Menopause/Hormonal Support

[[Ta...]]

I started using Imvexxy estradiol vaginal inserts (4mcg) about 3 1/2 weeks ago to help me with post-menopausal dry vagina issues. I really was hoping that what the doctor told me was true, that the application of estradiol was local and would not affect my BWD symptoms.

 

However, after this amount of time I have concluded that I am still too sensitive for any type of hormone anywhere, at any time. I really hoped that I could use it! This affects my sex life, my skin condition, my femininity. But I am simply still too sensitive.

 

What happened is my head symptoms got worse and I didn't think I could even get worse. I took my last estradiol dose last Monday (7 days ago) and they are still profoundly affecting me.

 

Aphasia, head pressure, eye pressure and vision problems, balance. Hard to describe them all.

 

Goodbye to estradiol for now, at least. Maybe in a year, hopefully. Hope it's not tool ate to go back on it later.

[[NJ...]]

I just need to vent.

 

I am 50 and have really been struggling with anxiety/depression which I have attributed to a crazy hard year personally but now I really think my hormones are more of a factor than I may realize. I have had my period six times since May 15--before that I was skipping some months. I am so DONE with this. No hot flashes, the only thing is that I realize I am so filled with anxiety and depressed at times I feel like I wish my life were over. I am not tapering at the moment (due to the crazy year I have had) but have no idea of how I could possibly with these symptoms. This is what got me on the K in the first place--I used to not sleep two weeks a month as part of my PMS symptoms. Now I can sleep with lots of supplements/medical marijuana except for the night before I get my period. And my chocolate cravings are insane.

 

Just needed to share. Many of my friends are older so past all of this and the only thing they complain about is the hot flashes which seem to not be impacting me at all or at least not yet.

[[...]]

I just need to vent.

 

I am 50 and have really been struggling with anxiety/depression which I have attributed to a crazy hard year personally but now I really think my hormones are more of a factor than I may realize. I have had my period six times since May 15--before that I was skipping some months. I am so DONE with this. No hot flashes, the only thing is that I realize I am so filled with anxiety and depressed at times I feel like I wish my life were over. I am not tapering at the moment (due to the crazy year I have had) but have no idea of how I could possibly with these symptoms. This is what got me on the K in the first place--I used to not sleep two weeks a month as part of my PMS symptoms. Now I can sleep with lots of supplements/medical marijuana except for the night before I get my period. And my chocolate cravings are insane.

 

Just needed to share. Many of my friends are older so past all of this and the only thing they complain about is the hot flashes which seem to not be impacting me at all or at least not yet.

 

Hi NJ Strength,

 

Hormones play a huge role in all of this. I am HRT, Bioidentical Estradiol and Testosterone. Had a total hysterectomy back in 1997. Wasn't needed and I was not managed well at all on HRT and thus the klonopin.

I have had a rough month and a half as i tapered .5mg of K in 5 days. My math error. I have had horrible symptoms on some days and thought this can't all be withdrawal. I went to my Dr and had labs drawn. My Estradiol and Testesterone are in the tank. That explains a lot. I take sublingual drops for both E and T. I have bumped them up. It was fluctuation and spiraling down that worsened everything. The heat certainly does not help and neither does stress. I have had a lot of crazy anxiety and jumpiness along with mood swings. I am going to wait a while before I start tapering. It is such a delicate balance in the brain in itself, without having to deal with the benzo ordeal. Just know that hormones falling and fluctuating can really impact us.

You are not alone in this at all and I sure hope you feel better soon. I so know those feelings.

There is a great forum called Hystersisters that deal with all aspects of menopause etc.

 

God Bless,

 

Dana 

[[...]]

BTY, I am 65 and will stay on HRT forever, because of the surgical menopause. Estradiol falling can mimic a lot of Benzo withdrawal symptoms! We are complex creatures. It is so hard to figure out what is doing what. It is the Benzo's or is it hormones? It gets so crazy, but you will get through this!

[[...]]

There are 2 great books that I have read by Dr. Elizabeth Vliet.

Screaming To Be Heard

It's My Ovaries, Stupid.

She is one awesome Dr and the books are a wealth of information. I got mine on Amazon. Used copies which are in great shape. Hope this will help. She even mentions Klonopin in one of the books. 

