Menopause? - Pomona,CA

If you start taking the right supplements now and eat a healthful diet, you can sail through menopause.

Can I just say how much this thread terrifies me? :)

I'm 41 and have always had female issues. I know all of this is beginning for me, too. I love being a woman so much of the time, but all of this really sucks.

Sorry I don't have any advice.

Unfortunately it is not too early to see changes. Menopause can only be officially diagnosed after the fact, It is when a woman has had no menstrual bleeding for 1 year. The changes leading up to that (perimenopause) can last as long as 10 years in some women. That doesn't mean you can't see your health care provider and see what may be able to be done about this excessive bleeding. Bleeding that frequently is not only inconvenient and annoying, but can lead to anemia and other issues. So certainly worth talking it over with your provider, sometimes birth control pills or other therapies can regulate your periods a bit. And don't forget this can be a very fertile time for women. Some women ovulate more than one egg per month, which is why the rate of twins goes up with age, but so does birth defects and other complications. So be careful!

A friend of mine (was in her 40's at the time) had periods that got longer, closer together and heavier to the point where is was almost constant and she was getting anemic.
Turned out it was an early sign of breast cancer.
She's fine now and has been in remission for 20 years.
Hormonal instability can be a sign of menopause.
It could also be fibroids (which can cause longer and heavier bleeding).
Have you had any hot flashes yet?
It's great you've got a Dr appt set up and are getting it checked out soon as possible.

I went to my OB with a similar question at a mere 39, and she said "Yup, perimenopause." I had somehow expected this later too, but she said it was completely normal. I can't say I love how short my cycle is, but honestly, it's making me sort of look forward to having the whole thing over and done with.

I'll be 41 in March and in the last 6 months mine have gotten heavier, lasting longer and shorter time in between. My doc said there was a couple of options birth control (which is out of the question for me) or an ablation, which is where they go in and burn the inside of your uterus. It usually lightens or completely stops your periods for a long length of time. I've known people who have had this and read alot on the internet and it sounds great to me. I first have to go in for a ultrasound, blood work, and biopsy a couple of things to make sure there is nothing else going on.

My mom started menopause (perimenopause, is the term) at 35.
So no, it's not too early. She was irregular for 10 yrs. Heavy bleeds for a week-10 days. Then nothing for months...on and on.

She's 55 now, and has finally been period free for aout 2 yrs. So I guess she's through it now.

I am 51 and have had very irregular periods: either slightly bleeding for long periods of time (pink while wiping only) or bleeding like a stuck pig for 10+ days or no bleeding for up to 3 months so far. I believe blood tests can show whether the Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) is high. During perimenopause this FSH goes higher and higher, trying to stimulate the old reluctant follicle to release an egg. If estrogen is also high then the egg will release. A snapshot in time of your hormones will not tell the doc much since these hormones fluctuate against each other all through your cycle. If your FSH keeps going up but the Estrogen is low and you have had no periods then menopause can be established. My doc told me to come back after not having had a period for 6 months and she would repeat the hormone tests. But it is a good idea to see your Gyn to rule out other reasons for heavy long bleeding from benign fibroids to uterine cancer.

Definately not too early. Be careful of blood tests to determine hormone levels - they can be very expensive and not very useful. Hormones can fluctuate greatly from day to day so one blood test does not necessarily provide an accurate reading.

42 is about right to be perimenopausal.... that said, begin to track your cycle and you won't have to be like some who never know when or how long their periods are going to last. True, they can get longer, but once you track your periods, you do in fact begin to see a pattern.. mine went from about 5 days to 9.. not all is heavy flow... the first 2 to 3 days are and then some spotting. However, having tracked my cycle for the last few years, I pretty much know when I will begin my period, ovulate and when my period will stop.. this , even know I am perimenopausal... It's a myth that you won't have any idea when the bleeding starts... you will IF you track your cycle.. then IF you notice something irregular , you can report that to your doctor.. in my opinion, too many women don't know enough about their body and freak out and head to the doctor looking for answers... Additionally, some women, due to the shift in hormones get fibroids, most are benign.. I don't want to undervalue your concerns, but at the same time... this is in fact more manageable than some would have you believe.. oh and exericise, little alcohol, good sleep and nutrition, definitely all play a major role..

my best to you

I think I'm at the end of perimenopause but if I had to do it over I would go for the ablation. It really SUCKS to be tied to the bathroom LITERALLY because of heavy bleeding for unknown amounts of unscheduled time. I've had to miss some fun family things because of it and wish I'd done something before.....I'd also suggest seeing your OB/GYN specifically about this to make sure nothing is amiss. Sounds normal from experience and what friends have mentioned. Funny how noone tells you this before it happens!

Forty-two is not too early to begin menopause. I think medically, now, it's called peri menopause. The doctor will order a blood test to determine your hormone levels which will tell you whether or not this is happening.

I agree that 42 is about the right age for perimenopause. Your OB might have suggestions for making the transition easier. My doctor told me to take pregnanelone. Not sure if I spelled that right. It's actually the precursor to progesterone. My cycles went nuts and averaged 20 days one month to 35 the next to 28 the next and so on. Nothing I could count on. Once the doc told me to take the pregnanelone (I only take it the 2nd week of my cycle) my periods became regular again. I've been on it a year and stayed regularly the whole time. It also helped with some of the other symptoms.

Your doctor may recommend taking progesterone, but I would suggest trying the pregnanelone first. I took progesterone for a year and it didn't do too much for me. Also, since it's the precursor to progesterone, it lets your body naturally produce the progesterone in the quantity it needs.

Perimenopause is not so fun, but if you eat healthy and get some balancing supplements, you can reduce the side effects and it isn't so bad.

Fibroids can also cause the extended flow..... I've had a lot of problems with fibroids, (causing very heavy flow and spotting for 2 weeks or more, it seemed), and had a procedure done several years ago (Uterine Fibroid Embolization). That really reduced the flow tremendously! (I could have gone the hysterectomy route, but figured this would get me through menopause... I'm 54 now).

Talk to your OB about it...

Hi, I started peri-menopause at age 40....it lasted for 2 years about exactly...with irregular periods. The doctor gave me a patch to wear which I used only for a few months because I didn't feel like it was doing anything at all. My periods stopped. That was at age 42 years of age. I am now 53 years of age. No periods now for 11 years. I don't take any hormones of any kind. I feel like I was one of the lucky ones to have "breezed" through menopause. Honestly, it was no problem. I can count the hot flashes on my right hand and they only made my face a little warm...that was all. So, I was very fortunate! (The two years of sketchy periods were like yours). Your Doctor will be able to tell you more.

42 is a little on the early end of the average, but still falls in the average. It's good you have a appt w your OB, that way you can give yourself peace of mind.

Good luck!