How to Know You Are Close to Being Through With Menopause

Menopause will affect most woman beginning at about age 51, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you have been experiencing vaginal dryness, mood swings, irregular periods, hot flashes, thinning hair, bloating, sleep disturbances, mood swings, and a loss of the fullness in your breasts along with a dwindling menstrual period, you are in menopause. You will notice these symptoms decreasing slowly over a period of two to 13 years. When these symptoms cease completely and you have not had a menstrual period in over a year, menopause is over.

Things You'll Need

• Calendar

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Instructions

• 1

  Mark your menstrual periods with a calendar, and keep track of the length of time between each period. If you have completely stopped menstruating for a year or longer, it is safe to say that your menopause is over.

• 2

  Monitor your menopausal symptoms. Symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, menstrual spotting and vaginal dryness are clues to let you know that you are still experiencing menopause. If you can determine a dwindling of these symptoms, you may be almost finished with menopause. When these symptoms are completely gone, your menopause is over.

• 3

  Get a blood test to determine your level of follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH). FSHs stimulate the body to produce eggs. If your FSH level is above or near 40 international units per liter, your menopause is almost over.

• 4

  Consult your doctor. If you feel your menopause has been lasting a particularly long time (remember, the process can take up to 13 years) or you still have some symptoms but have been menstruation-free for one year, your doctor can give you an exam and determine how far along you are in menopause.