[[no...]]

BTY, I am 65 and will stay on HRT forever, because of the surgical menopause. Estradiol falling can mimic a lot of Benzo withdrawal symptoms! We are complex creatures. It is so hard to figure out what is doing what. It is the Benzo's or is it hormones? It gets so crazy, but you will get through this!

 

hey Dana,

 

46 here but same w/surgical menopause. probly will stay on hrt til the wheels fall off cause i don't want the stress of hrt withdrawal after i f inish my 3-7? year tapers of my 3 psych meds. but will reassess when the time comes of course. i just don't see myself coming off onless i have to, as the progesterone helps me sleep and the estradiol keeps my skin from aging as fast as w/out and also my dryness thing. everytwhere, not just below but on my lips my feet my face everywhere. hopefully bu then there will be some other option but not holding my breath. i know progesterone works like a benzo, but i would have it were it not for my surgery. same for est.  sigh it's always somethin right? 

[[...]]

BTY, I am 65 and will stay on HRT forever, because of the surgical menopause. Estradiol falling can mimic a lot of Benzo withdrawal symptoms! We are complex creatures. It is so hard to figure out what is doing what. It is the Benzo's or is it hormones? It gets so crazy, but you will get through this!

 

hey Dana,

 

46 here but same w/surgical menopause. probly will stay on hrt til the wheels fall off cause i don't want the stress of hrt withdrawal after i f inish my 3-7? year tapers of my 3 psych meds. but will reassess when the time comes of course. i just don't see myself coming off onless i have to, as the progesterone helps me sleep and the estradiol keeps my skin from aging as fast as w/out and also my dryness thing. everytwhere, not just below but on my lips my feet my face everywhere. hopefully bu then there will be some other option but not holding my breath. i know progesterone works like a benzo, but i would have it were it not for my surgery. same for est.  sigh it's always somethin right? 

 

I believe that we need our hormones, especially with surgical menopause. I feel good when my Estradiol level is over 200. It has plummeted to 136 since April. . I also take a dose of sublingual testosterone for muscle mass and energy. It went down to 7. I like you have a long ways to go with my taper. I will probably take 3-5 years to do it safely and to gently walk off, I Pray. I don't know what I would do without my HRT. I had my surgery at 43. Not needed and much too young. That is how I ended up on this drug. A terrible reaction to a patch. We will get there. The hormones do help with preventing age related diseases for sure. I also read where if the hormones are low it can affect benzo withdrawal. Your right. It is always something. Never dreamed I would going through this. We just never know. Just keep the Hope!

[[no...]]

BTY, I am 65 and will stay on HRT forever, because of the surgical menopause. Estradiol falling can mimic a lot of Benzo withdrawal symptoms! We are complex creatures. It is so hard to figure out what is doing what. It is the Benzo's or is it hormones? It gets so crazy, but you will get through this!

 

hey Dana,

 

46 here but same w/surgical menopause. probly will stay on hrt til the wheels fall off cause i don't want the stress of hrt withdrawal after i f inish my 3-7? year tapers of my 3 psych meds. but will reassess when the time comes of course. i just don't see myself coming off onless i have to, as the progesterone helps me sleep and the estradiol keeps my skin from aging as fast as w/out and also my dryness thing. everytwhere, not just below but on my lips my feet my face everywhere. hopefully bu then there will be some other option but not holding my breath. i know progesterone works like a benzo, but i would have it were it not for my surgery. same for est.  sigh it's always somethin right? 

 

I believe that we need our hormones, especially with surgical menopause. I feel good when my Estradiol level is over 200. It has plummeted to 136 since April. . I also take a dose of sublingual testosterone for muscle mass and energy. It went down to 7. I like you have a long ways to go with my taper. I will probably take 3-5 years to do it safely and to gently walk off, I Pray. I don't know what I would do without my HRT. I had my surgery at 43. Not needed and much too young. That is how I ended up on this drug. A terrible reaction to a patch. We will get there. The hormones do help with preventing age related diseases for sure. I also read where if the hormones are low it can affect benzo withdrawal. Your right. It is always something. Never dreamed I would going through this. We just never know. Just keep the Hope!

