Lynn, I have a friend who had a hysterectomy. She breezed right through it, but she was on estrogen immediately after surgery.

I also breezed right through my surgery -- and was put on estrogen immediately after -- but I'm glad I'm off now. Maybe, as Dianne suggested, I can lose a pound or two -- course -- I still have to deal with the thyroid ;-)

I haven't had surgery or anything. About 10 years ago I found out I had fibroids but have learned to live with them. A couple of years ago when I had a Pap the Dr. said they had gotten so small she could barely detect them.
I am now 55 and still having that dang period. Sometimes it is normal, other times it flows everywhere and then again there is the clotting. All of this I could live without.
My mother had a partial hysterectemy so don't know how early she would have stopped. My twin just had a complete hysterectemy because of endometrial cancer. My older sister just stopped after she had breast cancer surgery. So I have no idea just how long I'll continue.
Does anyone have any ideas on how long we can go? I read some women can go till they are in their 60's. Please God enough.

Well personally my last period (thank you God) was on the 10th of May 1990. I was 50 years old and have never had another one. I am fortunate however to never have hd so much as a hot flash or other problem due to Menopause. I looked forward to it and embraced it so it was my friend, they say attitude has alot to do with this time in our lives. I don't know I was just lucky I guess.

sandpiper, I don't have an answer for you. Someone else may.

Please tell us how your twin and older sister are doing. How many kids in your family?

I guess you stay on top of your health issues based on what your siblings have experienced. I hope so.

I am one of five. My sister is a breast cancer survivor.

Get this, Mom was from a family of nine children. Two are still living. Five of the seven who died had cancer. Frightening, huh?

Sandpiper, I'll be 56 this November ... and I still have my period but it's periodic ... LOL, LOL. Seems stress brings it on. My sister, who is 3 years younger than I am stopped about 5 years ago. Wish I knew the answer.

And Dotsie, it seems like more and more folks are dying of cancer ... not that that fact will bring comfort. Besides my mom and step-dad, we've had about 4 very close friends die of cancer in the last few years.

It is frightening ... especially when so many in your family have died of the disease. I'm sorry -- it must be hard.

Blessings, Francine

Dotsie - My twin sister is doing great. They caught all the cancer before it spread anywhere, however, the Doc. took out some of the lymph nodes just to be sure. She didn't have to do Chemo or radiation or anything, thank God! My older sister is great. She took chemo for three months once a month. She did great during that time. No cancer there - again my thanks to God.
Yes, it scares me about it. You know, every little new thing you get, your mind goes oh no, I suppose it could be cancer. But so far I've been ok.
I am the last of six children. The story goes that when they told my Dad there were twins, he said I guess it is time to stop when they start coming in two's.
Dotsie, that's scary that so many of your Aunts and Uncles have died of cancer. How is your sister doing? It is a tough think to worry about and see them go through it, right?

Writegirl - I am glad for you that it is on again/off again. I am happy for any woman who stops that mess. Just hoping I do shortly. It seems like the 50's are not too great at times. My twin and I turned 50 in November 1999 and my mother died January 3, 2000. A lot has gone on since then but you know the old sayings, "I've been 30, 20's better, I've been 40, 30's better, I'm 50's and the 40's are better." Some days that's how it feels.

Sandpiper

Hi Sandpiper,

I too have fibroids and keep a check on them. They will disappear completely when we reach menopause.
I am 51 ( the usual age to start, but everyone is different)and still waiting on results to see if I am peri-menopausal. I have had 2 missed periods in one year, and had one loooong one last month. I am usually on schedule otherwise.

I was told by my Doctor that most clotting is normal if it is under the size of a quarter. I have PMS with my periods, but I learned to control it by recognizing my symptoms and doing as much as I can to not let it interfere with MY everyday life, just everybody elses, ha ha.

From what you said, women can go till they are in their 60's. I am not sure , but would think that possible too as we are all different. Many early Boomers will be turning 59 this year.

Maybe some of them can let us know what age they were. Survey says....

Great Topic, one of my favorite subjects.

chick

I'm not much help. I will be 56 in September and I stopped my periods abruptly when I was 38! The doctor thinks maybe it was because of Prozac that I was on at the time. What ever it was, I was glad to be rid of it! Lol! I did how ever suffer from hot flashes for many years after that. Now, just once in a while, I get them.

Here's a good site with lots of info on menopause:
http://www.healthywomen.org/content.cfm?L1=3&L2=52

Here's what I found:

Some women go through menopause before age 51 and some experience it a bit later. Early menopause is defined as occurring at any age younger than age 40. Early menopause can occur naturally, but premature menopausal symptoms may signal an underlying condition, so it is important to discuss any symptoms with your health care professional. Menopause can occur as early as your 30s and, rarely, as late as in your 60s. However, there is no correlation between the time of a woman's first period and her age at menopause. In addition, age at menopause is not influenced by race, height, the number of children a woman has had or whether she took oral contraceptives for birth control.

[ June 28, 2005, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: wordcharmer ]

Great information wordcharmer, thanks for taking the time to hunt it up. Did you read anything about Mother and daughter relationship to Menopause? I am wondering if we inherit any likenesses in this regard. Maybe from our grandmothers, and it skips a generation.

I'd prefer to be like my MOM, in one sense,who said she "I didn't know what it was to be menopausal." Probably because you had a change of life baby, MOM, (perish the thought for me) to add to the 6 you already had in steps, a year or two apart.

Was she too busy to notice? Maybe being busy helps?

Sandpiper, I am glad about the news of your twin sister. I liked your Dad's comment about "when they come in twos.


chick