How Old Do Have to Be to Go Through Menapause?

S.,
there is no set age...some go thru it much earlier than others....i wish you well....i know it really is h*** o* you in the beginning, but it will get easier...i am so glad that i am finished....i am now on the other side of menopause and i am so glad...

Hey S.. Just went to the doctor last week. The average age for menopause is 51. But, you know to get the average, some are early and some are late. I also have sleep issues and my doctor recommended a supplement called Melatonin. I suspect you could get it at a health food store. (I get it at his office) It really, really helps me a lot. I ran out and found out how much it helps. You probably need sleep more than anything else. Hope you feel better.

B. S.

Hi S.,
I'm also 45 and have been going through menapause for several years. Symptoms can start as early as your 20's and last through your 50's or later. I discovered a great book called "Before the Change". It's about pre-menapause, the symptoms, what causes them and how to treat them. It's all about hormones and nutrition. It tells you what vitamins and minerals you may be deficient in that can cause your symptoms and also tells you what supplements to take and how much. I tried it and every symptom I had went away. I had moodiness, sleepless nights, hot flashes, heart palpatations and irregular periods. All my vitamins came from wal-mart so it's easy to do. I have since ran out and need to get more. As for my periods, I now only have 2 a year. Not all bad.
Hope this helps.
L. B

i think you might be. my mom is only 50 and has finished menopause already! her mom was young too. my moms doctor didnt even think she was at the start of it because she was so young. my mother demanded blood work to be done so he did it. he was surprised with the results.

It sounds like your hormones are definitely a bit out of whack! My advice would be to find your nearest Arbonne representative and start on their progesterone cream ASAP! Try it for 3 months, and if it doesn't help, then you could always save to go to a doctor. My guess is that it will work wonders for you!

Hi S., women can start menapause early, some have known to start as early as 30 yrs old. It really depends on your own body. I say go to the doctor and make sure that is the problem. Problems like oval cancer or cyst on one of your tubes etc etc. Have the doctor do a pap smear!! make sure nothing else is wrong. He can also give you some hormones that will help with all the hot and cold flashes. I have a hormone patch that helps great. I take sleeping pills to help sleep. I also have problems with my bladder ( which is one of the menapause problems). I get up all night and pee. LOL its horrible, but the sleeping pills helps with that too, they relax the bladder muscle. will good luck.

J.

My Aunt went thru menapause at 28,my MOM at 35. I was forced in to menapause at 40. I too was having the same, headaches, bad cycles, hot and cold flashes and yes could not sleep. I had fibroid tumors that is why my cycles were so bad.

Are you using any hormone replacement thearpy? check out this website.....www.prevention.com, they have alot of information.
My advice, see a doctor somehow! Sometimes they get worse instead of better. If wou want to talk, e-mail me at ____@____.com.

Hi S. - if you are local, please call University Hospital, should be ###-###-#### and ask to connect to the Ob/Gyn clinic or else call to the Hutchinson clinic on Tulane ave or Daughters of Charity Clinic and get a primary care physician - you can get set up for some kind of assistance even if you don't have insurance and you can get evaluated and get hormone levels - you may be going through menopause or not - there are some options (hormones or other medications) to help you with these symptoms and not feel like a crazy person - you can go through menopause from your late 30's to your 60's and a lot depends on you and your family history but you don't have to be miserable

I have a friend who is going through menopause and she is only 40. I believe what you are experiencing is what they call peri-menopause. You are just now experiencing some of the symptoms. Try going to a health food store and talk to them about your symptoms. They maybe able to help you find something you can take to help ease some of the symptoms. I wish you all the best.

S., I am no doctor but do you know that is too much blood to be loosing. I was like that after I had my second child about the cycle and I had to get my cravity wall sealed. It also sounds like you are having a little high blood pressure problems i wake up with the headache and the sick on the stomach sometimes also. I dont know the situation with the no insurance but dont be afraid to go to the free clinic we have all been there and done that. Please go before its really too late sounds like a lot is going on there and I know you want to be around to see those grandkids play.

Just a concern parents myself.
L. C

I am with you on all that is happening to you. I am 46 now, but began feeling all the same symptoms several months ago. I wondered the same thing. So I began searching the internet for information. I found www.knowmenopause.com. It is a good place to start gathering information about what is happening to you. I also understand the lack of insurance issue. Same here. I began taking vitamins to make up for the fatigue, some exercise for the irratibility and made some changes in my diet. As for sleep, well I have never been great in getting adequate rest, and the flashes and mood swings are just part of the whole process. I try to recognize when I am being 'bitchy' and make sure my family understands I might not necessarily be them, it really could just be me! For the most part, they are very understanding and have learned to just leave the room when they think I am being unreasonable. Best of luck to you and all of us women that are making the 'change'.