 

i trhink it was in parker's famous post that i read our bodies don't produce enough of the right hormones in wd...the adrenals and thyroid and gonads etc are all struggling in wd so i think in my case i need to try to keep my hormone levels up as close to normal as possible, kinda like making sure i get ewnough nutrients from food and if low on something to supplement so my body has the building blocks it needs to rebuild/heal itself. lately it's been sunlight for me...i don't feel good until i get real sunlight, and it takes about an hour for me. in all my years i never had a natural tan because i would burn in less than 5minutes without protection. this year i felt like my body was craving the sn, so in april i started 5mins a day, building up slowly to 20 minutes a day with sunscreen but then after a couples months i was getting some color and then i switched to low spf and now no spf and i feel the rays soaking in as soon as they hit me ...it feels like gold pouring into my skin! sounds corny but i cant think of how else to wrord it. my body needs it now is all i know, i don't feel good until i get the sun each day. it also banishes the morning hangover i feel waking up everyday.

[[...]]

Our bodies sure need the proper nutrients. I believe that another one of my problems is not getting enough vitamins, but I can't handle them and I don't enough to get all that I need. I love the sun also, but living in Fl in the summer is brutal. I live in the northern part and the humidity is wicked. I saw my dermatologist and was diagnosed with some pre-cancers. I am using a zinc oxide based sunscreen. I have access to the pool, rivers, springs and the ocean. The ocean being further away. I do find the water to be so refreshing and then I can handle the sun. My D level is low, but the vitamin revs me up. I prefer getting it naturally. Also, with my Estradiol being low, I have problems tolerating the heat. The sun and water have always made me feel so good and it still does. I used to be so tan, but have to be careful now. I lived in Hawaii for 5 years as a teenager and I lived in the water and on the beach. Perfect weather. Not too hot. I wish I could just go over there and taper off. I would just live on the beach and stay in the water! I have read where water has negative ions and that is what makes us feel so good. It is so true.

Glad you are getting much needed rays!

[[no...]]

Our bodies sure need the proper nutrients. I believe that another one of my problems is not getting enough vitamins, but I can't handle them and I don't enough to get all that I need. I love the sun also, but living in Fl in the summer is brutal. I live in the northern part and the humidity is wicked. I saw my dermatologist and was diagnosed with some pre-cancers. I am using a zinc oxide based sunscreen. I have access to the pool, rivers, springs and the ocean. The ocean being further away. I do find the water to be so refreshing and then I can handle the sun. My D level is low, but the vitamin revs me up. I prefer getting it naturally. Also, with my Estradiol being low, I have problems tolerating the heat. The sun and water have always made me feel so good and it still does. I used to be so tan, but have to be careful now. I lived in Hawaii for 5 years as a teenager and I lived in the water and on the beach. Perfect weather. Not too hot. I wish I could just go over there and taper off. I would just live on the beach and stay in the water! I have read where water has negative ions and that is what makes us feel so good. It is so true.

Glad you are getting much needed rays!

 

Hawaii is my dream home but can't afford it...or so Hubbs tells me. so i guess i'll just stay in my baby swimming pool on the back patio and dream on 

[[va...]]

Hi girls, I hope I can join here.

 

I'm 51 and my period is still regular but I have to prepare for this stage. I'm reading some of you had a very bad reaction on and withdrawing from progesterone, however you're all mostly fine with the estradiol? I'm getting ready for when the start prescribing these to me. My benzo withdrawal is being hellish and I'm starting to think probably premenopause could be playing a part in it.

[[...]]

Hi girls, I hope I can join here.

 

I'm 51 and my period is still regular but I have to prepare for this stage. I'm reading some of you had a very bad reaction on and withdrawing from progesterone, however you're all mostly fine with the estradiol? I'm getting ready for when the start prescribing these to me. My benzo withdrawal is being hellish and I'm starting to think probably premenopause could be playing a part in it.

