Menopause at 55

Hi Risky,

I was 55 when my periods finally ended. I too was delighted, no more periods! Like you it took three months and all heck broke lose. I knew then, its our hormones and the monthly cycle that kept us normal all these years and now with it gone the real fun begins. So many women think they can't wait for all this peri to be over and get in menopause. I say, enjoy this time because things really decline fast after our hormones are all but gone after. Things I didn't even know were possible that we always took for granted start happening. Hair starts falling out of our head, then new hair starts growing where we don't want it like our face. Skin becomes dry and thin, bump yourself and a bruise appears and doesn't leave for weeks. Vaginal dryness kicks in because there goes our estrogen that provided us with the lubrication we need. Hot flushes galore and can't sleep at night.  Many women get vaginal atrophy and find at times its hard to even sit!  Sex becomes challenging because our lubrication hits the road on us making intimacy hard if not impossible.  Soreness sets in and Orgasms get harder to come by. Then we are left wide open for problems like cancer, stroke, heart attacks, dementia, just to name a few,  because there again the hormones that kept us healthy are gone. There is one thing I did when these changes started. I started to read and read a lot on BHRT. Watched lots of videos too. I started on hormone replacement within 6 months of my periods ending and I am so glad I did. Don't feel like I'm in menopause at all. Its been three years now. A doctor that knows what their doing with hormone replacement is very important. Good Luck

Hi I sympathize with you, it's rubbish. I've had the same. I was 6 mths with nothing, I'm thinking yey as I started to feel goodish and I guess accepted things. Then last week I was feeling right out of sorts, confused, stressed, emotional,achey, breast tenderness, all the things I used to feel when due on. Then arrmageddon struck I had the period from hell. I felt sooo rubbish. I had a funny turn driving the car, chest pains and pains in my arm that I turned around and checked into A and E as I thought I was having a heart attack. It was really scary and it has set me back a bit on my road to sanity. Anyway all was ok. My own Dr didn't want to see me and so I just have to get on with it. I can't have hrt as had BC. We will get through it... kicking and screaming but we will. Stay strong.😊

Thank you for posting. I'm so sorry I feel like I'm on a roller coaster and its not fun.  I haven't gone to the emergency because hubby is a paramedic and I feel bad if its nothing... but I have seen all of my docs, ENT, GYN, PCP, Cardio and nothing. (I may need to see gastro and a neuro ;-).  

Its horrible I cant say when I'm off( feeling anxious, weird, depressed, not myself) because it happens before my period, during and after, I'm also now more anxious about what is happening.  I want reassurance because I cannot believe hormones could pull this craziness on someone.  In 6 months I'll be 56 and every year I think this is it but nothing so far.  I'm expecting my period next week.... you seem to be almost there.  Have faith you are not alone.

Update - with continued fatigue that was becoming a problem, I had my daughter take me to a larger hospital ER and after CT scan, they found I did indeed suffer a right brain stroke. Because I did not come into to the previous hospital with left side weakness or loss of speech, they totally missed it! I'm apparently very lucky it 2as not worse!!

Fast forward a month and armed with plavix, an aspirin, a stronger statin and an anti-depressant, this morning I called 911 after experiencing a "flushed" feeling that left me drained and shaky, ER confirmed it was not a new stroke or heart attack but instead most likely a hot flash. ALso, have been experiencing night sweats that keep me drenched. It has been crazy. Just loving menopause.