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Menopause facts and figures
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Many women often question how long the menopause can last. Two years? Five years? The answer can vary as some women can still experience menopausal symptoms after their periods have stopped. Here, our menopause expert Eileen Durward discusses the different menopausal phases and how long, on average, the menopause can last.
Pre-menopausal means the time up to the beginning of the peri-menopause. The term pre-menopausal is also used to define the time up to the last menstrual period (which you don’t know is the last one until 12 months later), so it’s not very precise. If you like, it’s the run-up to the run-up to your last period, during which time you may start to get the first clues that your menopause is on the horizon.
The peri-menopause is the time around menopause during which menstrual cycle changes are occurring but a whole 12 months of amenorrhoea has not yet occurred. You may have stopped your periods, but you haven’t yet had 12 months of no-periods, so you can’t officially claim to be post-menopausal. During this time many combinations of symptoms are experienced by different women, although some may just stop their periods and experience nothing else – anything is possible!
When you have your last menstrual period you officially become post-menopausal. Obviously, you don’t know it’s your last period until you’ve had a year of no periods. Even then, you may have another couple later on, but officially you can claim to be post-menopausal after 12 months of no periods.
How long you will spend in each of these phases is completely individual.
We can give you averages, such as, ‘Most women experience the majority of their symptoms over a 2-year period of time’, but that will just annoy those women who find themselves still up to the eyeballs in hot flushes after 5 years.
It’s just the same when giving averages for starting the menopausal process.
The average is around 52 years old, but many women start in their 40s and some not until their late 50s, so really you just have to see what happens for you.
The menopausal process per se is not an illness, but as hormone levels shift many symptoms can be experienced by the mid life woman, who already has quite enough on her plate.
The most common symptoms are linked to falling oestrogen levels.
Low oestrogen symptoms:
There can be other reasons for these symptoms though, so it’s always best to check with your doctor to get tests done.
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Niyi Oluokun — 09.11.2022 16:21
You called me in Gambia at that time, hope problem was resolved.
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Nomalie Thabethe — 18.09.2017 02:33
I stop period two years ago know started to feel the flash heat , I am only 44 years , How long this will last ? Can I expect more than that , I have got kidney problems I don't know if I can take anything . Thank you
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eileen — 19.09.2017 09:23
Hi Nomalie
If you are starting to feel heat/get flushes or sweats you could look at the herb sage, this is specifically for such symptoms. However, it is best to check with your doctor first if you have kidney issues.
It is difficult to say how long this may last as it is different for every woman!
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Deborah — 16.09.2017 18:51
I have had menapause trouble for 10 years..how much longer..its hard to cope.seen 3 doctors and just get leaflets so i gave up
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Eileen — 18.09.2017 13:24
Hello,
Could you give me a little more information regarding age and when periods stopped etc. Email me Eileen@avogel.co.uk thank you
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Anna Carr — 23.08.2017 07:17
I have been 18 months without a period but am experiencing dreadful cramps sweats and hot flashes and panic attacks
I'm 51_and have been told if my period stays away for 2 years that's it. Do the symptoms still remain as they've actually gotten worse or could this be the dying roars of it haha
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eileen — 23.08.2017 13:38
Hi Anna
This is a difficult question to answer as it can be different for every woman. Some will find that around the two years their symptoms will start to ease off, others, like yourself, may find they get worse for a while but, hopefully, ease off later, others find that their symptoms can continue for a long time. However, this is often due to other health issues, poor diet or lots of stress.
You may find our Menoforce Sage tablets helpful for the flushes and sweats and I would also suggest an extra magnesium 200mg as this can often ease cramping.
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Dawn — 12.06.2017 04:18
I'm 64 could I still be having menopause symptoms
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Eileen — 13.06.2017 10:26
Hi Dawn
You are considered to be 'officially' through the menopause after not having had any periods for a year, and after another year your symptoms should be tailing off. If you are still experiencing menopause-like symptoms (such as hot flushes or night sweats) after a lot longer then they may be due to other factors such as low iron levels, low thyroid function, low vit B12 or low vitamin D levels. It may be a good idea to ask your doctor to test for these just to rule them out.
If none of these affect you then the symptoms may be an indication that your nervous system has been overwhelmed at some point. If you had a stressful menopause or have had any stress over the last few years this can have a huge impact on your nervous system which doesn't resolve itself - adrenal Stress causes many menopause like symptoms such as flushes. If this is the case then it is important to do supportive work for the adrenals, such as taking magnesium and calming herbs such as Passiflora or Valerian.
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