No menopause symptoms, is this normal?

[samanthablues]

Hi ladies,

As the title says it's been one year now since my last period, I'm 55 and no health problems. Just like my mom I've had a very late menopause. I've also had blood tests where all comes normal but hormonal levels show as "post menopause". All my life I struggled with painful periods and hormonal imbalance so I was very afraid of menopause, problem is one year into it and I feel nothing, nada, nix, no sweats, no change of mood or weight gains just a bit of fatigue and loss of libido. When do the awful symptoms kick in? I'm so happy I don't have to deal with painful periods and bloody stains any more but I'm afraid it's all going to come kicking in soon

Is this normal? I'm concerned...🤔

I thought fatigue and loss of libido were symptoms tbh. I didnt want to be tired and sexless. I wasn't 'frightened' of menopause either. What on earth did you think was going to happen?

Apparently some women experience little to no symptoms! Fatigue and libido loss aren't great but hopefully you don't get the other symptoms.

www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/menopause/#:~:text=Some%20women%20will%20experience%20few,unusually%20light%20or%20heavy%20periods.

I sometimes get a bit hot at bedtime. It was a decade post menopause before I started to have issues with vaginal atrophy which was a shock luckily MN members gave me good advice which I related to my GP. I had problems with periods, fertility PCOS all my life so I don't miss it

Not everyone suffers through menopause, despite what MNers would have you believe.

I didn’t gave too many symptoms either. I did get hot flushes at night, but nothing too bad - just felt warm rather than hot. Looking back, I can see I became more anxious in certain situations which I now attribute to the menopause, but that has improved.

How was your mother during the menopause? If she had an easy menopause, it’s likely you will too.

That’s really good news op, you feel fine, personally l think if you were going to have symptoms, you would have had them by now Peri menopause can start, 10-15 years prior.
I know there’s a lot of talk now about the menopause, there are women, who don’t experience any symptoms, or have manageable symptoms, there are some who have a really difficult time, which can lead onto health problems and that’s why some go onto hrt.I have read if your mum has had a later menopause, or an early one, or if they’ve haven’t experienced symptoms then that tends to be the case for the the daughter too.
Really no need to be concerned, this is good news, you’re feeling well.

Hey there! It’s actually pretty common for some women to go through menopause with little to no symptoms, so you’re not alone in this. Many people expect all these dramatic changes, but it sounds like you’re having a pretty smooth transition so far! It’s great that you’re feeling relief from those painful periods, and it’s possible that the fatigue and loss of libido might just be part of the natural aging process rather than menopause itself. Everyone’s experience is different, so try not to stress too much about what might happen in the future.

That’s good OP. I felt ok with some of my natural hormones it’s good you hung onto yours for longer. That likely helped. Loss of libido and fatigue I thought were symptoms. I have the former and instead of fatigue more of a general life malaise. Dry skin and general dryness and loss of elasticity and thinning hair are my main physical symptoms for me it’s the mental symptoms that feel the worse.

I'd used hormonal contraception from a very early age, latterly the implant which meant I didn't even bleed regularly. When it was due to be replaced aged 42 they started suggesting I wouldn't need it anyway. I asked whether that was guaranteed, no one would guarantee.

Because of the hormones blood tests would not tell me much, unless I went without for six months. My grandmother was 43 when she had my father so I decided to continue.

Finally (sic) aged 51 they would not give me another one and laughed when I asked could I get pregnant.

Thats all I know about my menopause, absolutely no other signs. For entirely unrelated reasons I started to eat really well, lost a lot of weight more recently and feel as well as well as I ever have.

I'm still very sorry for anyone struggling with symptoms. It just wasn't my experience.

Ditto, not many symptoms here either - my mother, OTOH, had a terrible menopause, ended up bedridden with blood loss and needed a hysterectomy- so it doesn't always follow.

In retrospect (I'm about 15yrs post now) there was loss of libido - but some night sweats were the only symptoms I was conscious of and that was just an inconvenience- didn't affect my day time life at all.

I've always been very reactive to hormonal contraception
My mum had a really difficult menopause
So I was a bit scared, but I've had hardly any symptoms. Slight night sweats, I've always had problems with anxiety anyway
I would say my libido etc is not impacted at all, that was my biggest fear as sex is massively important to me. I would also say I find weight easier to keep off now! However my mum was the same on that one, she's much slimmer post menopause

I'm only 2 years in so I'm not being unrealistic, things may change. But whilst it's not causing me any problems I'm relieved

As much as it's really important to support women who do face an awful menopause (and I have many friends who have), I find there is a lack of awareness that it can be pretty straightforward
I actually thought there was something wrong with me, or even that I was pregnant at 52 😂

Hrt is the first line treatment for bone health as women age, just putting that out there.

I'm ten years past surgical menopause, I think the only symptoms I can attribute to menopause is vaginal atrophy.

@samanthablues "When do the awful symptoms kick in?"

I said on another thread, I find it sad that media have made women dread something that might not happen.

you're post menopause and seem to be fine

my mum was much happier after menopause and same for aunts

as well as being rid of it all, mum found her anxiety went. I hope that happens to me.

such a massive industry now and so many people painting menopausal women as being incapable as well.

be careful where you get your perceptions I guess. Sounds like you're fine.

Yeah it’s the exclamation marks 🤣

But though I understand why some say media coverage has caused women to worry unnecessarily. But I’d have had no idea this was peri if not for Davina. My own doctor laughed at the suggestion I was in peri ( not that I called it that as this was pre Davina and I didn’t have a word for it!). Being able to take control of my health due to being armed with knowledge has transformed things for me. Yes many women are fine, but I think the benefits of greater awareness for those who are not ok far outweighs any negatives of warning women what might be ahead.

Myself and my sister both sailed through it thank God. We are a year apart in age and both of us dreaded it having seen our Mum's experience. Yes I got the odd hot flush here and there, but the main thing that happened was I couldn't drink wine anymore! It flipping killed me. But I could live without it because I HAD to!

Some are very lucky like me, but other health issues can happen down the line with or without meno symptoms.

I had no symptoms at all. It's not bad for everyone.

A friend of mine read a book about the menopause and has since gone into HRT despite having no real problems (mid 50s). She’s doing it to protect herself from future heart attacks, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s.

What’s all your thoughts on this?

I'm all for more awareness about menopause but it does seem to be very much the cause of the moment.

My concern is that issues relating to general ageing are unhelpfully being conflated with menopause. Or worse, the rush to attribute symptoms to menopause in women of a certain age could delay diagnosis of other health problems.

It was for me! My mother had a terrible time I was really dreading it. But I sailed through it.
A couple of my other friends the same.

I haven’t had many symptoms but am also thinking about using HRT for these reasons. I have a relative who’s an obs and gynae consultant with a menopause speciality and she says she will probably do this.