I started having heavy cycles every two weeks, extreme crampping, etc at the age of 42 and my doc said that it could very well be early menopause. I had an endometrial oblation done (basically cauterizing the uterine lining - takes a couple of hours outpatient, and you stop having periods AND stop having PMS symtoms).

Hi S.: I went through menopause when I was 43! I had difficulty with an infection that may have started in the ovary. Any way it was diverticulous . Save your money or get Medicaid to send you to a specialist. Even though they are grown(?)the children don't make difficulty for yourself. Check it out . Go to a OB/ Gyn clinic. Don't worry. Just do it. Pay a sliding fee.

I have found that it varies. I started going through perimenopause when I was 39/40. I had some of the symptoms you describe and once we figured out what it was, I began Bioidentical HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and another medication that my doctor recommended for the irritability. The headaches were horrible and the irritability was just downright nasty. I have young children and didn't want my children remembering me as "mommy monster". Since then, life has been much better. I do have insurance but the HRT is not covered. I have to say that the cost each month is definitely worth it, to me and my family.

They say that women can start seeing signs of menopause as early as their late 30's. I did. Look at Wal-Mart for Estrovin??? I think that is what it is called. It will be in a box in the vitamins area. I used it and it helped me alot. I will use it again, if I have problems.

Hi S.,
I would suggest that you read this book, which is a CLASSIC and so insightful - - By Dr. John Lee, "What Your Doctor Didn't Tell you about Menapause" - - and read specifically the chapter about Pre-Menapause ........ I picked one up for like $7 a soft cover. Contact me back if you end up wanting some info or want to try out a quality natural Balancing Cream - My company makes them, and I use the one for Pre-menapause with great results.........Good Luck!!

My friends and i have been taking "Vitex" its $9.99 for a 3 month supply. It's a monthly support for women and we have all had good success with it.
I hope this helps.

S., you can call the Women's Clinic at Chabert Medical Center and get an appointment. You do not need insurance there, and they will help you, they helped me. The number is ###-###-####. I had a hysterectomy in Sept. and I feel like a new woman. I am 40 yrs young. My name is I.. Good luck.

Hi, my name is S. M. I'm a mom & a nurse for 30 yrs. There is not really any age specific to menapause. There are a few over the counter natural relief for hot flashes, but you really need to see a dr. to make sure something more serious is not going on. Usually with menapause the periods get farther apart, not closer together. Good luck

Hi S.,
I have heard of women going through the Evil "M" at your age. So, it could be that you are.

One thing to consider-did a Dr. ever ask if you had been diagnosed with Endometrosis--It causes Menstral Headaches and Makes general symptoms MUCH worse each month AND in between. If SO that could be getting worse-it did after I had my daughter at 38, I had to have my Uterus removed. Now I'm MUCH better.

One other thing-you Might try the "Herbal Route", Melatonin might help you sleep and St. Johns Wort is supposed to naturally help with symptoms of Menapause. My Hubby swears by Melatonin to sleep and I have a Friend (who has kids my age) who says she couldn't have gotten through menapause without St. John's Wort...

Hope this helps and you Get Better!
C.

You are definatly young enough to go through menopause. You also can go to a doctor even if you don't have insurance. However, what might help you the quickest is acupuncture. Try to find someone that only does acupuncture, possibly trained in CHina and they can get you straightened out quickly. There are also many supplements that you need to be taking.

I know I am not old enough to even think about menopause, but I remember years back that some women start as early as 37 with pre-men. symptoms. I few things to look at: Have you had you thyroid tested and when was your last pap? I know my system gets all messed up when my thyroid is goofy, the whole endocrin system has to play nice. Cyst on the overies can also cause havoc. My suggestion is that if your tubes are still there don'tget them taken out. Even at the age of 30 I have friends with in a few years of me that hace already had to start on Hormone replacment ther. because they messed up their system by having their tubes tied, cut,taken out.