 

Hi V,

 

Hormones play a huge role in how we feel and it sure does affect the withdrawal. The ups and downs during our cycles and the tweaking of them after a surgical menopause really causes havoc in the brain. So, we have that to deal with as well as withdrawal. Sometimes I wonder if it is hormones or withdrawal. I get my hormones tested every few months, so I know where I stand. My Estradiol plummeted from 220 to 136 from April to July. Stress, heat and other factors can cause it. I accidentally cut .5mg of K back in early June and it messed me up, even though I went back up. I wonder if that lowered the hormones. It is always a guessing game. I would get blood levels of your hormones and see where you are at. You will have a baseline to go by if you do HRT. It is best to do that when we are young, so we know where we felt our best. I do know that I don't feel well unless I am up there in the 200's. When it falls I get horrible anxiety, jumpy, adrenaline surges, tinnitus and list goes on. Very similar to Benzo withdrawal. It drives me crazy, but it is one day at a time. 

[[va...]]

Thank you Dana. Will ask my gynecologist for those tests on my next visit.

[[Mi...]]

Dear valiumnomore: My doctor gave me estrogen after menopause, but not progesterone. This is a recipe for uterine cancer!!! Which I got!!! Look it up; do not take estrogen without progesterone, I learned many years later. I had a major hysterectomy and survived. Then the next doctor continued the estrogen and I got panic attacks. When I accidentally ran out of estrogen patches and could not get more due to a blizzard, my panic stopped. So I quit the estrogen and had to go through the emotional and physical difficulties of menopause anyway. So save yourself some trouble and don't take the hormones. During benzo withdrawal (I was prescribed benzos due to back injury and surgery - agonizing) my therapist suggested progesterone. It helped, but now I have to get off it and it's just exactly like benzo withdrawal. I can't wait to be drug free.

MirandaJane

[[...]]

Dear valiumnomore: My doctor gave me estrogen after menopause, but not progesterone. This is a recipe for uterine cancer!!! Which I got!!! Look it up; do not take estrogen without progesterone, I learned many years later. I had a major hysterectomy and survived. Then the next doctor continued the estrogen and I got panic attacks. When I accidentally ran out of estrogen patches and could not get more due to a blizzard, my panic stopped. So I quit the estrogen and had to go through the emotional and physical difficulties of menopause anyway. So save yourself some trouble and don't take the hormones. During benzo withdrawal (I was prescribed benzos due to back injury and surgery - agonizing) my therapist suggested progesterone. It helped, but now I have to get off it and it's just exactly like benzo withdrawal. I can't wait to be drug free.

MirandaJane

 

Hi MirandaJane,

 

So sorry your Dr. did that to you! That is malpractice. I am on HRT because I had a unnecessary hysterectomy. It led to bad reaction to Vivelle patch and then the Klonopin. I don't have to take Progesterone. I hope V does not think she doesn't have to take the P to oppose the Estradiol. She certainly does. I did try the Progesterone for short period of time. My Dr. and I were going through options. He is not the one who did the surgery. He was appalled, but he helped me get on track. I take bio identical compounded HRT. Anyway, I tried the P and it made totally confused, tired, cog fog just to name a few. I had to taper over 5 months to get off! It is like benzo withdrawal. I was on klonopin and still had symptoms! It creates a metabolite Allopregnanalone which is just as potent as klonopin. That is in Dr Elizabeth Vliet's Book, "Screaming To Be Heard". It will take time, but you will get off of it.

[[va...]]

Hi Dana and MirandaJane:

 

Ok after reading your posts I will not take hormones ever. I think in the past women had the menopause and took no hormones, right? It's a natural process so I really don't know why it has to be medicated. I understand it can be as bad as a mild withdrawal of benzos to come off the hormones. But it can't be as bad as acute wd of benzos. That's impossible in my opinion.

[[...]]

Hi Dana and MirandaJane:

 

Ok after reading your posts I will not take hormones ever. I think in the past women had the menopause and took no hormones, right? It's a natural process so I really don't know why it has to be medicated. I understand it can be as bad as a mild withdrawal of benzos to come off the hormones. But it can't be as bad as acute wd of benzos. That's impossible in my opinion.

 

Hi V,

 

A lot of women take HRT as they get older, because it does help with bones, heart, mood etc. If you have a uterus, Progesterone is a must. Not a problem for those who aren't dealing with Benzo withdrawal. My friends are on HRT and they do fine, but they are going through withdrawal. I have been on it since my hysterectomy which was 22 years ago. I don't need Progesterone. Tried it and I hated it and then had to taper off. I need my Estradiol for sure. I feel horrible when the levels drop.

