<p>I am 50 and have noticed that my periods are getting shorter. They used to be about every 30 days and then in my 40’s, they gradually moved to to where I am now which is every 25 days.</p>
<p>This month I am at day 29 and still no period. So tonight my husband and I were at WalMart buying an EPT! We were laughing in the parking lot that we never thought at age 50 we’d be buying an EPT. </p>
<p>Used it tonight and as I suspected, I’m not pregnant. So, menopause is clearly looming closer as I guess I’m begining the erratic period stage. Aside from this, I’ve not had any of the usual symptoms except for insomnia but I have had problems with that for many, many years.</p>
<p>Any advice for me? Any stories to share? This is definitely uncharted territory for me. </p>
<p>Im 56 & was having regular periods, until this spring.
My last period was in March.
Until I went camping last week.
I thought they were done, so I didnt even think to bring any supplies. Luckily, I found some in the glove box.
But bodies are funny.
My H had a vasectomy about 20 years ago, so I haven’t had to worry about that at least.</p>
<p>Hoping your transition is easier than mine has been. </p>
<p>Word of advice to any woman entering this phase. As your periods become erratic, please have the conversation with your GYN about what constitutes erratic, and what constitutes anything to worry about. Mine were erratic, then disappeared for a few months, then came back with symptoms in between periods. Thankfully my GYN ordered an ultrasound, which showed an unacceptable increase in the uterine lining. This led to a D&C, which led to a endometrial cancer diagnosis; thankfully it was caught very early, and I didn’t need radiation or chemo. I am 54 and was not done with perimenopause when this all happened (according to blood work done to monitor my hormone levels), so I was on the late side. Being on the late side of menopause puts you at higher risk for endometrial cancer.</p>
<p>At least once I had my hysterectomy, I realized, for real, I never had to worry about getting pregnant again!</p>
<p>I think I have had the easiest menopause in history! My periods gradually spaced out. I told my husband that God has a sense of humor, though, because I got a VERY heavy one on my 50th birthday, in July. 2012. Then I had one in early March, 2013. And none since. I had night sweats for a few months, but other than that, I have felt no different. My gyn said I have wonderful tissues, lol.</p>
<p>At terriwtt said, being on the late side of menopause is a risk factor for some things…but I guess so is being over 50! For my sister it was ovarian cancer. Until that diagnosis, she was happy that she was still getting her periods regularly at 55 because she thought it was protecting her from heart disease and weight gain…not to say that it’s a certainty…just one of the risk factors. My menopause was average onset but I have been suffering from hot flashes for the last 4 years.</p>
<p>My sister and I had a very similar peri/menopause journey. So much of this is genetic. We both went from very regular periods to slightly closer together periods to every other period being very light for a couple of years to (apparently) one ovary shutting down (and thus an increasingly lighter period every other month for awhile), to finally one month I didn’t get the expected light (every other month) period. </p>
<p>And just like that I was done at 51. </p>
<p>If only I had known at the time that that was the end, I would have done something to honor the last one. </p>
<p>I had been regular, and fertile. I got pregnant within a few months of trying… Four times (one miscarriage). </p>
<p>OP- my periods became closer and closer and heavier and heavier until I was anemic. Even though H had a vasectomy, my nurse-midwife recommended I get the Mirena IUD because it usually decreases menstruation. It pretty much ended it for me, except for light spotting that happened twice - in eight years! It was taken out just when I turned 49 and nothing has happened since. I had started having hot flashes but they were only bad for a few months and they’re pretty mild now. </p>
<p>I’m very glad the Mirena helped my anemia but also that it got rid of that awful worry about having a strange, late-in-life pregnancy. Even with H’s vasectomy, I would have worried (just our luck it would reverse itself). Too bad that Hobby Lobby isn’t run by a grateful perimenopausal woman! </p>
<p>I am on bio-identical hormones, and my doctor says I probably won’t even notice when I go through menopause. Normal periods, though sometimes a little shorter than usual. My regular doctor keeps trying to take me off the pill because she says that normally people stop taking it at 50, but having a family history of late menopause and getting pregnant at the drop of a hat, I say no way!</p>
<p>I think I only ovulated on one side. Eight years between kids, often had weird periods, until I gained weight, had weekly progesterone injections with oldest.
