Menopause. - Chicago,IL

I am a nurse and worked in Ob/Gyn for years. I would give your doc a call because, while this IS somewhat normal for a woman your age, she will want to make sure something else isn't going on that has a 'cure' like fibroids or a cyst. The average age for menopause (meaning 1 full year without a period) is 52, but women almost always notice that their periods go all crazy sometime in the mid-forties. If it is impeding your normal life, there is medicine that you can take to help regulate your cycles. Birth control pills or prometrium are often given in situations like your to add some predictability and normalcy to your cycles. The doctor may want to take a 'biopsy' of the uterine wall to see what hormones are in the blood to determine why this is happening. (is it menstrual blood only, is it a mid-cycle bleed, etc...) Good luck!
T.

Hi,
40's is not that unusual for this. My mom was in full blown hormone replacement menopause at 42!
Me, I think I am too, but I take the pill and I just get no period. I have not for almost 3 years. I thought it was my type of pill, but it is not. I cannot get tested unless I quit the pill for 3+ months, and I really do not want to take the chance of a "woops". (I am 42 and both of my boys are going to be in school all day.) Soooo, see your doc. It is young, but it happens! good luck!

Welcome to your forties! I and many of my friends have completely lost our "predictable" cycles . I never know what to expect anymore. The neverending period, the skipped period, the niagra falls period, the stop and start period. Finally, I had a uterine ablation last year for nonstop heavy bleeding. All I can say is if this gets worse at 52 I'm in real trouble! Go to your doctor for some suggestions and treatments and good luck.

Oh my what a relief to hear I'm not the only one. I am actually going to the doctor next week to figure out what to do about this.I have scared myself to pieces. I will let you know what treatment it will be. It took me a long time to call the doctor, I kept thinking this runon period stuff would stop. I am 51 and I wasn't expecting this. S.

Menopause is right! Yikes! Get to the dr. You may need a scraping or something as easy as a prescription of birth control for a couple of months or just hormone therapy. That way you'll at least know when to expect "what".