I am 50, and have had the same exact things go on as you do, the ob/gyn tells me it is normal. You are not through menopause until you have no period for 1 year. I didn't have one for almost 6 moths and than it just popped in again.
People expierence real varying and different amounts of intensity and occurance with hot flashes. Just feel lucky
that you have only had the ones that you have. Mine went on for 4 years or more and I hope that they stay gone. I hate the night sweats. I have an ovarian cyst taht persists so they didn't want me to take birth control pills going into menopause, because it would prolong it or mess it up, as I remember their explanation.
I am going to try a product with Progesterone in it and see how I do.

Is this the same info that the Dr. Gave you?

Lucy

The last period that I had was approximately 5 months ago, and very uneventful -- lasted about 2 days and was very light. Unfortunately, it's probably the last one that I will ever have, (sigh).

I know that I am probably in the minority, however I really dread the thought of menopause.

To me, menopause = old; plus a lot of other not so nice changes.

I'm 42 now. Two years ago...I bled almost every day for 2 months straight. Went to the doctor, went to the hospital, had a hysto, all extra parts were removed, no more period. Not the most natural way to ease into menopause, but my body did it, its way!!! (frank sinatra fan here)

Can't describe my "last period", b'cuz not sure if it is the last! I went many months several times without, then BAM!..they come back with a slam. Sometimes it seemed soon as period stopped, 2 days later started all over again! Couldn't even make Doc appt for PAP for about 2 or 3 yrs, 'cuz didn't have a "schedule" anymore.

What I DO know, all those PMS symptoms got WORSE as I was approaching menopause! Crazy! Yes, the periods got worse again in between.
I've been having hot flashes for about two years now - that involve some "light" sweat. I get really hot. I ask the peeps if it's hot in here, "or is it just me"? I strip off clothes (well, not all of them - lol!), then a little while later I'm freezing cold and putting clothes back on and covering up with blankets! HAHAHA!!!

I don't know what "night-sweats" really are. My Mother told me I DON'T want them. I think I DO want them. Reason I think I do want? I WANT to sweat profusely..get the toxins out! (Mom says no, because my bed will be soaked. SO WHAT?)

Check back in about 4 yrs and tell us all about it! lol (j/k)

OH! Another thing, even tho I may not have periods - I still many times get all the symptoms: Depression/mood-swings, breast tenderness, bloating/uterin "aches", etc.

I'm still not "in the clear", but am thinking of stocking up on "Depends" now for future! LOLOL!!! (Those weren't cheap 15 yrs ago, and they ain't gonna get any cheaper!)

I was HOPING that last months period was may last... it was barely there... just spotting... then lo! this months was back to almost normal! :o( GRRRRR! I mean, if I am going to suffer the nightsweats and hotflashes, I just WISH I wouldn't have PMS too!

I'm 52, and 7 years ago I was having very erratic and heavy periods. Finally I had a uterine ablation after a month long heavy period with clots brought my hemoglobin down to 8.0 (anemic)

This actually stopped my periods. Well, 6 months later when my best friend's son was killed in a car accident, I had a normal 5 day period, but haven't had one since. That was 6 1/2 years ago. ( I think think that major stress had something to do with that phantom period)

Of course, with no periods, it was hard to tell where I was menopausally. Well, now I know I'm in the throes of meno, cause I'm struggling with anxiety, heart palps, insomnia, etc. Hope it's over soon!

I a happy to amend my previous posting above, on Friday, March 9th. My last period was two weeks ago, and was actually a "normal" period. That means that I still have another 12 months before I am considered menopausal. YES!

The last period I had if you can call it a period, was a flood. It started like a regular period and got worse and worse then large clots and then I was rushed to the hospital where it was determined that I was hemorraging. I was rushed into the operating room in excurating pain and both ovaries and uterus were removed. It was determined later that I had pre cancer cells. Thank God I came out alright. It is all over now. I gift wrapped my monthly things and gave them to my daughter. End of story. Well, not really. Enter menopause.......

I'm 47. My last period was 8 months ago. It lasted about 3 weeks, stopped for a week, and then I had another one which lasted a week. Nothing since then, and the hot flashes have all but stopped. I hope I'm done, but I do have an issue with water retention, which has gotten worse in the past couple of weeks, so maybe I'm due for another period.