For now I would just focus on getting off the drug. 

[[va...]]

Hi Dana and MirandaJane:

 

Ok after reading your posts I will not take hormones ever. I think in the past women had the menopause and took no hormones, right? It's a natural process so I really don't know why it has to be medicated. I understand it can be as bad as a mild withdrawal of benzos to come off the hormones. But it can't be as bad as acute wd of benzos. That's impossible in my opinion.

 

Hi V,

 

A lot of women take HRT as they get older, because it does help with bones, heart, mood etc. If you have a uterus, Progesterone is a must. Not a problem for those who aren't dealing with Benzo withdrawal. My friends are on HRT and they do fine, but they are going through withdrawal. I have been on it since my hysterectomy which was 22 years ago. I don't need Progesterone. Tried it and I hated it and then had to taper off. I need my Estradiol for sure. I feel horrible when the levels drop.

For now I would just focus on getting off the drug.

 

OK Dana no idea what hrt or estradiol is. I hope I come off the drugs BEFORE I get the menopause but tick tac tic tac, I'm 51. If it happens I'll come back here with the drs. recommendations for you guy's approval (or lack of it).

[[Mi...]]

My progesterone is an over-the-counter cream from a specialty pharmacy - and there's the problem. When I was hospitalized for three days last year for pancreatitis, the nurses would not give me any med that was not prescription. So I missed a dose (I dosed twice a day at that time) and went into a horrible panic attack. Finally, my husband brought me the P. and I resumed; that's when I realized how powerful it was and that missing even one dose was terrible. So if you do go on progesterone (which is generally a calming hormone) you must ensure you don't miss a dose. This is very difficult as you may be hospitalized or so sick from the flu or something that you can't think (which happened to me years ago when I had the Shanghi flu and hallucinated for days) or you can't get the medication (which happened when my blood pressure medication was discontinued and I reacted badly to other BP meds) or for any other reason that prevents you from getting the med. I didn't get a prescription med because my doctor thought that taking a systemic med (patch or pill) would interfere with my benzo withdrawal negatively. I am soooo sensitive to meds. I hope to finish the progesterone taper in December, but it's getting rougher. And it truly is just like benzo withdrawal.

 

Best of luck to all,

MirandaJane

[[va...]]

My progesterone is an over-the-counter cream from a specialty pharmacy - and there's the problem. When I was hospitalized for three days last year for pancreatitis, the nurses would not give me any med that was not prescription. So I missed a dose (I dosed twice a day at that time) and went into a horrible panic attack. Finally, my husband brought me the P. and I resumed; that's when I realized how powerful it was and that missing even one dose was terrible. So if you do go on progesterone (which is generally a calming hormone) you must ensure you don't miss a dose. This is very difficult as you may be hospitalized or so sick from the flu or something that you can't think (which happened to me years ago when I had the Shanghi flu and hallucinated for days) or you can't get the medication (which happened when my blood pressure medication was discontinued and I reacted badly to other BP meds) or for any other reason that prevents you from getting the med. I didn't get a prescription med because my doctor thought that taking a systemic med (patch or pill) would interfere with my benzo withdrawal negatively. I am soooo sensitive to meds. I hope to finish the progesterone taper in December, but it's getting rougher. And it truly is just like benzo withdrawal.

 

Best of luck to all,

MirandaJane

 

Thank you. I definitely pass on the progesterone.

[[...]]

Hi Dana and MirandaJane:

 

Ok after reading your posts I will not take hormones ever. I think in the past women had the menopause and took no hormones, right? It's a natural process so I really don't know why it has to be medicated. I understand it can be as bad as a mild withdrawal of benzos to come off the hormones. But it can't be as bad as acute wd of benzos. That's impossible in my opinion.

 

Hi V,

 

 

 

 

A lot of women take HRT as they get older, because it does help with bones, heart, mood etc. If you have a uterus, Progesterone is a must. Not a problem for those who aren't dealing with Benzo withdrawal. My friends are on HRT and they do fine, but they are going through withdrawal. I have been on it since my hysterectomy which was 22 years ago. I don't need Progesterone. Tried it and I hated it and then had to taper off. I need my Estradiol for sure. I feel horrible when the levels drop.

