What age did you start menopause?

Started it 10 years ago or more around 37-38 and ave still not finished going through it.

I was young, I was "done" with menopause when ds was only 2...so I was 40.  I was hoping to have more children, but found out I was probably pregnant with ds when I had already started menopause.  I was 36 when I got married.

I'm 49 and I have no idea if I have started yet.

I went through a very weird menopause. I had lots of infertility problems and very light periods as I aged. After I had my DS I never had another period. I breastfed him until 2 and thought that was it, but nope....just no more periods. My OBGYN and internist would draw hormone levels and tell me I wasn't actually in menopause hormone level wise, but I had no periods. Finally they said, okay....now you're in menopause (again based on blood work) when my hormone levels finally dropped after quite a few periodless years. I wish I hadn't gone through so early because I know it has detrimental effects on your health, but the one advantage was I never had many of the symptoms other women talk about. I bet I never had over 20 hot flashes total, and none of the mood stuff I hear so many people talk about.

I'm 48 & nothing yet as far as I can tell. My older sister is 10 years older than me & it seems she's been going thru it forever. She has really bad hot flashes & keeps her room FREEZING. My other sister is 5 years older than me & she thinks she has just started.

Around 42.

 

I will 55 in Nov. and I am not thru yet.

I'm 47, had an endometrial ablation five years ago, and haven't had a period since. I have yet to experience any of the usual symptons of hormonal menaopause though.

I had a complete hysterectomy about 9 years ago so menopause will be my choice. I currently take hormone replacement therapy. At the time of the hyst, I was already taking hormones to control peri-menopausal symptoms. The hormones apparently caused fibroids to start growing out of control. Since the doctor feared it might be cancer, we went straight to the hyst.

 

The short answer - early to mid-40's

 

Peri-menopause can last a long time. Peri-menopause is the time when you get the hot flashes and your period gets erratic. Not only are their hot flashes but you get "cold flashes" too which is when you can't get warm to save your life. No one ever tells you about those. And it can get a little hard to think. Not only is your period unpredictable as in it doesn't happen for a long time and then it comes or it get really light but you can also suddenly get gushing and your period feels like it'll never end.

 

Menopause is defined by the time when your period has stopped completely for 2 years.

I think I started the peri-menopause, but since everyone's symptoms are different who knows.  One odd symptom I have had since maybe turning 46 or 47 is an unusually strong sense of smell.  I am like a human bloodhound.  I had the same thing happen when I was pregnant so it must be the hormones changing.  It's a nice thing to have in the spring when everything is blooming.  Not such a nice thing when I am around people that wear too much perfume.  Certain perfumes that didnt used to bother me now make me feel like either 1.) I cant breathe or 2.) a knife in my temple.  Years ago I used to like Bath & Body Works lotions.  I cant be around that stuff at all now.