Please tell me about the menopause...

Petra_70

Basically, I am in my mid 40s, (several years from 50,) and my periods are getting a bit less frequent. I was talking to a friend about this, and she said 'your menopause is over when you have had no period for 12 months...' However, another friend said to me 'when you have had no period for 12 months, that is the START of your menopause.'

I wonder if someone could enlighten me? Who is right?

Basically, I am having 3 month gaps between periods, and feel they may come to an end soon. However, apart from erratic periods, I have had zero signs of any menopause. I haven't noticed any different behaviour, or mood swings, or sweating, or anything. Although having said that, I did have a few months when I was a bit sweaty a couple of years ago, but it was a warm few weeks, and my periods were normal then.

So first of all, is it normal to have almost no signs of the menopause?

And has it ended when you have had no period for 12 months?

Or is no period for 12 months the START of your menopause?

Another thing someone said to me the other week is that you will have a worse menopause if you have a stressful life...

So... are you more likely to suffer a bad menopause if you have a stressful life (eg; have difficult teen children/elderly parents to look after/a stressful job/financial issues/relationship problems... or more than one of the above!!!)

Like if you only work 8 hours a week, and have no teens at home (and no younger kiddies,) and very little stress, and very little financial issues etc, are you less likely to have a hard menopause...?

Any help or advice very welcome and very appreciated.

Brighton_belle

The start of menopause is absolutely definitely after you have had no periods for 12 months. The time before that, when you notice changes, perhaps periods becoming irregular is called the peri menopause.


As for symptoms - varies from woman to woman. Luck of the draw. Some have horrendous symptoms, some non at all and the rest lie somewhere in between.

duchy

Perhaps you could ask a board guide to get this moved to the correct board .
Should be on the health board

lisa110rry

I think you should just count yourself lucky so far, my dear. Some people have very difficult symptoms, I didn't.

You could perhaps google this website which is an explanation provided by the NHS.

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/menopause/Pages/Introduction.aspx

There are also blood tests that can be taken but I believe one only does that after menstruation has stopped completely for a time.

Don't worry, for lots of women it's not dreadful.

seven-day-weekend

I have never had a hot flush, or a night sweat. My periods stopped suddenly when I was 54. I am now 66.



You may not get any symptoms, many women don't. I was told (by a nurse) that the older you are when you have the menopause the easier it is, but I don't know how true that is.

Petra_70

Brighton_belle wrote: »

The start of menopause is absolutely definitely after you have had no periods for 12 months. The time before that, when you notice changes, perhaps periods becoming irregular is called the peri menopause.


As for symptoms - varies from woman to woman. Luck of the draw. Some have horrendous symptoms, some non at all and the rest lie somewhere in between.

Ah - ha. So what I am experiencing now is the PERI menopause. And the menopause starts once I have been period-free for 12 months?

Great ! Lovely to know I have it all to come! :eek:

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I have never had a hot flush, or a night sweat. My periods stopped suddenly when I was 54. I am now 66.

You may not get any symptoms, many women don't. I was told (by a nurse) that the older you are when you have the menopause the easier it is, but I don't know how true that is.

Thank you.

I wonder if it's true that how bad the symptoms are is 'stress related?'

tomtontom

The good (or bad!) news is the perimenopause can last up to ten years. Have you spoken to your GP about your periods? It would be a good idea for them to rule out other causes such as a thyroid problem.

I had a chemically induced menopause, so my symptoms were more severe than a natural one. Finding the right HRT was key to keeping me well. I'd say stress and external factors do play a part, but only in so much as with other health condition, your symptoms will be easier to manage if you're otherwise fit and well.

I've recommended the following book before but it's well worth a read, your library should be able to get you a copy.

It Must Be My Hormones

thorsoak

I think I might have had a couple of hot flushes - but it was a hot summer! I don't really know when I had the menopause because my periods stopped in 1990, when I was 46, and had a hysterectomy. As the ovaries were healthy, they were left so that I could go through the menopause naturally - and it wasn't until I was nearly 60 when I had a medical which involved a blood test which confirmed that yes, I had gone through the menopause.

Life had been pretty stressful - OH ill, family of four teenagers, losing my father, stressful job, etc etc ....and still I don't know when the menopause happened! So my advice to you would be - just take life one day at a time xxxxx

Brighton_belle

Petra_70 wrote: »

Ah - ha. So what I am experiencing now is the PERI menopause. And the menopause starts once I have been period-free for 12 months?

Yup! That's right.

Petra_70

tomtontom wrote: »

The good (or bad!) news is the perimenopause can last up to ten years. Have you spoken to your GP about your periods? It would be a good idea for them to rule out other causes such as a thyroid problem.

I've recommended the following book before but it's well worth a read, your library should be able to get you a copy.

It Must Be My Hormones

:eek: EEEEEK!!!

thorsoak wrote: »

I think I might have had a couple of hot flushes - but it was a hot summer! I don't really know when I had the menopause because my periods stopped in 1990, when I was 46, and had a hysterectomy. As the ovaries were healthy, they were left so that I could go through the menopause naturally - and it wasn't until I was nearly 60 when I had a medical which involved a blood test which confirmed that yes, I had gone through the menopause.

Life had been pretty stressful - OH ill, family of four teenagers, losing my father, stressful job, etc etc ....and still I don't know when the menopause happened! So my advice to you would be - just take life one day at a time xxxxx

Cool thanks..

Brighton_belle wrote: »

Yup! That's right.

Thank you.

Thanks to everyone. I'm off out now, but I will be back later.

McKneff

I had a major shock family related at about 48 years of age, I went straight into the menopause, periods just stopped, nothing, zilch. When my doctor gave me some patches to 'look after my bones' I got every symptom of the menopause, hot flushes, aches, pains, temper, you name it, that was me and i was a pig to live with. I suddenly realsied what was happening, stopped with the patches and have just sailed through it all.
But remember, each woman is different, just get on with it and try to ignore it.