Menopause: Be prepared, not scared

Menopause (your final period) happens to most women. In Australia, the average age of menopause is 51 years, but it’s normal to have menopause anywhere between 45 and 55 years – although some women have it at an earlier or later age. Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause, and postmenopause is the time after your final period.

How do you know if you’ve reached Menopause?
It can be hard to know if you’ve reached menopause because your periods can be irregular during this time. It’s likely you’ve reached menopause if you haven’t had a period for 12 months.

Diagnosing perimenopause and Menopause
You can ask your doctor to check if you are perimenopausal or have reached menopause. If you are at the expected age, have experienced some symptoms, and have irregular periods, it’s likely you are perimenopausal. If you haven’t had a period for 12 months, you have probably reached menopause.

The best way to predict menopause is to keep track of your symptoms. If your periods are irregular and your symptoms are getting worse, you are likely approaching menopause.

When should I see my doctor?
Speak to one of our doctors if you are worried about:

• Irregular periods

• heavy bleeding

• bleeding after menopause

• increased premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms

• menopausal symptoms, such as hot flushes, that interfere with your daily life.

If you think you might be entering perimenopause, or if you feel like you need some advice on how to best manage your menopause symptoms, book an appointment with one of our doctors today.

You can also read more about menopause by visiting the Jean Hailes website.