Starting or finishing menopause?

[Sully2222]

Hi, first time poster. I'm 56 and a mother of 4, and for 44 years I've had normal 28 day cycle periods (apart from pregnancy) until 3 weeks ago, I have bled more or less continuously, it eased off for a couple of days and is now back heavier than ever before, is this normal during menopause? Or could this signal that it could be my final and last ever period? Any advice much appreciated.

You are in perimenopause right now by the sound of it, but you can't tell when your last period is going to be. It doesn't just switch off, they just get fewer and further between and then you realise you haven't had one for a while, and you wait, but you don't get another.

Menopause is what starts when perimenopause comes to an end, but there is a fair amount of overlap. You are then in menopause and that's it.

You are probably in early perimenopause if this is your first unusual cycle. I experienced my first loooong period in March 2023, and I think I m hitting late stage perimenopause now.

My guess would be you are about 2 years from full menopause.

Google the stages of perimenopause and Dr marie clare haver.