My FSH levels dropped 3 years ago, but my periods were still normal. I started skipping every other period, then went 2 months between them, then 3 months, and now nothing for 8 months. I could tell when I was due for another because I started bloating about 6 weeks before, but I have been bloated since New Year's, and nothing happened. I lost my dad in April, and was sure that that would bring on my period, but it didn't.

I have my yearly check-up next week. I just want to make sure that the bloating isn't a sign of ovarian cancer. I don't care if I never have another period, but this bloating is driving me nuts.

My last period started April 3 and ended April 10. I haven't had one drop since. Had to have some minor surgery last week, they insisted on a pregnancy test. Did two, in fact. Both negative. I hope I never get another period. The last 16 months has been very erratic. April 3 and counting.

I havent had a period in exactly 1 year and now I have the worst PMS of my life!! I am hungry all the time and cranky, bloated and cramping. It is horrible! Anyone else?

I'm not sure if this is my last one or not. I'm 43 and the last period I've had was by far the wierdest. I am having the most intense cramps ever, but yet I'm not bleeding very much at all. Usually when I have bad cramps, 'the river is flowin!'
When is this gonna end?

It was rough for a few years. I would get my period every 4 months or so but it would last for 2 weeks and was so heavy I couldn't leave the house. My last period I absolutely thought I was going to die. It lasted almost 3 months and was so heavy I could barely go to the store. Then there were a couple of times I couldn't even go to sleep because the heavy bleeding and clots would not stop. After a couple nights of that I got very very weak and could barely go up one flight of stairs. I made a doctors appointment but before I went I realized the blood was causing severe anemia. I started taking iron and vitamin c and I felt the weakness start to lessen in a couple of days and at the same time the bleeding slowed down. The weakness was totally gone in about 6 weeks, as I continued the iron and vitamin c every day. I still had a light period for about 2-3 more weeks then nothing. And it has been nothing for 8 months. I so hope that was it.

I appreciate this forum. I was wondering your exact question: What does the last period look like b4 menopause. I'm 54-1/2 and I'm ready for it to end too.

Mine have been erratic, sometimes missing a month or two, sometimes super heavy, sometimes light. Sometimes with cramps, sometimes without. This last one has been going on a week, about medium flow, and contains some clotting. And no cramping this time. The last one was two months ago. So I was wondering too. Thank you ladies for all your comments!

Well my "fun" started at 38yo. I had night sweats for 2 years! It was horrible and gross! I am now 47 and have been having one month on, 3 -4 months off for about 4 yrs now. I have had this period since 3/24/16. It started off regular for 2 weeks and then it has been a FLOOD since. I wear Assured diapers because otherwise, it would bleed through my clothes and leak at night. It's annoying but I am so grateful for the diapers. A maxi pad alone would do NOTHING. I am hoping that, since it is soooo heavy for soooo long, that this is the last one. My sister 'dried up' at 50 . She just never had another period....no problems. I have problems! LOL My mom had this same thing and she just laughs when I talk about it. But yes, I am thinking this may be it because it is SO heavy and has been going for almost 6 weeks now. Oh yeah, I am also always so tired by 8pm and can hardly wake up in the AM but I am also naturally anemic :-(

i went almost10 months without a period!i will be55 in August now all the sudden my periods started again one day i will hardly have nothing the next days i think im bleeding to death has been going on for a month a half going to the doctor tommorow i will have something done to stop this bleeding cant take it no more

My FSH levels started dropping when i was 37 but my periods got heavier and more painful, keeping me in the house every month, and more days on than off. At 48 my son died and the night sweats, not flashes, moodiness, water retention and general discomfort came on with a vengeance. My sisters had ablations and tell me to go do it too, but now at 55 I keep thinking it has to stop soon, doesn't it? My lifelong anemia got so bad (0.3) that I needed plasma transfusions. This month it seems to be playing with me - won't really start, but won't really go away either, just a trickle of "old" blood that has been sapping my strength for 2 weeks now. It's never been anything but a gusher for my whole life so I'm praying this weird one is the last one.

Well lets see where do I start, have had 4 periods a year up to the age of 39. from then to age 49 and 10 months regular as clock work. then this year it has started to go a few days either side of due date. then I come on 18 days after my last one. then it all starts to go busy. ever week bleeding and until the end of july for 5 whole day clear then it is back every week during august and then the ((hopefully)) final one ends up in a massive flooding episode and a very large blood clot found on tissue. after taking some Tranexamic acid tablets only 6 taken it seems to have eased . now clear up to now. from the 26 august to now.