For now I would just focus on getting off the drug.

 

OK Dana no idea what hrt or estradiol is. I hope I come off the drugs BEFORE I get the menopause but tick tac tic tac, I'm 51. If it happens I'll come back here with the drs. recommendations for you guy's approval (or lack of it).

 

Hi V!

 

Estradiol is the main form  of Estrogen that women produce until menopause when it starts falling..

HRT means Hormone Replacement Therapy. Sorry I should have not abbreviated these words.

Again, just focus on your taper. The ovaries can still produce very small amounts of Estrogen until the 70's. Don't worry about this right now. I am sure that you are still fine. Some women don't hit menopause until their 60's. Again, we are all different. Surgical menopause is so radical and I believe HRT is crucial. I am in good health because of being on it. My bones, teeth and general health are very good. Just the Peptic ulcer disease I have to keep on top of. That runs in my family.

Hope you are feeling better!

[[no...]]

https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/late-onset#1

 

usually a woman will enter menopause in her mid-40s to mid-50s. Menopause that occurs before a woman is in her mid-40s is known as early or premature menopause. If a woman is 55 or older and still hasn’t begun menopause, doctors would consider it late-onset menopause.

 

According to the Center for Menstrual Disorders and Reproductive Choice, the average age for menopause is 51. Menopause can often last well into a woman’s 50s. Late-onset menopause refers only to the age at which menopause begins.

 

A study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic DisordersTrusted Source notes that late menopause isn’t uncommon among obese women. This is because fat can produce estrogen. A doctor will likely suggest that a patient lower her body mass index (BMI) to below 30. Ideally, a woman’s BMI should fall between 18.5 and 24.9. Maintaining a normal BMI can help reduce a number of health risks and prolong a woman’s life.

 

Thyroid disorders can disrupt the timing of menopause, causing it to be early or late. The thyroid is responsible for regulating metabolism. If the thyroid isn’t working properly, it can have a number of effects on a woman’s reproductive system. Some symptoms of a thyroid disorder are similar to menopause, including hot flashes and mood swings. This can lead a woman to believe she might be experiencing menopause. If you feel as if you’re experiencing menopause but continue to menstruate, speak to your doctor. They may determine that you have a thyroid problem, and can treat the condition.

 

A woman can experience late-onset menopause if she has abnormally high levels of estrogen throughout her lifetime.

 

https://www.webmd.com/menopause/features/menopause-age-prediction#1

 

Here's what does -- and does not influence the age at when a woman reaches menopause.

 

The Top Factor

There are a number of factors that affect a woman’s age at menopause, but one is more important than any other: the age her mother experienced menopause.

“Menopause is strongly genetically linked, so you’re very likely to fall within a few years either way of the age your mother was at menopause,” says Nanette Santoro, MD, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine and a member of the board of directors of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

 

This isn’t always true, of course. Some women reach menopause at an unusually early age -- before 45 or so -- with no known cause, which could be the result of an inherited issue or a one-time genetic mutation. “These can be random events, but can also be passed on," says Howard Zacur, MD, PhD, who directs the reproductive endocrinology and infertility division at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

 

So if your mother reached menopause at 40, but her sisters and your grandmother were all around the average age of 50, it’s unclear whether you’ll follow her path or theirs.

 

But if most of the women in your family, your mother included, reach menopause early, late, or somewhere in the middle, you can eye your calendar with some degree of confidence.

 

Menopause Age: 4 More Influences

Your mother's age at menopause is a key factor, but not the only one. Here are four others to consider:

 

Smoking . No other lifestyle factor does more damage to your ovaries than smoking. So if you smoke and your mother didn’t, you’ll probably reach menopause earlier than she did. If she smoked and you don’t, you probably reach menopause later than she did.

 

Chemotherapy . Most forms of chemotherapy used in younger women are at least mildly toxic to the ovaries. Many women go through temporary menopause while undergoing chemotherapy; if cycles do return (they don’t always), you can still expect to reach regular menopause a couple of years earlier than you otherwise would have.