Hi S.,
I replied but somehow lost it, so here goes again. You need to see a doctor S.. Blood work is imperative. When you get the results, you can decide what to do. There are subsidized healthcare programs run by your state. You can check online. The doctor will also work with you. Your husband does not have ins. at work? In any case, take your husband............... and GO ! All the best, Falean

S., you can be as young as in your 30's sometimes to go thru menapause... You need to get a little money together and go to a Dr. to find out for sure (blood test to check estrogen level, and get a prescription for some hormones to take until this acute phase (not sleeping, hot flashes etc., is over) It might cost you a couple hundred dollars, but it will be worth it to have some relief.... Sorry you are feeling so bad.. J., R.N.

Hi S.....I am 49 and went thru early menopause at 37 due to treatment from breast cancer (i've been clear for 11 years now). I finally got tired of trying to deal with the effects and had a hystroectomy in 2003....best thing i ever did....first off, try to find the finances to see a doctor....i personally understand how hard that is sometimes but you really should have it checked out....for me, i didnt' need to be on hormones after my hystroectomy because of the history of breast cancer and had night sweats and hot flashes like crazy.....my sister-in-law told me about something you can buy at walmart in the vitamin section called "Black Cohosh Root" it's an herb. i take them twice a day and DO NOT have any of that any longer....she takes them 3 times a day to get rid of them....it took about 3 weeks for it to get in my system really well and make them stop completely, i haven't had or heard of any side effects being linked to them either...you really need to see a doctor but maybe this would give you some relief in the mean time....i think i pay $6 for 100 of them....hope you figure out something....R.

S. S.

I'm 45 and have suffered through your same symptoms. Look in the phone book for a Shaklee Rep or go to shaklee.com. It will do miracles for you. You need to be taking the Osteomatrix(calcium-magnesuim), it will eliminate your cramps completely and help with your sleepless nights. Menopause Balance Complex will eliminate the night sweats & hot flashes. Both are all natural with no side affects just a lot of benefits. Good Luck, S. C.

Insurance or no insurance you need to find a doctor. Find a clinic in your town or in one close to you. There are several things it could be but w/symptoms so severe it's nothing to let go. I started w/problems at 29 just after childbirth and ended up having to have surgery then no problems at all. That's been 20 yrs. ago. Please see a doctor...they'll let you pay it out and your health is to precious to end up bedridden! Good Luck.

Hi S., I started going through the change at 45. I would have only one week out of the month that something wasn't going on. I to had hot flashes, my hands would sting and mainly I was passing clots. The doctor said a hystro would not help me. (I begged to differ with him) Finally at the age of 59 I finally stopped my periods. I am now 61 and I don't have cramps, spotting or any of the regular problems...but I still have hot flashes!!! I do not take any kind of harmon. Nature is having its way. The doctor can give you a low dose of harmons to take daily, this will help regulate your periods. You will make it! It's h*** o* us women. Hope you feel better. Also, I was put on a low dose Anti-depressant for the mood swings, talk to your doctor.

I had the same kind of thing going on at 29 and I just finally had to break down and go the doctor. He gave me some pills to take and they mad me sicker so I got a different one. I round up have to have surgery, but that is not always the case. What you are showing signs of tells me it is time to go to a doctor and let them help you. The over the counter stuff is a crock. They birth control with me first and it helped a little but then I got really sick. Go to your GYN doctor and ask them about the pill that only lets you have 4 periods a year. That has worked for some of friends and they love it. Don't jump right to surgery unless the doctor thinks that is the best way to go.
Tell the doctor up front that you don't have any insurance and lots of times they will work with you. They even might be able to give you samples to try and see if they work before you go spend money on something that doesn't. Don't be scared to go the doctor and ask for free samples too.

God Bless
S. Jane

I started around your age and it took about a decade to be "finished." But with dietary changes, I minimized the problems... One thing that could be making you have so many classic symptoms right now is the food you eat! Try cutting out all white sugar (there is evaporated cane sugar, the old-fashioned kind, available now) and cut 'way back on meat and dairy products. You could be responding to the growth hormones in those products. Go to an organic diet, with as many fresh veggies as possible. Stay away from soy! You can find information on that here: www.nexusmagazine.com

Dear S.,
I am almost 65 years old. Because of a hysterectomy with ovaries removed when I was 29 years of age, I was thrown into an early menopause and was given hormone therapy until about 5 years ago, which was a big mistake in my opinion. I decided on my own to stop taking the hormones and because the hormones are stored in the body (bones, etc.), I am continuing to be in withdrawal with symptoms which have finally started to decrease. I have advised my two daughters in their 40s that when they believe they are starting menopause, to not take anything, just get through it. I believe this would be best. Doctors, today, would never keep a woman on hormone therapy for 30 years. It is too dangerous. My oldest daughter told me that he doctor said the same thing. Don't take anything. If you believe you must, I'd try a natural substance. Since you don't have insurance, go to Akin's or another natural foods market and ask their advice on what you can take naturally. The least amount of drugs you can be on, the better.
Sincerely,
M. P.

