When is menopause?

[Handbag Lady]

I'm sorry to have to ask. My mom and I are not close plus she's lost her mind. I don't have any other older females in my life to ask.

At what age does menopause start to start?

Is it in your 40's or 50's? Besides the hot-flashes, what happens, exactly? I was a teenager when my aunt went through it, and she cursed it so. Do they make drugs for it now?

 

[Imzadi]

I don't know as I haven't wanted to research it yet, as I'm getting closer to it. But, I do know there is, for many women, a stage called perimenopause, meaning pre-menopause, with similar symptoms, lasting for years to decades. It can start anywhere from the late 20's (rare,) the 30's or 40's.

I'm pretty sure I am in perimenopause stage. Sometimes, I want to rip throats out over someone's incompetence and sheer stupidity. I notice I'm extremely more irritable at times, and my sleep cycle is way off. Sometimes, I can't remember simple stuff that I usually do. Plus, my period seems to come every 3 weeks now, and last longer.

I think for those of us going through perimenopause, it matters less when actual menopuase gets here, as the whole thing is just one loooong phase.

 

[Robinrs]

It depends. In my family women start going thru it in their late 30s, so that's what I thought was happening TO ME when I found out I was pregnant with my son!

I guess I went through it, didn't have any real symptoms but I didn't have bad periods either. I just stopped having them. No hot flashes, nothing...

The hardest part is explaining to my son why his girlfriend GROWLS at him once a month and wears baggy pants that week!! He never went thru it with me so it's hard to explain!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My sister is in early menopause and having a heck of time. She is 39 and has symptoms for about 2yrs.

She tried Effexor, from her OBGYN and it was working however now it is not.

She just went to a new doc who wants to put her on hormones however I tell her don't do it.

She smokes and just recently got off the coumadin from a blood clot on her leg from ankle surgery (she had major reconstruction).

Hormones can cause blood clots. She is going to talk it over with her OBGYN.

I think she has too many risk factors to take hormones.

ETA....
OH, I am 44 and no signs yet really, except I do get hot at night but not like sweating or anything. Oh and I am having dryness of my skin and nasal membranes. That is probably my most annoying thing.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I just turned 39! Do I really need to worry about this now?! I always heard that the younger you start your period, the younger you go through menopause. I wonder if that's true?

 

[TiggerD]

I went through perimenopause between the ages of 47 and 50, the heavy periods coming every 3 weeks, lasting longer, crying for no reason in the middle of the day, being a grouch for no reason and the hot flashes. When I turned 50, the periods stopped, no crying, no grouchiness, but the hot flashes continue and I am 56 now but they are not frequent, maybe 1 or 2 a week. Oh the joys of being a woman.

 

[wvdisluv2]

I just turned 39! Do I really need to worry about this now?! I always heard that the younger you start your period, the younger you go through menopause. I wonder if that's true?

42 and wondering the same thing!

 

[minkydog]

Oh,lord. I'm 52 and I'm wondering the same thing.

I started having symptoms of perimenopause around age 43--dry skin, hair greying, irritability,depression, problems sleeping. I have had occasional hot flashes, nothing really bad. Mostly I'm just hot natured now. I had really heavy periods from 43 to 48, when I finally had uterine ablation. That really took care of the heavy periods and they've gotten lighter and lighter since then. I take an antidepressant and something for sleep, plus I use CPAP for sleep apnea now(that may have been the whole problem with the sleep disturbance.)

I really don't expect to experience any dramatic "change." It seems that my body is slowly cranking down the hormones so that I'm going gently into menopause. It hasnt' been bad at all.

 

[SundancePass]

Ladies, GO TO YOUR DOCTOR AND GET A BLOOD TEST! If you have ANY questions about where you are or in what "stage" you are. I went thru it at 51 and the "before" or peri lasted 5 years, the "during" or menopause lasted 14 months ( I took HRT so I started with a period and ended with none and took myself off of HRT because I gained 40 pounds) and the "after" can last 10 years. Hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping and gaining weight are only 4 on the signs. The absolute best is a blood test.

Prepare yourself for it. Some have it rough, some don't like me. I used a progesterone cream for 10 years..meaning I just stopped last year as the night sweats just stopped.

Good luck. It's not fun necessarily because your body chemical balance and metabolism changes dramatically...but the good news is that I'm still here!

 

[SundancePass]

Oh and BTW, graying hair is a genetic thing...not a menopause thing.

