What age did you start menopause?

[mefordis]

I'm curous. I'm 38 now. Wondering when I can look forward to this. My mom started at 42. Isn't that young?

 

[JunieJay]

I'll be 44 in a few months, and still get my periods like clockwork. I do have some peri-menopausal symptoms that I've had since my late 30s (mostly psychological/hormonal).

 

[KimR]

Wow - 42 does seem early but I've heard of so many women going through menopause in their 40s and even 30s. My Mother was around 51 or so as was my Grandmother. I thought right around 50 was typical.

 

[Blondie]

Here's a good thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1362898

 

[Chattyaholic]

I'm almost 50 and the only symptom I have is an occasional hot-flash at night where I wake up super warm and throw off the covers.

I'm so ready for Aunt Flo to stop visiting every month!!!

 

[GoofyBaseballMom26]

I started with the whole mess when I was about 36. I was completely through it all by the time I was 42. I still have trouble sleeping and still have the 25 lbs I gained while taking hormones but I'm through. Don't know if that's good or bad.

 

[MAKmom]

Menopause is the last period you ever get. You really do not know it happened for about a year after. Most women are 50ish take 5 years both ways

Peri menopause is the 7-10 years before the last period. 42 to 47 this starts on an average take 5 years either way so it can start in your late 30's.

 

[dcgrumpy]

hmm, I just thought of something. I had a hysterectomy but kept one ovary so that I could through menopause naturally. How am I going to know?

 

[Nevergrow'nup]

I was through menopause at 34. Thankfully, we decided to have children in my 20's. I didn't really put it all together until my periods stopped completely. I was probably in peri for 2 years before.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I'm also an early one... I started perimenopausal symptoms at about age 35, right when we were starting TTC baby #2, so I kept thinking I was pregnant when I'd be late and gain 5 pounds overnight for no reason.

My last period was a month before my 38th birthday, and I don't miss it at all!

ETA: 42 is still pretty early. It's supposed to be hereditary, if your mom was early, you have a better chance of being early too. In my case, neither my mom, her mom, nor her two sisters went through menopause before age 50, so I don't know why I did. :

 

[LindaR]

I went thru menopause early and quickly. I also had spinal surgery at the same time so I was REALLY, REALLY cranky! I was 41. I am now 45 and have been symptom free for a couple of years now. I did bio-identical hormones for the severe hot flashes, nightsweats, and mood swings and that really helped. I am FREE!!!!!

 

[rhonhod]

I started my pre-menopausal symptoms 2 years ago at age 30 and then last year my dr. said i had cancer cells on my uterus and cervix, OMG the biopsy hurt like ----!!!!!! But the dr. said on a scale of 1 thru 6 my cells were a 4 so we are just watching and testing every 3 months.

 

[Lisa Anne Colling]

I started VERY EARLY, I was 20 when things went wacky and at 22 I was diagnosed with Premature ovarian failure. i am 34 now. Every now and then my hormones still like to a work a bit, but not enough to conceive a baby. which is Okay as we have three awesome adopted kids. I don't hardly have any symptoms now which makes me think I may be close or in full menopause. I get the occasional hot flash but thats it. After 20+ years of them and other annoying sypmtoms I'm ready to be over it!
Lisa
It's great to be a woman!

 

[kinntj]

I just went to my gyn. last week and discussed the symptoms I've been having. She said I could be going into peri, but we'll have to see. I have had only a couple of night sweats and getting intense migraines. They just hit around the same time as night sweats started, that's why I thought it was strange. Finally got a prescription for Imitrex for them. My periods are not like clockwork. They are so irregular, but now on NuvaRing and much better and lighter.

My mom started at 45, but she said it lasted like seemed like forever. The Dr. told me that the average age of menopause is 51. She said since my mom started earlier it's possible I could too, but it's not always like that.

I forgot to say that I'm 36 now.

 

[Minnie824]

I have a question...how does taking a bc pill affect this? Will you still get symptoms? Will your period still stop, you just keep taking the pills?

 

[disney1990]

I have a question...how does taking a bc pill affect this? Will you still get symptoms? Will your period still stop, you just keep taking the pills?

You want to continue some form of birth control until you have been 1 full year without a period. Otherwise.........

They save the average age for menopause is 51. I keep reading all the people that stopped so young -- so there has to be somebody out there to bring up that average. Right? That would be me. 55 and still going......

 

[daisyduck123]

I just turned 40 & haven't had a period since before Christmas!

I've only had 4 since last May...I'm hoping they are gone for good!!

I started having hot flashes SuperBowl Weekend & was having them regularly, like every hour (oh they were horrible!). Then, about 2 weeks ago, they stopped.

 

[DebbieB]

My mom, her 2 sisters and their mom were all 47 and sailed through it. I turned 47 in January. I kept saying my luck I'll probably go until 55. I had some heavy periods last fall, had tests that showed a couple small fibroids. The last was December and it was one of the worst I ever had. Since then I've had some spotting but not a real period like I'm used to. It's weird not to know where I am in my cycle, when to expect it. I've felt "crampy" the past week and keep waiting for something to happen but nothing so far. No hot flashes or anything, except I gained 10 pounds this winter, don't know if that has anything to do with it.

 

[Cee]

......I haven't had a period since Nov. '05. The flashes are cooling down too.
Maybe I'm almost done! That would be awesome.

 

[goofy4tink]

Back when I was pregnant with my 13 y/o, I was 43. I was really cranky and on the psychotic side....I still wonder why my other kids and my dh didn't leave the house. But, about 5 months after I had her, I went back to the ob/gyn and asked why 'things' hadn't returned to normal. He said it can take time but did some blood work. Things went along the same for another 3 months. I called the doctor yet again to tell him that things were the same. He asked if I had called and asked about my blood work. I had and they had told me everything was normal. He was a bit taken aback and told me yeah, normal for a woman who was 'done' with the change!!! Seems I went through menopause while I was pregnant!!! It's a wonder I had a normal pregnancy and a healthy baby!!! A bit early we thought since all the women in my family have gone through it around 52-55.