 

Ovarian surgery. “The more you operate on the ovaries, the more healthy tissue gets damaged,” says Marcelle Cedars, MD, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. So if you’ve had diagnostic surgery for endometriosis, for example, Cedars recommends using medical options (such as hormonal suppression) to treat the condition in order to avoid repetitive surgeries.

 

Ethnicity. “Certain ethnic groups may have menopause at slightly different ages,” says Santoro. “Hispanic and African-American women reach menopause a little earlier, and Chinese and Japanese women a little later, than the average Caucasian woman, who reaches menopause at about age 51.5.” Those are averages; every woman is different.

 

 

[[va...]]

https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/late-onset#1

 

usually a woman will enter menopause in her mid-40s to mid-50s. Menopause that occurs before a woman is in her mid-40s is known as early or premature menopause. If a woman is 55 or older and still hasn’t begun menopause, doctors would consider it late-onset menopause.

 

According to the Center for Menstrual Disorders and Reproductive Choice, the average age for menopause is 51. Menopause can often last well into a woman’s 50s. Late-onset menopause refers only to the age at which menopause begins.

 

A study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic DisordersTrusted Source notes that late menopause isn’t uncommon among obese women. This is because fat can produce estrogen. A doctor will likely suggest that a patient lower her body mass index (BMI) to below 30. Ideally, a woman’s BMI should fall between 18.5 and 24.9. Maintaining a normal BMI can help reduce a number of health risks and prolong a woman’s life.

 

Thyroid disorders can disrupt the timing of menopause, causing it to be early or late. The thyroid is responsible for regulating metabolism. If the thyroid isn’t working properly, it can have a number of effects on a woman’s reproductive system. Some symptoms of a thyroid disorder are similar to menopause, including hot flashes and mood swings. This can lead a woman to believe she might be experiencing menopause. If you feel as if you’re experiencing menopause but continue to menstruate, speak to your doctor. They may determine that you have a thyroid problem, and can treat the condition.

 

A woman can experience late-onset menopause if she has abnormally high levels of estrogen throughout her lifetime.

 

https://www.webmd.com/menopause/features/menopause-age-prediction#1

 

Here's what does -- and does not influence the age at when a woman reaches menopause.

 

The Top Factor

There are a number of factors that affect a woman’s age at menopause, but one is more important than any other: the age her mother experienced menopause.

“Menopause is strongly genetically linked, so you’re very likely to fall within a few years either way of the age your mother was at menopause,” says Nanette Santoro, MD, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine and a member of the board of directors of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

 

This isn’t always true, of course. Some women reach menopause at an unusually early age -- before 45 or so -- with no known cause, which could be the result of an inherited issue or a one-time genetic mutation. “These can be random events, but can also be passed on," says Howard Zacur, MD, PhD, who directs the reproductive endocrinology and infertility division at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

 

So if your mother reached menopause at 40, but her sisters and your grandmother were all around the average age of 50, it’s unclear whether you’ll follow her path or theirs.

 

But if most of the women in your family, your mother included, reach menopause early, late, or somewhere in the middle, you can eye your calendar with some degree of confidence.

 

Menopause Age: 4 More Influences

Your mother's age at menopause is a key factor, but not the only one. Here are four others to consider:

 

Smoking . No other lifestyle factor does more damage to your ovaries than smoking. So if you smoke and your mother didn’t, you’ll probably reach menopause earlier than she did. If she smoked and you don’t, you probably reach menopause later than she did.

 

Chemotherapy . Most forms of chemotherapy used in younger women are at least mildly toxic to the ovaries. Many women go through temporary menopause while undergoing chemotherapy; if cycles do return (they don’t always), you can still expect to reach regular menopause a couple of years earlier than you otherwise would have.

 

Ovarian surgery. “The more you operate on the ovaries, the more healthy tissue gets damaged,” says Marcelle Cedars, MD, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. So if you’ve had diagnostic surgery for endometriosis, for example, Cedars recommends using medical options (such as hormonal suppression) to treat the condition in order to avoid repetitive surgeries.

