in that age bracket.

Yes! I missed four months when I was 48. They came back completely out of sync, heavier and more painful. I got the mirena coil. It took four months to settle and now they have completely stopped which is brilliant. I developed some menopausal symptoms since then and have started taking oestrogen (gel).

I have a friend this happened to, never came back and she had really no symptoms of menopause! I hope that’s you!

Thank you FuzzyCaoraDhubh for replying and it’s good to hear someone has experienced the same. It’s so weird to go from clockwork to suddenly stopping isn’t it? It’s really taken me by surprise. I’m going to look in to mirena coil now too.

Thank you Whaeanui Oh I so hope I’m like your friend! I’ve never heard anyone say they sailed through menopause I’ve only heard women say how horrendous it was.

How long have you not had one?

Yes I think because people usually only sort of discuss it when it’s bad. But my sisters aren’t experiencing any issues either and they’re older than me. I have had a horrendous time in comparison! I have a few friends who also aren’t experiencing any issues and we’re all 50 or 50+

Sometimes the more serious issues come years later. Two friends of mine have osteoporosis. If they had experienced symptoms they may have used HRT possibly and would have prevented it.

That’s true. I would check my hormones even if I didn’t need to. Do they include estrogen in a standard CBC?

Same. I skipped 2 and then had an awful one though.

Are peoples suggestion you should go on HRT anyway? I find menopause confusing.

A friend of mine seems to have sailed through it without hrt. She doesn't relate to my symptoms at all.

It's very odd alright, Indecisivebynature. My periods were always regular as well. For me, the mirena coil has worked out well. I've had it for seven months now. Good luck to you. Do your research on hrt and see what will suit you.

I was regular as clockwork, then had a 18 months of missing a few in a row, then stopped completely. I've found it ok too. The odd flush, occasionally had sleepless nights and anxiety, but then I had genuine things to worry about. Not the nameless dread that other women suffer. I'd only consider HRT based on it apparently protecting brain, bones and heart. So I haven't ruled it out. I was 54 when periods stopped.
Hope all goes smoothly for you. Definitely not pregnant? One of my mother's friends had a surprise baby at 48, and she assumed it was menopause until about 6 months when she showed more than could be explained away by menopausal weight gain!

I didn't straight away, Teatime55. My GP suggested the mirena to address my erratic periods. When he suggested it could stop them completely, I was very interested. A few weeks ago, I noticed other things happening. Broken sleep every night, hot surges, overactive bladder day and night, new aches and pains. I've had dry eyes for ages. I've only started on the gel, so waiting to see if it will help.

I had one missed and then none at 44, then full on menopause at 45, herrondous flushing and sleep, glad it’s all over now at 60

Do you mean a Full Blood Count? No they don't and it would be pointless anyway.

All women who are post-meno will have low estrogen (for life) but what they all should have are bone density scans. The Government and NICE in their wisdom have decided it's not worth the cost of DEXA screening yet they spend £millions on smear tests even though more women die in old age from osteoporosis complications, than cervical cancer.

@JinglingSpringbells yeah it would be a good test to include. Some say CBC- complete blood count, some say FBC.

Yes mine just stopped a few months after I was 50 I was on HRT because I had terrible menopausal symptoms but my periods were actually fine a bit lighter,anyway they just didn't come month and I've not had a period in almost 2 years.

Am in a similar position at the moment. I’m 50 this year. Slightly different in that always had a regular 28 day cycle until about 6 months ago when they started coming anywhere from 21 days to 30 days and got heavier but now it’s been 6 weeks since last one and nothing. The worst bit for me though is I feel it’s on the way. My insides feel like a period is bursting to find out (I if you know what I mean!) and I worry that if/when it starts it will be a whopper! 🙈

*to come out I mean

Like others have said - how long have they stopped for? I was always regular as clockwork then suddenly nothing for few months, then they would come back regularly for months then stop for a few again - sometimes I would just miss one. That carried on for a few years until they stopped completely.

So I missed 2 had a horrendous one, have had one with terrible PMT.
thinking I will have to go the GP about my bladder as the desperate need to pee comes and goes depending on my cycle.