I just turned 55, and I'm still having periods (irregularly of course). I've had a couple hot flashes, and the pattern of my freaky periods changed when I turned 50. Since then, I've had 5 periods that were real gushers. Each lasted a week. Now, the last 2 periods I've had, in the last 3 months (!) have had unbelievably painful cramps and almost no blood.
Any other menopause-age Cysters out there having similar or other problems? I've been all over the web trying to find any info on PCOS and menopause, and there's zip. I've had very bad luck with doctors, and currently go to one as a last resort. If anyone knows a good one in Albuquerque, NM, speak up.
I'm also an "older" cyster who is 46 and entering peri-menopause. Seems that most of the posts on this site are from younger gals trying to get pregnant. I'm glad I found your thread, as I was beginning to think that I was the only one here over the age of 40. I was just recently diagnosed as having PCOS this month by my internist, so all of this is still very new (and frightening) to me.
Anyway, I was having similar menstrual problems like yours a couple of years ago, except that every month I was having the heavy bleeding that would last 10 days or more, the horrible cramps, and of course the bloating. I became severely anemic as a result, so when I exhausted all of my other options, my gyn suggested that I have an endometrial ablation. I had it done in Dec 06. As I have no children and always wanted one, making that decision was agonizing for me. Having an ablation renders one infertile...for good!
Since the ablation, my periods have been scanty and there are months when I get no period at all. Like you, I get the occasional hot flashes and the months where I will have the cramps but no bleeding. The PMS symptoms have improved, but I still get the terrible bloating. There are some days I look like I'm 7 months pregnant, which is ironic considering that I can never get pregnant again
I share your frustration in finding a good doctor. I have a good one now, but it took me a long time to find her. You're not too far from me as I live in Colorado, but I don't know of any good docs specializing in PCOS in NM.
Anyway, I'm sorry I don't have any answers for you but I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone and I, too, am experiencing many of the same issues you are.
siamlovex2:
I'm so sorry you never got to have kids, since you wanted them. As an adoptee, I can heartily recommend adoption, though it's really hard to get an infant anymore. I'm lucky that I didn't want children, so infertility was never an issue with me.
Back in my 20s I had several episodes of unending, heavy periods. I wanted so badly to have that ablation thing done, but because of my age, I couldn't get anyone to even consider it. "You'll want kids," they all said, no matter what I told them. In my 40s I was still being patted on the head and told, "You'll change your mind." Maybe I'm just weird, but I've known since age 12 I didn't want children, and I never did change my mind. Got married for the first time 3 years ago at age 51, and people who knew my age actually asked if we were going to start a family! The two of us are a family. I find it's enough.
But I've known enough people who longed for kids and couldn't have them, that I sympathize. It just doesn't seem that fertility gets handed to people who'd actually be good parents, sometimes, and crappy parents can have plenty. It sure isn't fair.
Thank you for your kind words. I agree with you that it doesn't seem fair that the people who would be good parents are a lot of times the ones who have the most trouble conceiving, and the ones who are bad parents are fertile-myrtles. I have come to terms with the decision I made; I can't have children but at least I have a better quality of life now than I had before with the heavy periods. It really sucked bleeding so much that I'd stain my clothes every month and even stained my car seat on more than one occasion. Or having to change tampons AND pads every hour....I sure don't miss those days!
Also, my dbf of 7 years has three kids already and doesn't want any more children. As he is my life partner, I guess I was willing to sacrifice my desire for children for his sake as well as mine.
I'm suprised that you were denied the opportunity to have an ablation, even after 40. I was 44 when I had the ablation and my gyn did not try to talk me out of it, even with me having no kids. I have a friend who at 35 decided that she didn't want children and was able to talk her gyn into giving her a tubal ligation.
Anyway, are there some other options that'll help you get the periods under control? I know that some bcp's can help, or a D&C. I did have a D&C 10 years ago and it helped for awhile, but in time the heavy periods came back. It's a good option, though, if doing an ablation is out of the question.
