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]

@cosima4
Get yourself signed up to GP at Hand if you’re in London. Lots of clinics to choose from (rarely use them though as the phone video appointments tend to sort it out and I can get prescriptions on the day and sent to my local pharmacy for collection). You can get an appointment the same day, up until 2300! I called for a minor thing, felt sluggish, they immediately booked me in for all the bloods, great consultations, it’s honestly amazing.

It’s all NHS so no payment, but only works if you’re in London (or Birmingham I think), due to clinic availability if you need to see someone in person. But I would definitely go for it if I were you, and get yourself checked out pronto!!

@berksandbeyond

You are wilfully misquoting me and inferring I have written things that I simply have not.

I wonder why you would do such a thing.

Stop making things up. It's not a good look.

@MajorCarolDanvers better go run back to your echo chamber then

In AIBU people actually say what they think

I am posting on good faith about symptoms I am experiencing now and last month (to the day).

I have called my GP surgery - twice. Spoke to two different receptionists. Told them everything I have said on here. They say 7th Jan is earliest appt and that is a phone appt.

I have also called the online pharmacy where I ordered the MJ and they tell me they will get a consultant to contact me by phone "in the next few days."

I did not come on here with an 'anti-science' or 'irresponsible' agenda fgs. I have come on a (mainly) female website to see if anyone has experienced similar. Also if there are any doctors.

What I do know is that this MJ is a new drug and they seem to be discovering new side-effects all the time. Some seem positive, others worrying.

Yes I know this and yes I am on it nevertheless.

On Reddit, quite a few women are reporting changes to menstrual cycles following MJ. I did read a some who had experienced periods following what they had otherwise perceived to be menopause.

I don't post on Reddit though, so I'm posting here instead.

It may well be, in the future, they discover that MJ does impact menstrual cycles. I don't know. Maybe, maybe not. But I can only say what is happening to me and ask for the experiences of other women on MJ.

You can't get GP appts in this area (central London). We have private health cover so I might try that tomorrow.

Thank you to all the supportive posters.

@berksandbeyond

And apparently some also just make things up like you.

Very strange behaviour. Have you considered why you behave this way?

@MajorCarolDanvers probably a bit sensitive to the subject given that a family member will be lucky to make Christmas after her post menopausal bleeding turned out to be terminal cancer. But gosh yes, let's make sure to have our priorities in order and whisk this off to the magical board where mounjaro can do NO WRONG. That's a top priority!

@berksandbeyond

Ah that explains things. Sorry to hear about your relative. That’s very sad.

However please do re-read the post you originally attacked me for.

You've been bang out of order

I said none of the things that you have accused me of.

If course op should seek medical attention but I also advised moving it to a board where lots of others have experience of mounjaro (and are well informed about it) there she may find others who have experienced the same.

The problem with AIBU is that it also attracts those with very strong (and often misinformed) opinions about mounjaro which completely detracts from the medical issue she is experiencing.

How do I move this to the MJ board?

Hi OP,

I'm on my third month of Mounjaro,

I'm 56, 5 years post menopause,

I had 'period' bleeds with both Covid vaccines, and got checked both times on the two week pathway - all fine,

I've had very light brown spotting the first month of Mounjaro, along with 'period' type cramps.

All fine now,

Many people report reduction in pain symptoms with Mounjaro - my niggly knee has totally gone away. It does seem to have anti-inflammatory capabilities which is great.

It doesn't reverse menopause but you may well be experiencing some temporary adjustments, and hopefully some welcome changes.

You do have to get any post-menopausal bleeding checked though so make sure you do,

Exactly

I’ve had a lot of bleeding on mounjaro but I also had an ultrasound scan this week and for the first time ever my polycystic ovaries are clear from cysts! Honestly I think the injection has helped stabilise my insulin and reversed some of my PCOS stuff!

I do think you should get checked out because random bleeding is a red flag for other things but it is also a common side effect from the injection.

That's brilliant, @Latelifelesbian - I'm so happy for you,

I think Mounjaro is a game changer for so many people - it has been for me,

@cosima4 report your own thread

It may be a side effect, you should fill out a yellow card (google it). But you need to be very clear that POST MENOPAUSAL BLEEDING IS CANCER UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE. You would be a fool to ignore the many posters above who have advised you to see a GP asap. If your own GP cannot see you, you must advocate for yourself eg. Book with one of the many telephone GP services eg Doctor Care Anywhere or similar, book a private GP apmt, go to a walk in clinic, write an urgent letter to your practice manager explaining that you have symptoms that meet the criteria for a 2 week wait referral and therefore waiting until 7th jan is entirely inappropriate. Do something but don’t just sit there saying you’re sure it’s the Mounjaro when you no evidence to support this.

PCOS in thin women can cause later menopause (55+). It's being overweight that can cause it to stop earlier so this may be you returning to a normal cycle. You should still get it checked out

Honestly please look at post about changing your surgery to GP at Hand. I’m also central London and I can phone up and get an appointment the same day. We both work full time and it’s been amazing, even registered our child to the online GP and they do all the vaccinations and once even sent a GP to our house which is unheard of.

Actually @MajorCarolDanvers my first post was perfectly polite - you were the one who started throwing your weight around calling people muppets

It really wasn’t polite at all.

you made false accusations and inferred things I never said. That’s why I called you a muppet.

Hi @cosima4 - I've been on Mounjaro for diabetes for 12 weeks now & haven't had a period since before I started it.

I'm definitely perimenopausal & on HRT (certainly not pregnant) but strange that it's the opposite to you.

FWIW I also had a problem knee which cleared up last year after I did some intermittent fasting, so maybe that's something to do with weight loss?

@MajorCarolDanvers

You called people 'idiotic haters' and I said

'People are not 'haters' because they don't want anyone ignoring a very common ovarian cancer symptom'

But I'm the rude one? Okay

@coscosima4 this has made me think twice on asking a question on her your old enough to k ow whether to see a GP or not

Some people like me have experienced period after being on the pill to stop them for years. The only difference was that we started Mounjaro. I'll bet it's nothing OP but of course it wouldn't be responsible to tell you not to get checked out. I didn't do so myself because I expected it based on what I'd read about others' experience on reddit, facebook, other online groups with periods and MJ before I started. Mine has since stopped and hasn't come back as normal. I've had other checks since then and I'm fine.

It hasn't reversed menopause @cosima4 It's just affected your hormones and brought your period out. It will (hopefully) settle and things will go back to normal. Of course as I said, get checked out for peace of mind as you never know.

How did you manage to get prescribed it when you were only two stone overweight?

Hi I was on Mounjaro. Just before my 4th injection I had spotting. I haven't had a period for 3 years. I was so freaked out by this that I had a private pelvic scan done. It all came back clear. I spoke to my doctor and I am booked to see hospital later today because they want to check it out. Hope you get to see a doctor sooner than January. There are also post on reddit. Believe I have trolled the Internet for an explanation. Xx

Hi, just to say, today I have had a pelvic ultrasound (internal and external), as well as full blood screening. There was a very small, fluid-filled cyst on one ovary, but he's not concerned about that as he says they come and go. However, he said it may be a sign that Mounjaro is causing a hormonal imbalance of some kind, especially given my wider symptoms and history.

@PHYLLIS1970 - hope you get it sorted too, but it does appear that MJ can affect hormone levels and bleeding. Good luck!