Hi S., I, too am 45 and I'm having some of the same problems you stated. I've been to the doctor they have taken blood, done an ultrasound, and on Monday I'm having a uterus biopsy. They're not sure what my problem is, they've just told me I'm perimenopausal???????Whatever that means? I don't really have any advice just know you're not the only one that is feeling that way. When I get my results back from all that testing I'll be glad to share what they say if you want, my email address is ____@____.com Hang in there!

Hi S., I am 31 and have been going through menopause since I was 27. I had severe endometriosis and had 2 surgeries ending in a full hysterectomy at 27. I was lucky enough to have 2 daughters before all this and they are now 10 and 12. Let me tell you from the symptoms you are describing that is does indeed sound like menopause. In the last 5 years i have been on 7 different types of HRT (hormone replacement therapy) trying to find a happy medium so that i can sleep at night without sweating and freezing all night long. For the last year and a half i have been on the birth control Nuvaring for my HRT, it has seemed to help me more than anything. Your body might be in the early stages on menopause. My advice would be trying some of the over the counter products available at the drug stores, they make several types for what you are experiencing and most of them are natural. I think the worst part of menopause was the sleeping issue and the headaches. I feel like i have been on every RX and been to every type of Dr. over the last few years. But it’s only been in the last year of so that i have had a good balance with the Nuvaring. But everyone if different, every women’s body is different and you its really trial and error trying to figure out what works best for you. I would suggest alot of exercise during the day, and natural supplements that are offered for women in the beginning stages of Menopause. They might help, they might not, but like I said its like a major trial and error and its not going to be the easiest thing. I hope that you have better luck than I did finding something that will help you sooner. If the over the counter products don’t work, I would suggest talking to your OB about possible options. My case is different that a lot of women at the menopause age because of my age and my hysterectomy, but I still understand what you are going through. I have always referred to it at the “internal battle”, that either way, I loose. But I have tried to stay positive and active. I have to change the Nuvaring every 3 weeks opposed to every 4 weeks, as it would be used for birth control because my body doesn’t cycle anymore. I would have to say that is the best part, not going through the monthly excruciating pain anymore.
Good luck to you and if I can help with anything else please let me know and I will sure try!

S.

Hi, I have already gone through menopause and I am just 45. I started having problems with night sweats and menstrual periods when I was 43. I have seen several doctors about it, and they all say that it is very young to go through menopause at our age, but it does happen. Getting your tubes tied won't help, in fact, I beleive that is why I went through mine so young. Hormone therapy might help, but in my experience it only took about a year for me to completely stop having periods and also the mood swings and night sweats stopped. Now I am happy that I don't have to worry about my monthly period anymore. My husband and I don't want to worry about it, so I do not take hormones, which eventually cause problems also. The worst thing about it, is that I have to use KY jelly because I am very dry now, but that is something we can deal with. Get a fan for your bedroom, try to rest when you can, take Pamprin or something like that for your cramps, and hang tough. It will eventually end. D.

S.,

I started menopause at 47, luckily, I haven't had any major problems but from talking to my friends who have gone throught it, it doesn't get any better, my advice would be to see a doctor, try different things until you find what hels you...............

Symptoms of perimenopause can begin as early as 10–15 years before menses completely stop. Women in their late 30’s, 40’s and early 50’s may transition in and out of a perimenopausal state many times before they finally enter menopause. If you are currently experiencing symptoms such as irregular periods, heavy bleeding, hot flashes, sleep disruption, headaches, dry eyes, vaginal changes, hair loss, weight gain, loss of libido or extreme emotional distress, you may be relieved to know that these are all common signs of perimenopause.

Tips for Personal Program Success

Along with the more obvious changes listed above, many of my perimenopausal patients find their short-term memory impairment or a lack of focus to be very irksome. These cognitive effects of hormonal imbalance are frequently overlooked in mainstream discussions about perimenopause. Yet fuzzy thinking and an inability to multitask can definitely be traced to your physical state, as can increased anxiety, fatigue, depression and drastic mood swings. These symptoms are actually signals being thrown up by your body to make you stop in your tracks and take notice. Women often remark on the brain fog that comes over them after childbirth, affording them only the attention span to focus on their new baby. A similar phenomenon occurs with the hormonal fluctuations leading up to menopause — only this time the miasma of your hormones is telling you to stop and pay attention to yourself!

