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When Does Menopause Begin?
Question: When does menopause begin? Im 41, nd my cycle now is light but lasts two weeks or so. Is this normal?
Brief Answer:
WIDE RANGE OF ' NORMAL ', AGE OF MENOPAUSE VARIES
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
Menopause , as such, has no fixed age.
Like puberty, it varies from woman to woman, depending on various factors such as - heredity, race, habits, lifestyle etc.
For example, smoking brings about an early menopause.
There are various such factors.
The average age for menopause is 45 - 50 years, but then again there is a wide range of ' normal '.
Some women experience it as early as in the late thirties , and some continue to have regular periods into the sixties.
To further make matters unpredictable, menopause is often preceded by a phase called peri menopause.
This is a period that can precede actual menopause by 1 - 2 years.
IT is characterized by abnormal cycles ( lighter flow, heavier flow, intercycle spotting, delayed cycles etc ), mood changes, hot flashes, night sweats etc.
To confirm if you are in your perimenopause and menopause, you can get blood work done, as that objectively gives you an idea.
Get your FSH, LH and serum Estradiol measured, it would show you where you stand.
All the best.
Please feel free to discuss further
WIDE RANGE OF ' NORMAL ', AGE OF MENOPAUSE VARIES
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
Menopause , as such, has no fixed age.
Like puberty, it varies from woman to woman, depending on various factors such as - heredity, race, habits, lifestyle etc.
For example, smoking brings about an early menopause.
There are various such factors.
The average age for menopause is 45 - 50 years, but then again there is a wide range of ' normal '.
Some women experience it as early as in the late thirties , and some continue to have regular periods into the sixties.
To further make matters unpredictable, menopause is often preceded by a phase called peri menopause.
This is a period that can precede actual menopause by 1 - 2 years.
IT is characterized by abnormal cycles ( lighter flow, heavier flow, intercycle spotting, delayed cycles etc ), mood changes, hot flashes, night sweats etc.
To confirm if you are in your perimenopause and menopause, you can get blood work done, as that objectively gives you an idea.
Get your FSH, LH and serum Estradiol measured, it would show you where you stand.
All the best.
Please feel free to discuss further
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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