What age were you when you went into menopause?

[LilacLouLou]

I really really want my periods to stop.

Sadly I have never enjoyed regular gynae health. I have suffered with awful periods since they started at 12 and things became so much worse in my late 30's.

Despite being under the same gynae hospital for the last 12 years, enduring 5 hysteroscopies to remove stubborn recurring polyps and then a uterine ablation in 2022 (which failed causing more pain), I discovered at the age of 50 that I actually have endometriosis and adenomyosis (the latter caused by the ablation). I am now on a very long and slow NHS waiting list for excision surgery.

I turned 52 in March and there seems to be no let up on my cycle. Every period causes me pain which then exacerbates my IBS which has been getting worse since I started peri around the age of 45.

I have tried progesterone only and then HRT but they made everything worse.

After the laparoscopy I shall be requesting a hysterectomy but all I want now is for my cycle to stop. Every period I have ever had has been awful and ovulation has been painful.

I want my cycle to stop, I genuinely hate being a woman.

You have my huge sympathy
My periods were hell from when I started them, also at 12 years old.
Always flooding, permanently anaemic, always awful and by my late 20’s horrendous clots too.
Peri starting age 38 but I was diagnosed with fibroids/endometriosis around 30 so more flooding, up 4 times a night, & changing products hourly during the day, pain so bad it made me vomit and with peri periods were sometimes twice a month! There were days each time I couldn’t leave the house.
Years under gynae, progesterone only pill and Mirena made me bleed continuously, so worse than not taking anything.
Eventually, after much begging, I had a hysterectomy age 46. Happiest day of my life. No regrets, although if I hadn’t been scared into believing I could still have pain if I kept my ovaries, I probably wouldn’t have chosen to have them removed. It aged me overnight. I went from not looking my age to being so wrinkly I now look older than I am!

Can they not just change your surgery to hysterectomy? Seems crazy to wait all that time for laparoscopic surgery for excision to then go back on a waiting list for hysterectomy, which they might not readily agree to if they just done excision, they may make you ‘wait and see how things settle down’.

I hope you get your wish because it really is hell. There would be a whole lot more funding, and shorter waiting lists, if men suffered like women! Wishing you luck.

Periods stopped at 51 1/2. The previous three years they were erratic. I think I've been bang on average.

I am 46 and I haven't had a period since October. I have a horrible I am away to get one though and I am dreading it 😭

Entered peri at about 43 and my periods became erratic from about age 47. I turned 50 last October and have only had one period since then. Every month I think I am going to get one. I get the PMT and the cramps but no bleed!

Not sure if that's me done or if I will get another at some point but I am definitely coming towards the end of it all, although may take another year or so for them to stop altogether. I think you need to have gone a year without one to be able to say you are out of the other side.

I hope you get effective treatment soon, OP. x

Thank you. I've had the same symptoms, I became so anaemic I needed infusions, it really annoys me that women are left to suffer for so long, sorry if tmi but I used to pass clots the size of my palm and was told that's what some women go through, especially at perimenopause.

I think I'll need to request a hysterectomy especially now my uterus has adenomyosis all through it because of the ablation. Did they offer you oestrogen hrt after yours! I'm hoping that I may be able to try that if I get mine done.

And I agree, there's absolutely no way men would put up with the crap we have to go through with our gynae health.

51 and still regular here. My
mom and my sister didn’t hit menopause until they were 60!

39. Done and dusted.

56 but for a couple of years before that awful flooding.

Nearly 55 and my cycle is as regular as clockwork. Have a Mirena fitted so thankfully not too heavy but still crampy and uncomfortable. Each period starts with a "again?! are you fucking kidding me"......... I am so over it.

Never got to menopause, I was still having regular periods at 55 and a half, when they suspected endometrial cancer (they were right) and I had a hysterectomy. If that hadn't happened I think I would still have been having periods into my 60s!

Oh goodness! I hope I don't go that long.
My mum has dementia so I can't ask her and my sister is two years younger, also has endometriosis and still having awful periods.

Me too. Truly had enough of having a cycle.

I'm sorry you had to go through that. I hope you have had a good recovery.

I'm going to request a hysterectomy due to my adenomyosis. My uterus is buggered due to the failed ablation and now I worry that if I have any abnormal uterine cells, post menopause I won't get any post menopause bleeding or unusual symptoms. Really wish I'd given that more thought before jumping in a d having this procedure.

I’ve just had a coil fitted. All good so far. I’m 52.

Poor you, that all sounds dreadful.

I'm 55 and still going, but with some long gaps (3 months or longer) inbetween, so I'm nearing the end, beejaysus I hope so. I'm so tired of it.

Last period at 49 I think.

I wish I'd opted for the coil, I opted for an ablation instead which turned out to be a huge mistake.

Hope it won't be too long for you 🤞

Can you not have one? Might be worth asking. I haven’t had a period since it’s been fitted. I was coming on every two weeks. It was so heavy I couldn’t get into work. Diarrhoea and stomach cramps! It was the last resort as you hear so many horror stories about them getting lost etc. since having it my mood has massively stabilised, I go to the toilet regularly and my acid reflux has disappeared. I wish I’d had it put in years ago. Periods are miserable.

Sadly not, my uterine ablation has caused scarring at the entrance to my cervix so no way of getting it in.
I chose the ablation over the coil due to the Mirena horror stories but since then several friends have had one fitted and all say it's the best thing ever. I really wish I'd opted to try it, at least I could have had it removed if it caused issues but now I am left with a damaged uterus due to the ablation.