are long periods a sign of menopause
Perimenopause is referred to as the final cessation of your menstrual cycle and the time in which you will start to see and feel the signs and symptoms of menopause—including weight gain, hot flashes, and mood swings. When they have the first signs of perimenopause, women wonder how long the menopause transition will take. 1  And like puberty and pregnancy, menopause begins at a different time for each woman and ends when it ends. There are so many factors influencing the timing and experience of menopause that every woman will write her own story. Most women experience gradual menstrual irregularity during the phase known as perimenopause, the three to five years before menopause. Estrogen levels start falling even earlier, as eggs disappear from the ovaries, though we don't notice. Ongoing hormonal shifts finally become obvious in the form of changing periods. Although the average age of menopause is 51, some women go through it much earlier – some are younger than 40! – or much later, so when your period changes at any time, you should see your doctor. Remember, being in full menopause occurs when you’ve gone a full 12-month period without menstruation. You won't know your last period when you see it. For such a big deal, the official end of tampons, pads, and birth control always slips by without notice. There's no test to say you'll go into natural menopause next month or next year, Carson says. Changes in periods. 1  Changes in periods resulting from declining levels of oestrogen and progesterone, the two hormones produced by the ovaries which control the menstrual cycle, are usually the first sign that the menopause is near. Tests to confirm the menopause. Changes in periods, a woman’s age, and symptoms such as hot flushes usually indicate that the menopause has started. However, when periods become irregular some women ask their GP for a blood test to confirm that the menopause has begun. Here are ten common signs and symptoms that you are perimenopausal…. Your “time of the month” is typically regular, but when your period doesn’t show up on time, or gets shorter and lighter, or you start to clot heavily, it may signal menopause approaching. The average age of menopause is 51, most often occurring between 45 and 55. The extreme -- and rare -- ends of normal are the early 40s and as late as 60. Menopause itself is defined as the last menstrual period, but you won't know when that was until one year afterward, says Carson. In general, the first signs of menopause can begin anytime from your mid-thirties through your late fifties, with the most common being in the mid to late forties. These initial signs are likely to be a change in menstrual cycles (longer or shorter), mood changes, and/or hot flashes.
Yes, long periods are a sign of menopause.