Possibly NSFW: If you have experienced menopause will you take a moment to answer my question?

Late and irregular. Heavy. Had fibroids as well.

For me, and most people I know are similar, at first my periods became closer together and heavier, but fewer days, that lasted about two years. Then I skipped a few periods, and then became “regular” again, so still closer together around every 24 days usually, but sometimes out to 26, for several months, and then stopped cycling altogether.

I didn’t get hot flashes I don’t think. When I first stopped menstruating I was having some night sweating, but my throws meds were up too high, and even when I was 40 if I was overmedicated on thyroid meds I got “flashes.” As soon as I adjusted my meds down my flashes went away. So, I don’t think I had menopause flashes. It still happens now if I’m overmedicated, so I think it’s solely related to my thyroid.

Anyway, the final year is often whacky for women I think. Whacky in terms of not knowing if and when you will get your period.

Overall, I sailed through. Thankfully. I hope you do too.

Yes, the lovely fibroids. Blerg

I had lots of fibroids. It’s so common. They usually shrink or disappear after menopause. I assume mine did, I don’t know. My mom had one the size of a small grapefruit and hers went away.

For me, periods just quit. End of story. No hot flashes, no nothing. They just quit when I was 38.

I started peri-menopause at 48. The only symptoms I had were hot flashes. My periods remained the same, no heavier, no lighter, and never missed one.

I had really only had cramps from age 12 to mid 20’s, and those were easily knocked out with aspirin.

My periods stopped at age 53, and this will be the third year. Now, instead of getting hot flashes, which would roll up from my chest to the top of my head, from a few seconds to a minute or so, multiple times a day, any time of the day or evening, but not after I had gone to sleep, I am simply hot all the time.

I guess I would count insomnia as a symptom, although that started in my mid-to late 40s, got really bad for about 2 years, at age 51–52, and now is just chronic and annoying, but I have gotten used to it.

You probably are in peri menopause. I had about false stops for about 3 years before I finally when into menopause when I was 53. I would very regular most of my life. Between 28 to 29 days on each cycle. I didn’t have the hot flashes very bad and they really didn’t occur for me until I was in menopause and it only lasted a few weeks. I found taking vitamins late in the day made it worse. Especially A and C vitamins. Anti oxidants and caffeine made flashes worse for me. But I never got really bad the way some women describe the experience. It was worse at night but I found it was only worse when I took vitamins before bed time or had chocolate and or caffeine or juice any time after 5.pm. So for evening sweet snack I tried to limit my sweets to maybe an oatmeal cookie or vanilla icecream. Also check your vitamin d level. I found out with myself and other women I know who have gone through menopause that vitamin d level starts to drop off around that time. I don’t know if its because of menopause or just because I was getting older that it was happening, but I wish I had caught it sooner.

For me, my periods just stopped. No hot flashes ever. My mom said she didn’t have them either, and I read that it’s hereditary, so I guess I’m lucky in that way.

My only chronic issue is insomnia. About half the nights, I wake up in the middle of the night and then it takes me a few hours to return to sleep. Often I’m going back to sleep around the time I need to wake up for work, which results in me ultimately getting up late and struggling in the morning. That’s why I’m up right now. It’s 5 a.m. and I have been up since around 3. I may shut my eyes around 6, just to get a little rest, and then I’ll be running late. Boss gets annoyed when we’re five minutes late so it’s an ongoing issue.

I went through the Pause at 42. My dr kept telling me that it was my imagination as I was way too young to be going through it. I went from being so regular that I knew almost to the minute when I would start to so irregular that I kept a supply of pregnancy testers in my cabinet….just in case. It took me about 20 years to actually get to the place where I had completely stopped. For years, I was guaranteed that I would get it for Christmas. I sure don’t miss having it!!!

On the other side, my Mom’s BFF was 52 when she suddenly became late & assumed that she had finally started Pausing. Turned out she was pregnant with a giggling baby girl. She cried when she got the news from her dr fearing that she’d be too /old to take care of a newborn. Turned out that baby was her miracle child as she was so much younger than her siblings that she was almost an only child. They were very close & by the time Mom was old & dying te baby was a young adult who willingly took care of her. The other 2 kids didn’t live close by & didn’t want to disrupt their lives!!!

Personally, I think that you’re going through the Pause; however, for peace of mind, I suggest the you buy an EPT tester to verify that I’m not wrong. Some come with 2 testers per kit & they aren’t outrageously expensive…Good luck!!!!
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I’m like @jca2. I honestly can’t pinpoint a particular time in my life that I went through menopause. However, my periods just quit when I was about 40. Nothing prior to that happened any differently.

I had terrible hot flashes & my sex drive went from a +10 to a -15 overnight!!! I cried over every little thing. You couldn’t say anything to please me & that was on my good days!!! Periods became so sporadic that I never had a guess when the next would come. Might be 2 days between or maybe 2 months. Then I had the once a year thing. I was in my 60’s before I finally stopped for good!!!

I am glad it didn’t happen to me that way!!!!!

I appreciate you all sharing your stories! Thank you so much.

Me too. I wouldn’t wish what I went through on my worst enemy!!!

@wiscoblond You might want to warn your partner in crime that you might turn into the bitch from hell & it shouldn’t be taken personally. I lived by myself & couldn’t stand my roommate!!! I sure was glad when I made it out the other side!!!

Well, I’m not pregnant. Can I get an amen? We had our first child at the age of 21 and 27 years later we still have a child in school. We are ready to have time to ourselves. No more children! :)

Amen!

AMEN!!! times infinity!!!

No, but when you see your doctor he will answer all of your questions, or you could buy or borrow a book on female development. I will say that at your age I was 10 years post menopausal.