How do you know when you've definitely had menopause?

[BobbyBiscuits]

This sounds like a weird question. I hope not.

I have had ED for most of my adult life so weight has been on the low side, but always had regular periods until I had a bad period of anorexia.

Since then I'm in recovery but over the last seven years only had two periods, both this year. Both during times of extreme stress. But they were painfull and heavy but lasted for only about 4 days.

My weight is low but not dangerously, but I feel I must have menopause as have symptoms and dont menstruate, except for twice in 7 years.

I'm in my mid 40s. I've no desire to get pregnant but just wondering if my periods have gone for good or not?

Very good question.

I recently attended a menopause meeting and heard someone had hot flushes for 28 years. 😢

I’m expecting someone in a years time to say don’t you know you are post menopause. When hospital consultants should have been finding this out they were to busy sticking a coil in and then thought 2 months later some random chat about a patch would be enough.

Technically it’s considered the point of time one full year after your last period - you say you’ve had two this year so that would suggest you’ve not hit menopause yet.

Obviously the ED confuses the situation but your more recent periods suggest that your body is still capable of ovulating under the
right circumstances.

if you feel you have symptoms of peri-menopause that are troubling you, you can ask for HRT, it’s not just for women who have had the menopause and you can take it even with regular periods.

@Noiseneverstops @Ladymuck2022 thank you both for your replies. I do feel like I'm getting what I think are peri symptoms.
I'm just embarrassed to know so little about what's going on inside my own body, lol! 🤣

@BobbyBiscuits The most important thing that you really must talk to your GP about is your risk of loss of bone density which is much higher in women who've had an ED, low weight or loss of regular periods before age 50.

From what you have said, you've only had 2 periods in 7 years - since your mid-late 30s? You can have a blood test as it looks as if your ovaries aren't functioning fully.

This means you have the same risks as women who have premature menopause (before aged 40.) The medical treatment is HRT. This is to prevent or treat existing bone loss, prevent heart disease and dementia.

Don't take my word for it- look online- here's a link - and maybe call the nurse helpline at the ROS to talk it over.

You need to have an assessment of your bones - an Xray called a DEXA scan- to see what's going on.

Please go to your GP and if necessary print off this info on the link to discuss.

https://theros.org.uk/blog/2021-03-22-what-s-the-menopause-got-to-do-with-bone-health/

theros.org.uk/information-and-support/osteoporosis/causes/anorexia/

You are post menopause when you've not had a period for 12 months or more.
By age 54, 80% of women are post meno.
The average age is 51.

Obviously, anyone using a Mirena doesn't know unless their periods stopped 12 months before using it.

Hot flushes can last for life. So the 'menopause' is actually a state for life.
But symptoms can last for a couple of years up to 40 years, although HRT can be used indefinitely now to control flushes etc.

One year with no periods.

I went from having a period every 3 months for a year or so and then nothing. For me menopause was a breeze.

@JinglingSpringbells thank you. I'm afraid I'm well aware about osteperosis. But I really appreciate your concern and advice.
I suffer from it really badly. I broke my hip from walking speed/standing height tripping on the pavement when I was 41. I've got a massive metal plate and screws in my femur. Bone density was minus 4.7. 😭
I've been on calcium and D3 and my diet is healthy now. I still have to take loads of vitamin and mineral supplement prescribed by the hospital. I'm hoping it's better now. But yeah, I was not healthy at all for a long time.

That's awful for you.

Can I ask what treatment you're on?
And if you're being monitored with DEXA scans every 2 years?

You should be on a lot more than Vit and calcium, which do nothing for the level of osteo you have.

When you say a mineral supplement, do you mean bisphosphonates? These are drugs for osteo but if your bones are that bad you might need infusions of the drug.

Are you being treated by a specialist?

The treatment for women under 60 is usually HRT and additional bone strengthening drugs.

Please move this forward if it's not already.

@JinglingSpringbells thank you again. I'm on loads of other vitamins and minerals, thiamine, folate, boron, magnesium, B vitamins etc. also pain relief.

There is another bone medicine that causes osteonecrosis of the jaw, ie all your teeth fall out. Not definitely but I've got bad teeth so don't want to risk it. The doctor said not to if I wanted to keep my teeth! I'm very paranoid about my teeth.

I've not been asked to go back yet for another bone scan. It will be better than before though, I'm sure of it. But maybe they're being lax by not offering me another scan. This was only about two years ago I had the diagnosis though.

The hospital didn't seem that fussed about the fact I had osteperosis tbh. Maybe they didn't want to upset me but they didn't even tell me what the bone scan meant, I had to find out just how bad it was! I think as I was blocking an orthopedic bed for four weeks (not on purpose obviously but I was meant to be somewhere else) they just wanted me out of there!

I went to one with my mum the other day and her reading was zero- which is perfect! She's 85!

I'm horrified at what you've been told by a Dr! That's shocking. You were told that by a specialist rheumatologist? It comes over as if you've been abandoned.

The stuff about jaw necrosis is very rare. It doesn't cause teeth to fall out. In rare cases it can make the jaw brittle. But this is very rare indeed.

There are many types of drugs now for severe osteoporosis.

Why not read the info on the ROS site and call their helpline? There's a 30 minute video here explaining all about treatment.

https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/osteoporosis/treatment/

The minerals etc you're taking are not going to reverse that kind of T score.
You either need HRT or one of the drugs for severe osteoporosis.

If you don't want to take my word for this, contact the ROS helpline. Talk to their trained nurses then you have the knowledge to make a decision.

Please don't ignore this as you could end up with spinal fractures which are very painful and don't heal, and you'll potentially end up with disability.

Menopause is 2 years after your last period if under 50 and one year after your last period if over 50.

So if you are 52 and had a period a year and a day ago you are post menopause

@JinglingSpringbells thank you. No I won't ignore it. The person who said that about the meds, idk even what type of doctor they were. I was in my hospital bed dosed up on morphine when they approached me. I don't think any of them were a rheumatologist? The team I was under was orthopedic trauma/surgery, and psych team. But the latter obviously know nothing about bones.
I will look into trying to get a proper specialist involved. Thanks again for your help x

Chase it up with your GP.
You need a referral, another bone scan, and some treatment.
The ROS is good for advice if you decide to have a chat with them.

Good luck!

@JinglingSpringbells thank you again for all your help. I'm trying not to panic! But yes I will follow it up x