How long does the menopause last?

Sorry to inform you*battycat*, but I had my last period when I was 53, exactly 40 after my first! I am now 64 and still having hot flushes. My memory has returned to normal (phew). I was woolly headed for years, needing a list in case I forgot anything.
I have been told that hot flushes can persist for 14 years, so I might have a few years to go yet. ?

Im 68 and still get hot flushes!!! also suffering from vaginal atrophy and urine infections! its never ending! I cant take hrt due to being a high risk to cancer!

I don't think there is an end is there?

Sorry battycat I can't say much to reassure you either. I had my last period @ 46 and 20 years on still have hot sweats most nights. The good news is that they stopped in the daytime years ago and I no longer struggle with the extreme fatigue and low mood that I experienced at first. Good luck with it all!

I'm 70 and slept badly last night due to hot flushes. The quilt got thrown off and then I shivered and pulled it back and I am still on the lowest dose HRT patch.

I am now 63 and have not had any of the usual symptoms.

Or unusual ones either come to that.

Same here, Alima. Regular periods until I was 56, five years ago. They just stopped and that was it. Unless the symptoms are yet to strike?!

Bloomin' well hope not!

I might have blinked and missed it

I think I was about 45 when I had my last period and that was that.

I think everyone's different.

Well you did ask OP...
Technically the "menopause" is the cessation of periods. "Perimenopause " is used for the tedious period before they finally and completely stop (tedious for some - it behoves others who don't suffer to be sympathetic. Felt like slapping someone the other day who said "I never noticed it. I think its because I get on with things and don't dwell". )
Once they stop you are "post menopausal". Doctors are only recently discovering that symptoms like hot flushes end dry vagina can go on a long time. They are caused by a drop in hormones, particularly oestrogen.
Only the other week I had a questionnaire from a prestigious breast cancer follow up research study asking me "whether I suffered from hot flushes during the menopause". They got it in the neck when I came to the comments section.
I have found the things that help are to lead as healthy a life as possible including a brisk walk every day and practicing relaxation techniques. Things that make flushes worse for me: hot rooms, alcohol, chocolate, eating very sweet things late at night, duvets. I now sleep under microfibre blankets. You don't need a sheet as they are easy to wash. And much more adjustable than a duvet.

I think you will get a different answer from every single person! I am 70 and still get minor night sweats but hot flushes have gone. Just go with the flow. It's all part of being human.

I was around 50 when my periods became erratic & irregulat and sometimes had embarrassing flooding . No other symptoms apart from vaginal dryness. Lucky i guess. Lasted a year ir two. Now 20 years on periods are a distant memory thank goodness!

My periods carried on until 57, very late, so much so I felt a bit of a freak, although they were intermittent in the last year. I'm 62 now and have all the usual symptoms that menopausal women experience, sleeplessness, hot at night, flushes, tiredness. I think it's got a bit worse lately, I'm hoping to get hrt fairly soon. I was away in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago and met a lady there, 78 looked great quite althletic body, told me she had been on hrt for 20 years and still did regular gym sessions. I asked her how long she thought she would continue on hrt, she replied "until I fall off my perch" Women I speak to, my age or thereabouts all admit to having menopausal symptoms. I'd say women who sail through this time of their lives without any adverse effects are very lucky indeed.

Periods stopped around 55 and I had a few hot flushes but nothing I couldn't cope with. Other than that I have never had any problems at all. Didn't take HRT although doctor tried to persuade me. I was just so glad to get it all over with after having several years of very heavy periods. One of the best times of my life!!

I'm another one who had no symptoms at all. My last period was at 52 I'm now 62. I say I deserved a trouble free menopause as I'd had such horrendous periods for the prior 40 yrs.
I'm not even going to consider Maggie's question

Sorry that wasn't meant to sound smug.
I have every sympathy with those suffering. I remember how my mum was bless her.

Still getting the odd hot flush in my 70's. But knowing what my mum and sister went through I can't complain. I think everyone is different. I had one year of HRT closely regulated by my doctor and it really did help. Compared to some ladies I think I got off pretty lightly.

I'm coming up to finishing my periods. Last but one was very heavy, had to go to A & E. Last one light but lasted 2 weeks, this one I'm on now light also and lasted 3 days up to now. I have other symptoms like sleeplessness, grumpy, dizzyness, fog brain, but no hot flushes to speak of although I do use fans both in my living room and bedroom as generally warm all the time. It is a ball ache and I will be glad when it is all over and I can at least think straight again. I was on the phone earlier and it does make it awkward to hold a conversation when the little grey cells are having a dance instead of doing their job!

As we all know, Battycat, we are all different. My last period was at 52 and after 12 years of suffering every menopausal symptom imaginable I finally went on low dose patches HRT at 64. I am now 66 and even with the patch I still get flushes through the night but am much better with the patch than without. My GP informs me that for some women, the symptoms never ease and they just continue to suffer and I think that is true in my case. My sister is 72 and still suffers from hot flushes. The answer to your question therefore is.... No one knows!! Oh, and by the way, I don't drink, don't smoke, am not overweight, excercise every day, drink 8 glasses of water every day and don't eat sweet stuff - pretty boring really!

(Felt like slapping someone the other day who said "I never noticed it. I think its because I get on with things and don't dwell". )

Does the menopause make you feel like that.*JessM*, strange, because I just got on with it.

I've been having the occasional hot flush for around 5 years & for the the last couple my periods were very heavy & regular ( after being irregular all my life) I then had a couple of lighter ones missed one & then had a light one and not had one since august last year - now only getting very occasional hot flushes- normally after a glass of red wine

I had my last period at 51, followed by hot flushes dead on the dot at 7pm for a couple of years. Terrible moods though, not helped by an active and challenging three year old who was also going through the tantrum stage! I had him at 47 after a gap of 25 years since my first two children.
All in all the symptoms lasted about five years. Tried hrt for a year but gave it up as it didn't give me any benefit and horrors, brought back periods.
I think it's different for everybody, you just have to tackle it in the best way for you. Good luck.

Sorry to be depressing but my older sister is 81 and says she is still menopausal .