New to menopause...Am I backwards???

v65magna

I guess I have started into that magical time of life along with several of my friends. We are all 47, 48, 49 years old. We all compare notes. They all complain about periods being so messed up (happening every 2 wks or so). I've checked with family members and they all had the same thing happen. Now me...(sorry)...I have a period every 3 mths maybe. I think this is great but I am not hearing about it happening this way from anyone else I know. Am I backwards? The only reason I can come up with is that my system is so different from anyone else is because I have never had children. Could this be?

PatriceMG

That's what's happening with me too. Haven't had one since July. Before that was 3 months prior. Everybody is different...

geecee77

Happened with me too....they got further and further apart then lighter, then a huge one that went on for about two weeks, then nothing

I have heard women who have not had children, and who carry extra weight (fat cells hold hormones) can have an easier time of it.

Still getting hot flushes (flashes) from time to time though

tami101

I have been having them both ways. The beginning of last year (2011) I was having them every two weeks. =( This year, I have been only having one every three months and they have been very light. I had one three weeks ago that was more normal, like they used to be, and this morning I started again. =( Don't be surprised if they change up a bit. I'm not trying to complain, since this is only my 5th one this year, but I sure hate not knowing when or if I'm going to start.

katevarner

I had a hysterectomy at 38, but I kept my ovaries, so I still had symptoms of periods on a relatively regular basis for a while. Now I'm 47 and only have symptoms every few months even tho I am using a progesterone cream for sleep. When I used it several years ago, my doctor had me stop using it one week a month so my body would have a period, but now he just tells me to use it daily, so very few symptoms unless like a few weeks ago I forget to refill it and have to go a few days without because it's a weekend. Definitely had what I would consider a period then based on how I felt, but who knows, really.

I think that the other posters are right--we all go thru this a little differently. If you are concerned, call your doctor's office. The nurse can probably tell you whether it's ok or whether it's time to see the doctor.

TheRealParisLove

My last cycle was 57 days, one before was 54 days. I was getting the every two weeks thing a few years ago, but now my cycles are getting longer and longer.

I know I'm on the youngish end for perimenopause, but my mom had her last period when she was 48 years old, so it could be hereditary.

TinaBaily

I wouldn't say you're backwards at all. I came to see if something about late periods was a topic within this group because that's what's happening to me right now. I had been like clockwork since having my 14.5 year old, but never was before having her. Now I'm late by a few days or so and while I do fluctuate, this is later than usual. I just turned 46. I also am struggling with eating properly all of a sudden, which I wasn't doing before. I KNOW I'm not pregnant, so it just must be lovely old perimenopause raising her hand in my life. I guess I can't complain since I'm no longer having warm flashes. I'm cold all the time instead!

Kowent

Hi ladies, I am 52 and had always had irregular periods my whole life. That is until I turned 48 or so then they started to come like clockwork every month. Recently I had a period pop up on me in the middle of my cycle and I thought, yeah it's finally here. So I called the gynecologist I hadn't been to in eight years. I told him " I think I stared menopause". He said menopause is almost always less and almost never increased bleeding. Needless to say I had to have a large polyp removed from my uterus. Luckily it was benign. That being said I know there is no handbook for this but I would check with the doctor just in case. I'm glad I did.

tashiaberman

Don't listen to him. Every person is different and peri-menopause is different from menopause. In peri-menopause your hormones sometimes fluctuate wildly. I would have MUCH heavier periods and sometimes skip a month all together, then have a period every two weeks and sometimes so heavy I'd have to wear one of my grandson's diapers to bed at night. Eventually they tapered off to heavy spotting for a few days, then eventually they tapered off to nothing for a couple of months, then bam out of nowhere a period and heavy too.

Soon I was having a period once every two or three months, but it was heavy when it came. Then I stopped having them all together, which is where I am now. This all went on between the ages of 50 and 53 for me, but it can happen earlier or even later. Like I said, every person is different.

Just like when young girls get their periods, it average age is 12, but if it happens at 11 it's not that unusual. I didn't start mine until I was 15!! Every person is different and don't let some doctor take advantage of you and perform unnecessary procedures because you are fearful of the unknown. G_d didn't make us to require all the cutting, scraping and junk the doctors do to us. He made us the way we're supposed to be and unless you have some sort of tumor or cancer, your doctor needs to stay out and keep his hands off.