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[Karris]

Hi
I've been registered here for a while and posted some time ago but after a brief spell of funny periods about 2 years ago (I have the Mirena coil) things settled down to 28 days.

Last February the coil came out. I went to my GP and he said that I should 'see how I go' as I am now 52. Over the next couple of months I shed the 30lb I had gained while I was on the coil and my periods returned to normal. I felt better tan I have felt for most of my life. Then, out of the blue this month, I missed. A month has gone by and I still haven't had any sign of a period.

I haven't really had many bad symptoms so far, except some hot flushes in the mornings which I've had on and off for about five years, but I can cope with those. Could this finally be the menopause, and would my doctor do test to see or do I have to have gone longer without periods? Do I even need to see my doctor?

[andius]

If you have only missed a month, I think you need to wait a while.  You will  know what is happening in a couple of months. You will not be menopausal until you have missed a period for 12 months.  You may not have any symptoms other than missed periods for at least 3 months.  You may get a few more erratic periods still or you may not get another one ever.  Blood levels during this time will be unreliable due to fluctuating hormones.

Waiting is hard.  If the symptoms get back you need to make an appt. to see your doctor.

Andius

[Karris]

Thank you very much for your reply. A couple more things, I have slight stomach cramps, is that normal? Also, what kind of symptoms might I expect after 3 months?

I might be wrong but I though hormone levels decreased in the perimenopause and not all of a sudden? Would these symptoms be different from perimenopause symptoms?

Thank you very much in advance for any replies as they will help my confusion 

[andius]

Symptoms probably not different from perimenopause....just possibly more intense...things may stay the same.

Not sure about stomach cramps....never really got that unless you are talking about heartburn. Maybe someone else will come along soon to answer that.

Once you don't produce enough hormones to have a bleed, the estrogen deficiency can become more apparent, usually the body has a little reserve so that is why I said 3 months.  Could be a little longer or a little less time and you may not even notice much.  We are all different. Then again you could have another period soon and erratic periods can go on for several years with hormones fluctuating.  It is really to early to tell....see what happens during the next 3 months. I do know people who stopped periods and never had another and others who lasted for years having 3 or 4 periods a year until they stopped.  You are now in the waiting game....