How many years have you had a period?

**Dogmama** · 10-16-2006, 03:52 AM

Geez, I'm glad this is a women's forum. This has been bugging me.

I started my period with I was 9 years old (rode my bike home from elementary school to change my napkin at lunch - oh what joy.) I'm 52 & still having my period, pretty much on schedule. I also have PMS, but finally found a med that helps so it isn't quite so bad (read: I'm not completely homicidal or suicidal for five days a month.) I read that being exposed to your own estrogen for a long period of time is a precursor to breast cancer and I've been at this for 43 years.

Is this pretty unusual? I know we have some 50'ish women - maybe you could share your experiences?

**Bad JuJu** · 10-16-2006, 04:20 AM

I read somewhere that, on average, women who start earlier also stop later, while those who start later will stop earlier, which makes no sense to me, but seems to have been true in my case. My periods didn't start until I was 13, about 13 1/2 actually, and by the time I was 51, I was done. I'll be 54 next month (

) and I've been post-menopausal for about 3 years. Jeez, it's nice to be done with that.

I've had a little in the way of hot flashes, mood swings, and sleepless nights, but never anything bad enough for me to consider HRT. But here's the strange thing: I continue to have some symptoms of pms occasionally--maybe every 3 months or so. No blood, but some of the other indicators: headache (which I never get otherwise), mild cramping, fatigue, even mood swings sometimes. My doc says my system's probably still pumping out some residual estrogen now and then. Weird, eh?

I guess some of this is hereditary. According to a maternal aunt, my experience is pretty typical for the women in my family. Can you ask your mom or maybe an aunt?

**esther231** · 10-16-2006, 04:28 AM

My period started when I was 11. I just stopped having them 2 months ago - I'll be 55 in December. It was regular and normal till the day it stopped. Every month after 50 I kept thinking - this is it. This has to be the last one. I'd buy a white nightgown and white underwear. And then it started again the next month......

The upside is I've had no hot flashes or night sweats or any of that stuff. ::::knock wood:::: I did go through about 4 weeks of being a nut. It was like chronic PMS. I was hyper sensitive and very quick to anger and it didn't take much to make me an insane person. Bought some of the over the counter stuff for menopause and it calmed down.

I had no idea about the connection with breast cancer. That's scary. I am going in regularly for mammograms.

**mimitabby** · 10-16-2006, 05:44 AM

I started when i was 14.
Then hotflashes started in my early 40's and continue today. I will be 55 and have been in menopause officially just this season.** I continued to have regular cycles until 2 years ago. Then it just stopped for 10 months. and then it came back for 2 months and then NOTHING... (except amazing hot flashes)
I have learned to live with the hotflashes, at this point I will be very very surprised when they stop. I am glad it's done.

**menopause starts 12 months after the last period**

**BleeckerSt_Girl** · 10-16-2006, 05:51 AM

Started around 13 years old. Am 52 now and still regular, no menopause symptoms yet.
From what friends tell me, menopuase can either be very defined, or it can be a gradual process that take a few years and is sometimes not very clearcut.

**mlove** · 10-16-2006, 05:52 AM

I started at 11 and I will be 55 on Sunday. The doctor tells me that I could go on into my 60s. Since I am having a hysterectomy in January, I will go into menopause suddenly.

**esther231** · 10-16-2006, 07:21 AM

Drats. Sounds like I'm celebrating too early and need to wait more than a couple of months to be sure it's over.

ARRRRGHHHHHHH

Like a bad dream, isn't it?

**DebW** · 10-16-2006, 07:42 AM

I started early (maybe around 11), am 50 now, and been in perimenopause since about 44. Long process. I've have a year with an occassional missed month, a year regular, a year with every other month, a year of irregular (between 2 weeks a 2 months apart), another every other month year, and for the last 2 years have been on a 6 month schedule. I'm eagerly awaiting the 12 month milestone. Getting really tired of perimenopause -- I want the real thing! Hot flashes for 4 or 5 years now. Some bad insomnia at ages 44-46, now only occassionally (like 1-2x per week).

**Bikingmomof3** · 10-16-2006, 08:18 AM

I began around age 9 and I am ready to quit anytime now, although it appears my body is not. SIGH

**Dogmama** · 10-17-2006, 03:29 AM

I bought the 1000 count tampax at Costco thinking maybe I'd hurry up the 'pause. Before this, I figured I'd just buy the smaller boxes because, hey, this can't last forever - right?

**bcipam** · 10-17-2006, 04:20 AM

I had read "start early stop late" as well but that didn't happem with me. I started my period around 8 1/2 (yes very early - it scared me to death - I thought I was dying when it started) and stopped at exactly age 50 (two months before my 51 birthday). I was always like clockwork, had a easy period (usually flow was 3 - 4 days), seldom had PMS and menopause was brief. I did have hot flashes for a year (about 6 months before stopping and 6 month after). I don't regret ever stopping my period. Life is just so much easier!!!! All in all had a period around 42 years... a long time!

**run it, ride it** · 10-17-2006, 08:49 AM

Started at age twelve and a half, stopped from age 17-18 (hard athletics training), started again near 19. I bled lightly a few hours every 40 days or so. Went on the pill at 20 and now have a monthy cycle and bleed about 3 days. I'm 21.

**chickwhorips** · 10-17-2006, 10:57 AM

started at 11ish. had bad periods and bled everyother week. i was miserable. finially got on the pill when i was almost 16 and been on it ever since. makes my life so much easier.

sad thing is i'm sick having my period already (i'm only 25) and i've started taking the pill for 3 consecutive months so i only get my period 4x a year. so much better!

**mimitabby** · 10-17-2006, 12:17 PM

Hey Chick, tell your Dr you don't want periods. They can put you on stuff that makes them GO AWAY. (like bc pills) If I had had that option at your age, believe me, I would have taken it!!

**CyclChyk** · 10-17-2006, 02:47 PM

Started at 9. I too thought I was dying and my mom said "No. You just got your period. Go back to bed".............

On the pill for years; . lasted 2 days max nothing ever heavy, super light cramping...

Now, off the pill, cramp like the DEVIL, lasts 5 days, some heavy, and all I want to do is kill something the whole week. I'm 38. Are you guys telling me that I have 15 or more years of this crap????

I don't want to grow up/old, but this is getting tiresome......

Thread: How many years have you had a period?

Thread Tools

Display

How many years have you had a period?

Posting Permissions