I'm not sure there is a specific age for menopause - my sister is almost 7 years younger than me and going through it - I'm 53 and still waiting...

It's normal for all those things to happen because of the hormonal changes.

You can check out:
http://www.shaklee.net/thewrightplace/prodWomensHealth

S. i went through this same situation at the age of 27 yrs old sweetie. i cramp when i was on my period constantly and i would have a period every 2 weeks and things. they put me in the hospital and gave me antibotics through iv saying i had an infection. supposely they get it clear up and send me home and 2 weeks later i was back out at the hospital doubling over with pain and bleeding again and i was crying because it hurt so bad. finally they gave me a doctor that ran test and found out that i had cancer in my female organs and they done a hysteromny on me and took all of my female organs and now i don't have no problems at all. i have scar tissue that i am fighting with that hurts every once in a while but nothing like it was before. it was the best thing that they ever done was take my female organs.

i got kicked by my cousin when i was 13 or 14 years old and i was on my period i never cramp until i got kicked and my parents didn't take me to the doctor i was very lucky that i had a baby back in 79 the doctor said he couldn't even see how i had my daughter and i look at him and told him it was the good lord from above that gave that little miracle of life. she is a blessing from god and i thank him quite often for giving me a daughter.

i don't know where u live at S. but some hospitals will let u file for some kind of help like title 19 to cover ur hospital bills and things. it depends where u live at though. i don't have medical insurance either so i know where u r coming from and things. been there and still doing it and things.

I began to go through what the doctor called "Perimenopause" a few years ago. I'm 42. I was told every woman is different. Some lucky souls have very little symptoms and some have a horrible time of it. I'm caught in the middle right now. The periods change, the libido changes, the body begins to change itself by gaining weight in weird places, the metabolism changes, the sleep cycle goes nuts, depression and anxiety can happen like a roller coaster, the moods can change. So far I've had very little hot flashes. So far I haven't found success with any one thing. You may have to experiment with different techniques to find something that works for you and it can become frustrating. I have read a lot about perimenopause and for my own reasons refuse hormone replacement therapy. I tried Estrin-D, which worked wonderfully for a few months, then it quit helping and began to cause anxiety attacks. The reality is that I can't stop it, I can only learn to roll with the punches and try whatever may help for however long it may help. The doctor and all I've read states that it can go on for as long as 10 years, which changes with each woman as well. But I know reading about it helped me accept it, understand it better, and gave me hope. If you'd like to vent, we can exchange emails. I know I've found great comfort in reaching out to others and in writing. Keep a personal journal. It will help when you go to the doctor, too.

Hi S.,
If you take 1000 ml of vitamine E each day it will help.
But you need to buy the good E not the one WM carries. It costs about $32. for 100 caplets. You can get it at a health food store. Plus you can ask the questions and they can advise you what else to take. It really does work.
A Dr. can run a blood test and let you know if it is menapause. If you take the pill YAZ can really help.
Good Luck
L.

S., I hate to hear that you are suffering.

I have been going through similar problems recently. My doctor checked to make sure everything else is okay and explained that you don't really know you are in menopause until you have officially been without a menstrual cycle for a year. I am 41 and she didn't act like it was crazy to think I am in the first stages of menopause. She put me on birth control pills for 3 months to realign my hormones (for lack of a better way of saying it) and she prescribed a folic acid supplement to improve my sleep and moods. The approach has been working extremely well. I don't know if an over-the-counter folic acid supplement would work, but it's worth a try. If it doesn't, you might want to ask your doctor about this treatment which she had only recently started using.

Hi S., I'm 44 years old and I've been through menapausealready! I was actually around 42-43 when I began to feel the symptoms. I wasn't sure at first because I thought Surely I'm not old enough yet. I was wrong, It was the begining of menapause. I too had what you described and eventually my period just stopped. Now I'm worried because Ihave no period, again thinking something is wrong I called my sis. told her what was going on and thats when she told me you do not have to be a 50 or above to go through menapause. S. I would say if you are not normally sick with headaches, or any of your symptoms your'e having now it could be a strong possibility your'e entering menapause, but if you know someone in the medical field, it wouldn't hurt to ask! God Bless you , I'll be praying for you. It sure sounds like what I experienced, and it does get better! Read up on it so you can better understand and go through with surety. Hope I said something to help, look forward to hearing from you!