Sorry folks, the menopause again!

Think yourself lucky that you miss any. My life was one big period for about 6 months before I had a hysterectomy. Then I hit the menopause and the fun really began.

Seriously, I hope someone can give you a proper answer and you have few problems with the menopause.

Sounds exactly like my experience kitty - the hysterectomy was the best thing I ever did - but as you say, then the menopause hit! Oh joy, oh rapture!

Awww I'm sorry kittylester, that must have been awful for you.

I am quite fortunate really in that the menopause itself isn't causing too many problems it's just that I have fibroids which aren't a problem except for when I have a period and they are really painful and heavy. That's the reason why I will be really glad when they have finally ceased.

theres no set time scale as our bodies are all different ...although my periods were few and far between they seemed to have gone on forever and were very heavy to the point i had to use incontinence pads!!!! i think it was a good 2 years that mine actually stopped altogether..

I had my last period at 53. For about 18 months they were very irregular and extremely heavy I had to you a tampon and towel and change every 90 mins. I went 6 months at one time then had another. This went on until I realised it was almost a year since them last one, the time just got longer and longer until they stopped altogether. However I still carried protection with me for about 2 years. I had hot flushes but no night sweats and apart from periods being so heavy when they arrived my menopause was pretty ok. It is fantastic when periods are no more I,ve never understood those women who say they feel sad/less feminine with no periods. Sorry that,s just me!

Talking to my friends it seems we have all had different experiences and at quite different ages. Personally, I had normal periods up until Christmas 2011 when I had the last one at age 55. It is now two years and I haven't had any other symptoms ( as far as I can tell) so am hoping that's it, in which case I have been lucky.

Me too kittylester and Mishap. Hysterectomy at 42, ten trouble-free years, then ten years of awful menopause.

There really is no set pattern to it kalexie

When I was 56 my period was very irregular, following year, two periods, carried tampons just in case but I was delighted when I realised that I was finished.

I was 55, the last two years periods were very heavy, tampon and night time towel and change every 30 minutes. The pain was worse than labour. I then had one light period and the next month nothing and it was all over. The relief from pain was wonderful because I used to suffer from ovulation pain as well as at the time of period.

I was 45 had a year really heavy was sent for a D&C never had another period and never had a days problem with absolutely no symptoms what so ever Lucky eh

What this thread shows is that no two women have the same experience of the menopause. I was 43 and very glad to get rid of periods. One of the lucky ones, I had few problems.

I had always had really heavy irregular periods. Anything from 3-9 wks between. I too was one of the tampon n towel together brigade.
I was lucky that my periods stopped suddenly, I was 49 when I had my last. I never had any symptoms of menopause. I always think having such a terrible time from the age of 11, I deserved to sail through the menopause.

I was on the pill, tried to get some more and they refused to let me. I was livid and 52. My first periods were very heavy, in fact twiceasnice probably had the nearest to my experience, as the womb lining tries to flush itself out it does get pretty gross. They seemed to end completely after a couple of years, but then a year later I had another couple. I was so cross, because of course I was having to use condoms. It worried me so much that I waited for another two years before I stopped using them, so have only had one year of complete bliss.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I must admit I wasn't expecting such a diverse range of experiences, it really does go to show how very different we all are.