I don’t have a gyn, but Ive never had an abnormal pap smear.</p>
<p>I got pregnant at the drop of a hat, too, how about one month at the age 35. But I was not taking birth control for a few years, just natural method and maybe that’s why.
Back to menopause, I think I must have been stressed at work or something, but I skipped my period for one year if I recall then it resumed for three to four years and then starting pre-menopause.</p>
<p>“I got pregnant at the drop of a hat, too, how about one month at the age 35. But I was not taking birth control for a few years, just natural method and maybe that’s why.”</p>
<p>With my first son, I got pregnant the first month off of birth control. Must have had a miscarriage without knowing it, and got pregnant the next month too (remnants of a fetus shown during ultrasound). Or maybe it was a twin. Same thing happened with the next kid, pregnant the first month, then miscarriage two months later, than pregnant again, right away. You’d think I would have learned the first time to wait awhile before going off the pill to get pregnant, but I wouldn’t change a thing, and wouldn’t trade my kiddos for anything.</p>
<p>Hmm. Mine got close together and a couple were crazy heavy before they spaced out to normal, then got lighter then missed a month or two then missed 5 months then back to normal then now…crossing my fingers and knocking on wood- 10 months since the last one. I will celebrate after the one year mark- goodbye and good riddance. (My doc did run tests when I had the heavy and close together ones-and everything was fine. But it was smart that she checked.) I am 52. Funny though- when the hot sweats and other symptoms started I asked my mom when hers ended- she said 60 or after. I’m hoping she just doesn’t remember correctly.</p>
<p>Thank you to each of you who have responded. </p>
<p>Arabrab - I loved your comment: Growing old is not for sissies.
Truly, you are correct! This year, now that I am 50, I have really felt my age in a way that I never did before. My joints are more painful than they’ve ever been. And I simply feel older. Sigh. Not fun at all. </p>
<p>Teriwtt - I will be asking my gyn about the points you brought up. Thanks so much for that advice. I would not have thought to ask about that. </p>
<p>Dr. Google - your story frightens me! To not have a period for a year (so you think you are finally done) and then to go back to periods for a few years. Egads! </p>
<p>Greenwitch - I feel compelled to point out that Hobby Lobby did not petition the court because they did n’t want to offer any birth control. The plan they offer their employees allows for 16 different types of contraception (including IUDs). They simply did not want to include abortifacents (like Plan B and Ella). For some reason, many media outlets wrote that Hobby Lobby wanted to eliminate all birth control from the prescription coverage, but this was erronious. They never sought to do that. </p>
<p>Their employees can still buy these abortifacents, they just can’t use their prescription plan to purchase them. And this is true for everyone. If you have prescription coverage, it doesn’t cover every prescription medicine. And even those it does provide coverage for, it’s not always a very great discount. </p>
<p>I ran into this with my kids and their acne medicines. Some of them, even with a prescription plan, were just too expensive and I had to ask the Dr for a different medicine. </p>
<p>I also got pregant very easily. Five times (one miscarriage). We used to joke that we just had to <em>talk</em> about babies and I’d be pregnant. So, you can understand my concern at possibly being pregnant at 50. </p>
<p>After having very heavy periods for many years and then irregular ones (sometimes after only a few weeks and sometimes months apart), I did not have it for 15 months (12 months is considered menopause) and then got it again for 2 months - that was ten months ago so I am still hoping I am done. Oh, I have had hot flashes for many years now - hope they eventually go away!</p>
<p>I have a good friend who after she turned 55 only got her period when she flew. She would go for months not getting a period, then need to fly somewhere and boom! She is in her mid 60’s now but it only stopped for good a few years ago. </p>
</p>