surgery, straight to menapause

Jusall1

Hi Everyone, is this normal? My period was due the week after my diagnoses.. and has never returned. I had a double in Dec 2012, recon in March and July... I get hot flashes, have trouble sleeping, and pains like I'm about to have my cycle every day. My hormones were fine in June when taken.. but by the last surgery the labs say I am in the middle of menopause. I am 47.. I just think this is a little young.. Anyone have the same happen to them.. any advise?

MelissaDallas

Did you have chemo or are you on antihormonals?

51 is average, so I would guess anytime between mid-forties and mid-fifties is "normal". My grandmother was only 41. I clearly started having perimenopausal symptoms at 37 or 38 and was already pretty much menopausal before my hysterectomy at 49.

Jusall1

No Chemo, drugs etc.. I was lucky just the surgeries.. I guess the doctors had been talking perimenopause for awhile.. I just feel like it's a bit of a shock & I guess not something I was expecting..

MelissaDallas

i have to say I think menopause is wonderful. I never really believed in PMS because my periods were no big deal. Then I hit perimenopause & it was hell. I spent years with awful mood swings, hormonal migraines, insomnia, extreme irritability. I wanted to kill myself or somebody else for years:) my normally easygoing temperament changed to someone who yelled at an elderly boss in front of other people. I now have the most even moods and never have any problems with depression. Thank God it's over!

Jusall1

How long did yours take to be over? Years, months... I guess they started talking to me about my hormones about 5 years ago.. The night hot flashes started with the dbl, and are still going on..

MelissaDallas

Ten years, give or take...i thought I'd go nuts. Part pf mine was probably ovarian tumor related, but it is not ncommon for perimenopausal symptomsvto stretch out over ten years or so.

Ariom

I started to go through the Menopause at 38, and was all done at about 43. My Mother was the same.

I wasn't quite as badly affected as Melissa, but I sure had my share of Jekyll and Hyde moments.and the Migraines were dreadful.

My Husband used to say he could feel me radiating heat from the other side of the bed. Those Hot Flashes were awful, but I found evening primrose oil helped a lot.

I am 60 now and that's all a fading memory, thank goodness!