 

[minkydog]

I'm just glad I didn't listen to my mother. To hear her tell it menopause is the worst thing that could ever happen to you. She went on Premarin(hormones) when she was 48 and she's still taking them at age 75. Says she needs them and that I'll "understand" later.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Oh and BTW, graying hair is a genetic thing...not a menopause thing.

Yep, I am 44 no gray. All of my younger sibs have gray. Yea, I rub it in. Makes up for the crud they give me for being the oldest.

 

[daisyduck123]

I am 42yo & am over & done with the whole thing .

My last period was in Dec. 2007....I had just turned 41. Prior to that, I'd had very heavy periods for about 2 years. The hot flashes only lasted for 2 months earlier that year.

Since then....nothing, nada, zilch! No spotting, hot flashes, night sweats, or anything. It's just gone & I'm loving it!!

(and I think I'm the envy of all my friends)

 

[AnnaS]

Let's see. I was never a good sleeper and now it's worse.

I have put on about 25 pounds in the last 3/4 years and really round in the middle.

I am stressed out and I am sure depressed more than I should be.

I forget a lot of things and my head/brain always feel like it's in a fog.

I think I get hot flashes here and there nothing crazy the way my older sister gets them _- maybe I am not there yet.

Only skipped period once. Very heavy and clotty for a good day maybe two.
OB/GYN recommended Novasure - I was not anemic so I said no thank you. I can live with a heavy day.

Moody/cranky.

I am actually going for blood work tomorrow and I think she is checking hormones (this is regular family doctor).

A few years ago, the OB/GYN prescribed something very low dosage (safforon? some natural pill) medication to help me relax and I said no thank you there too.

My sister is almost 52 and she stopped a few months ago. I think I have a few more years (48). Two of my friends stopped completely at 40. When I complain about something, my older sister says - that's a sign. I just hope it does not get worse.

 

[daisyduck123]

I just turned 39! Do I really need to worry about this now?! I always heard that the younger you start your period, the younger you go through menopause. I wonder if that's true?

Hmmmm...I didn't get my period until I was 14 & 1/2 yo & I have already finished menopause. (See Post #13).

 

[Handbag Lady]

I just turned 39! Do I really need to worry about this now?! I always heard that the younger you start your period, the younger you go through menopause. I wonder if that's true?

I had heard that too!! I started really, really young.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I am 42yo & am over & done with the whole thing .

My last period was in Dec. 2007....I had just turned 41. Prior to that, I'd had very heavy periods for about 2 years. The hot flashes only lasted for 2 months earlier that year.

Since then....nothing, nada, zilch! No spotting, hot flashes, night sweats, or anything. It's just gone & I'm loving it!!

(and I think I'm the envy of all my friends)

Yeah, I'm 40 and I envy you!

 

[Handbag Lady]

So if your periods just up and stop...

How does that work if you are on birth control pills? I may be remembering Health class wrong, but aren't periods while you are on B/C not real in the first place? How would I know?


I'm 40. I started not sleeping well the last few weeks. My skin has become so dry it is itchy. DH says I'm a bit more irritable (how can he tell? ) I've been to the doctor but she says I'm fine. No blood test was done.

I'm not so sure I trust my doctor, too.

 

[Pixiedust34]

I'm glad to see this thread as I don't have many people to ask about menopause either.

I'm 40 and I think I have a foot in the door with menopause. Does anyone know how being on the pill (Seasonale) affects menopause?? My ob-gyn said it's OK for me to continue with the pill at this age, but there must be a point where the pill might make it hard to see if the cycle is actually changing, right? Or could my cycle cease altogether even on the pill if menopause hits in the early 40s? I can't see my ob-gyn again until October because of our insurance, but that's a long time to wait to ask these questions.

I hate hot flashes. I've had only a few, but they are yucky. I'm more cranky than usual and it's all too easy to add some pounds to my weight.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I'm glad to see this thread as I don't have many people to ask about menopause either.

I'm 40 and I think I have a foot in the door with menopause. Does anyone know how being on the pill (Seasonale) affects menopause?? My ob-gyn said it's OK for me to continue with the pill at this age, but there must be a point where the pill might make it hard to see if the cycle is actually changing, right? Or could my cycle cease altogether even on the pill if menopause hits in the early 40s? I can't see my ob-gyn again until October because of our insurance, but that's a long time to wait to ask these questions.

I hate hot flashes. So far, I've had a few in the middle of the night.

OMG, I had the same question! I am also on Seasonale, too! Hi, friend!