 

Ethnicity. “Certain ethnic groups may have menopause at slightly different ages,” says Santoro. “Hispanic and African-American women reach menopause a little earlier, and Chinese and Japanese women a little later, than the average Caucasian woman, who reaches menopause at about age 51.5.” Those are averages; every woman is different.

 

My mother had her meno at 56 but I totally take after my father, and he didn't have the menopause that I know of.

[[no...]]

https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/late-onset#1

 

usually a woman will enter menopause in her mid-40s to mid-50s. Menopause that occurs before a woman is in her mid-40s is known as early or premature menopause. If a woman is 55 or older and still hasn’t begun menopause, doctors would consider it late-onset menopause.

 

According to the Center for Menstrual Disorders and Reproductive Choice, the average age for menopause is 51. Menopause can often last well into a woman’s 50s. Late-onset menopause refers only to the age at which menopause begins.

 

A study in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic DisordersTrusted Source notes that late menopause isn’t uncommon among obese women. This is because fat can produce estrogen. A doctor will likely suggest that a patient lower her body mass index (BMI) to below 30. Ideally, a woman’s BMI should fall between 18.5 and 24.9. Maintaining a normal BMI can help reduce a number of health risks and prolong a woman’s life.

 

Thyroid disorders can disrupt the timing of menopause, causing it to be early or late. The thyroid is responsible for regulating metabolism. If the thyroid isn’t working properly, it can have a number of effects on a woman’s reproductive system. Some symptoms of a thyroid disorder are similar to menopause, including hot flashes and mood swings. This can lead a woman to believe she might be experiencing menopause. If you feel as if you’re experiencing menopause but continue to menstruate, speak to your doctor. They may determine that you have a thyroid problem, and can treat the condition.

 

A woman can experience late-onset menopause if she has abnormally high levels of estrogen throughout her lifetime.

 

https://www.webmd.com/menopause/features/menopause-age-prediction#1

 

Here's what does -- and does not influence the age at when a woman reaches menopause.

 

The Top Factor

There are a number of factors that affect a woman’s age at menopause, but one is more important than any other: the age her mother experienced menopause.

“Menopause is strongly genetically linked, so you’re very likely to fall within a few years either way of the age your mother was at menopause,” says Nanette Santoro, MD, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at the University of Colorado-Denver School of Medicine and a member of the board of directors of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

 

This isn’t always true, of course. Some women reach menopause at an unusually early age -- before 45 or so -- with no known cause, which could be the result of an inherited issue or a one-time genetic mutation. “These can be random events, but can also be passed on," says Howard Zacur, MD, PhD, who directs the reproductive endocrinology and infertility division at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

 

So if your mother reached menopause at 40, but her sisters and your grandmother were all around the average age of 50, it’s unclear whether you’ll follow her path or theirs.

 

But if most of the women in your family, your mother included, reach menopause early, late, or somewhere in the middle, you can eye your calendar with some degree of confidence.

 

Menopause Age: 4 More Influences

Your mother's age at menopause is a key factor, but not the only one. Here are four others to consider:

 

Smoking . No other lifestyle factor does more damage to your ovaries than smoking. So if you smoke and your mother didn’t, you’ll probably reach menopause earlier than she did. If she smoked and you don’t, you probably reach menopause later than she did.

 

Chemotherapy . Most forms of chemotherapy used in younger women are at least mildly toxic to the ovaries. Many women go through temporary menopause while undergoing chemotherapy; if cycles do return (they don’t always), you can still expect to reach regular menopause a couple of years earlier than you otherwise would have.

 

Ovarian surgery. “The more you operate on the ovaries, the more healthy tissue gets damaged,” says Marcelle Cedars, MD, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. So if you’ve had diagnostic surgery for endometriosis, for example, Cedars recommends using medical options (such as hormonal suppression) to treat the condition in order to avoid repetitive surgeries.

 

Ethnicity. “Certain ethnic groups may have menopause at slightly different ages,” says Santoro. “Hispanic and African-American women reach menopause a little earlier, and Chinese and Japanese women a little later, than the average Caucasian woman, who reaches menopause at about age 51.5.” Those are averages; every woman is different.

 

My mother had her meno at 56 but I totally take after my father, and he didn't have the menopause that I know of.

 

ha ha

if that were the case then none of us would have menopause 

[[va...]]