Thought I was post-menopausal - now on Mounjaro and period has returned

[cosima4]

Hi, I have just turned 53 and went on Mounjaro 6 weeks ago. I was 'officially' post-menopausal having not had a period for over 12 months (actually it was about 15 months). However, I was still having some 'hot flashes'. My weight gain was menopausal - went to 12 st from 10st, all around middle area. Nothing would shift it. Never been overweight in my life previously.

I was on 2.5mg of Mounjaro for 4 weeks and now I'm on second week of 5mg. The following has happened -

Hot flashes (flushes?) stopped almost immediately.

Knee pain (which was a sports injury from my 20s but, I believe, was exacerbated by menopause) subsided - bear in mind I was considering knee surgery.

Breast tenderness in last few days (similar to what I remember from early pregnancy in my 30s).

Sudden increased sex drive (sorry if tmi, but it's hormonal so including this).

And now, period has returned. Last month I had a few days spotting (on 2.5mg), this month, on 5mg, it's like a regular period.

Anyone else? I feel like Mounjaro has somehow reversed the menopause! How can this be? Any doctors on here?

[Thread title edited by MNHQ on OP's request]

It might be, but I also echo the advice to have yourself checked by a doc.

My money is on "it's a normal thing" as the effects of these drugs do have a hormonal interplay, but you are experiencing post-menopausal bleeding which definitely needs a doctor to rule out the slim chance of other problems.

You really need to insist on an urgent GP appointment. Postmenopausal bleeding needs to be investigated urgently under the two week pathway.

Call again and don't take no for an answer.

I had post menopausal bleeding, and it is treated as an urgent referral because it can have worrying causes. They put you in the 14 day cancer pathway.

All was fine for me, as it is for most people, but you must get it checked out

Can I urge any posters who are getting post menopause bleeding to see their doctor. It is something that should always be investigated no matter what you believe the cause to be,

You might have had a biopsy in June but that does not mean you should not have your bleeding investigated.

No test, including an endometrial biopsy is 100% accurate. Whilst it is rare, things can be missed. There was an article on the BBC in the last couple of days about a number of women whose cervical cancer was missed despite them having smear tests.

I can't get anywhere with my GP, just called again.

To be honest, it doesn't feel like bleeding out of nowhere. It's like I knew I was going to have a 'period' even before it came because I had all the very familiar (to me) symptoms the day before - mild breast soreness, the mild headache I always used to get, mild menstrual cramps and just that 'feeling' you get when you know your period is coming,

I am as sure as I can be that this is something to do with the Mounjaro affecting hormones.

My hot flashes stopped within days of taking it. So it must affect hormones in some way.

Also, as I said, I had a knee injury in my 20s. During menopause, I was getting sharp pain in the knee and it made a crunching sound going up and down stairs. I had it checked out inc. scans etc. The consultant said that a loss of oestrogen in menopause can mean this kind of joint pain flares up. I was going to have physio, but if that didn't work, surgery. But within a week of Mounjaro, the knee pain all but disappeared.

I had all the pre period symptoms too, I was still put on the pathway. It may be hormonal changes, but what is causing those changes that’s the question .

Thank god, it will need to when Trump gets to office ! 😂

If you are bleeding post menopause you need to see a Dr. At 53 and 15 months without a menstrual bleed, you have completed menopause.
Even if the sudden bleeding appears to be related to the jab and feels like a period, you can’t make that assumption especially when there is no medical evidence to say that is the case.
Please book a visit to your GP and if not, call 111

It can't be just coincidence though that I had a slight period within 2 weeks of taking Mounjaro, and now, exactly one month later give or take a day, I'm having a period with all the usual symptoms.

Don't know, but my periods have been getting more and more erratic and now I've gone nearly 8 weeks without one. And I have joint pain. And I just injected Mounjaro for the first time yesterday. So will watch this thread with great interest,

It may or may not be coincidental.
it may be that your weight loss has impacted your hormones or it may be the jab itself. If it’s the jab I’d be very concerned about a medication that can impact your endocrine system so significantly. That in itself would urge me to get medical advice
It may also be a post menopausal bleed or hormonal issue. I’m fairly sure the jab can’t reverse meno but either way you need to speak to a health care professional

It absolutely can be coincidence.

This thread is so irresponsible, OP.

Suggesting that menopause is reversable and therefore menstrual bleeding can recommence is dangerous.

I hope nobody who comes across your posts takes your beliefs as fact and avoids seeing the doctor if they are in a similar position because the consequences of that could be terrible.

This sounds like a potentially worrying side-effect of the medication rather than something to be welcomed, but there you go.

I'm thinking it could be possible that I was not totally 'done' with periods, but they stopped due to stress / anxiety which had been quite marked in the last year or so, due to certain circumstances. I realised I feel much calmer on Mounjaro as well - no anxiety. Maybe it's something along those lines? My mum's periods didn't stop until she was late 50s.

@slightlydistrac - I'm not 'welcoming' anything. I am asking if anyone has experienced similar on Mounjaro or if any doctors on here might have heard of similar.

I have been on the mirena and HRT, with no periods, until I took mounjaro. I've had bleeding with it too. People who are taking the contraceptive pill are told to use other birth control, it can obviously effect people's cycles.

If you have been period free for a year you are post menopausal. You need to get the bleeding properly checked out. It’s not hocus pocus and not some miracle to celebrate.

it has a potentially life threatening cause which needs proper investigation.

Yes I have read it can affect the efficacy of birth control pills.

It's very rare I report threads/users but I have reported this ridiculous, anti science thread, OP.

Why do people think I am 'celebrating.?' Celebrating what - periods again? No thanks. I am asking a question if anyone has experienced similar, specifically on Mounjaro.

@cosima4 https://click2pharmacy.co.uk/can-weight-loss-pens-affect-your-menstrual-cycle/?srsltid=AfmBOoqgg-nwkDyYcvs25M4QNnZsz1mqGAkQFgrf4Zd0WjAlEffMHJQCThere’s nothing to suggest that there’s anything urgent about being seen by the GP, around 10% of women experience post meno bleeding, a greater proportion of these within the first couple of years of meno, and for about 10-15% of these there will be an issue with malignancy, it’s something that just needs to be checked out ,just in case. Why don’t you submit an e consult form if your gp does these?

@Nerdlings - I am stating, as accurately as I can, MY symptoms right now.

If you think that is 'anti science' then you do you.

Your surgery are being ridiculous

Stop being ludicrous.
I had a period this year, the first in 18 months, aged 46.
No mounjaro, just my body doing it's thing.

@Picklepopple - thank you for that.