Have I escaped the horrors of the menopause?

hi i am 52 and i stop my periods at 48 and now i keep getting hot flushes nearly every day and my mood swings are all over the place i did see my doctor and she said that yes i am going through the change

Hi there,

I have heard that for some women, the process of the menopause can be no more than a bit of an annoyance and some just "sail" through it all!

I believe I must be in peri as I have had instances of some of the symptoms over recent years, including drenching night sweats (only during period time) and buts of depression (a few years ago I was even getting suicidal thoughts but several friends helped me through that time and I never saw a doctor for it. It's only recently that I've started to wonder if that was peri hormones?). The worst symptoms for me are the brain fog / lack of concentration / forgetfulness. A new one for this year is overheating and struggling to cool down - but I wouldn't call them hot flushes - they're weird!

My periods are still regular, apart from several blips early in the year and now being nearly 2 weeks late. I am 51 in a few months and fully expect dreadful symptoms any day now - but maybe it won't happen? One of my school friends got peri over and done with without much bother by her late 40's! Unfortunately, I cannot ask anyone my age who has not had children nor ever been pregnant - they have all had families wheras I didn't. My only childless friend had an ectopic pregnancy over 30 years ago and a subsequent hysterectomy, although she does still have her ovaries and was having hot flushes. I don't know if never having had babies will make my peri drastically different from anyone else's.

Fingers crossed you have been one of the very lucky ladies, like my schoolfriend! We're all different. My mum started her periods at 11 (I was 13) and thinks she didn't go through the menopause til her mid 50's, never being offered HRT or anything to help.

It could be that easy really. Not everyone goes through rough times. I have many friends that once their periods stopped, that was it.  I have had a few issues, but honestly nothing too incredibly horrible. I recently came off of Prometrium and have been doing fine. Everyone is different and you may be blessed not to have any troubling effects. I am happy that you are transitioning rather smoothly and hope it continues that way, which most likely it will.

Cheers,

Annie

Supermim,

I guess I'll offer another perspective.  I too was one of those woman who had a very easy time of it.  The difficult part was perimenopause when I was 42, night sweats, drenching sweats, brain fog, etc.  But then things did settle down and I was fine.  It wasn't until I was 52 1/2 when I had my last period.  Again, I sailed through.  Never having hot flashes or any of the standard symptoms,  What I did have was chronic pain in my muscles and ligaments.  Not one doctor related this to hormones.  I did years of constant pain.  But then a couple years into menopause, I developed vaginal dryness, some painful sex and vaginal atrophy.  Now the doctors took notice. 

It wasn't until I started using vaginal Estrace, that my world changed.  The constant pain went away, I had energy, I slept like a champ.  All from that little molecule estradiol.  

Now here I am at age 58 trying to slowly restore my estrogen, progesterone and testosterone.  

What I want to offer, is that there are a number of things that happen with menopause that aren't the standard "symptoms".  I also thought I was the "lucky" one.  These chemicals effect our entire endocrine system.  Their loss can change our insulin, thyroid, and andrenal function.    Keep in mind that while you may be feeling ok for now, that doesn't mean that things won't creep in.  And like me, you may not think it is connected to your sex steriods.  I wish I had known better, as it would have saved me from years of pain.

Hi Supermim

I am in menopause myself but i had a scare last week because I started bleeding down there. I stopped my HRTs right away. I was also feeling really weak while I was taking my Neurotin 100mgs three times a day I Did stop the third nerontin the morning dose i have not taken but i did take the night dose. 

My moods were all over the place last week I was feeling anxious while i was bleeding, I was having anger issues and just really restless, Not able to sleep to good durring the night. 

I don't think i am going back on any HRTs ITs a bad combo with having a thyroid problem,diabetes and high blood pressure

Don't want to go through what I went through at all

Let's hope these are the symptoms you get.  I was doing fine myself until the hot flushes started back in June.  Every single night.  It's awful.  Just had my appointment with my endocrinologist today and he ran blood work for my thyroid (as he usually does) and added the female hormonal workup.