Best of luck to you, I hope you can find some relief because I know all too well what you're going through. Geez, it's bad enough having PCOS without the complications of going through menopause, too....it's a double whammy!
I'm another menopausal Cyster. I wish they had a special board for us like they do for the other special interest groups of Cysters.
I am officially in menopause, since I've now gone 14 months with no periods at all. Before that I had everything from really scanty ones to a few where I would soak through my clothes and the car seat in a 45 min. drive.
No help to offer, other than empathy. I've googled and found practically nothing on PCOS and Menopause, also.
Siam, I'm sorry you never got to have the kids you wanted. Even if you don't want to adopt at this point, there are many, many ways to get involved with kids. Big Sisters is a very good group that helps girls, if you belong to a church, maybe you could help in Sunday School or the nursery, if you are in a big city, a lot of hospitals take volunteers to snuggle little ones, schools usually need volunteers, and there are a lot of other opportunities out there.
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Welcome to our little thread, BethV. I hope you don't mind but I liked your idea of having a special menopause section added to the boards, so I posted a request to Kat (moderator). Hopefully she will consider it.
Thanks for the sympathy re: my inability to have children. Actually, my dbf has three kids, two adults and one teenager, so I get to experience having kids vicariously through him. I know it's not quite the same as having your own, but it's something at least. Also, I have two furbabies (cats) so I can be a "mom" to them. I don't feel that my life is empty due to not having children, as I have a loving dbf, family, and friends around me all the time.
Maybe the reason why there is no info out there on PCOS and menopause is because most women who get diagnosed with PCOS are younger and of child-bearing age? Or maybe it's because it's difficult for doctors to diagnose PCOS when one is also having menopausal symptoms, which are very similar to the PCOS symptoms. It seems strange to me (obviously you all agree) that there is absolutely NOTHING out there on this topic.
I'm 47 and just found this site today. I have not been diagnosed with pcos, but my son's wife was just diagnosed a couple of months ago. I had an ovarian cyst on a stem that was twisting and causing extreme pain when I was 16 and pregnant with my son. Emergency surgery removed the cyst, right ovary and tube. My baby boy was fine and I had a daughter the next year. My periods have been so regular over the years you could set your clock by them, until about a two years ago. I missed two periods in an eight month time frame, then they were regular again until March of this year, when they stopped altogether from April through September. Then normal again in October and November. So I suppose I am in the first stages of menopause. I enjoyed reading y'all's entries. Sorry I don't have any advice, but it's good to talk to others about this stuff- to know you're not the Lone Ranger with the kinds of problems you read about on this site.
Welcome, Deborah Jean! I wish the best of luck to your DIL regarding her PCOS diagnosis. PCOS is not an easy syndrome to deal with at any age, so I hope that she'll get the best of medical advice and care to recover from it.
As we all mentioned that it's diffficult to find information out there on PCOS and menopause, I'm posting this little article that I found in one of the bulletins recently posted by Kat Carney. It's pretty basic and not as informative as I'd like, but at least it's something:
PCOStrategies for the Golden Girls!
As is evidenced by most of the articles in O Rounds, PCOS is most often discussed as it relates to the menstrual cycle and fertility. However, there are other health concerns that women need to be aware of, especially as they progress into their menopausal and “golden” years. Although there is very little research regarding how women are affected later in life, it is safe to assume that maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regular medical check ups continue to be very important.
Because of the increased risk for diabetes and heart disease— metabolic testing is key. Testing should include monitoring cholesterol, triglyceride and blood glucose levels. Keeping a watch on blood pressure is also very important. Here are some statistics to consider:
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Approximately 9.1 million or 8.9% of all women in the United States have diabetes, however, about a third of them do not know it.
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The prevalence of diabetes is at least 2-4 times higher among African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, and Asian/Pacific Islander women than among white women.
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Because of the increasing lifespan of women and the rapid growth of minority populations, the number of women in the United States at high risk for diabetes and its complications is increasing.
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8,000,000 American women are currently living with heart disease - 10% of women ages 45 - 64 and 25% age 65 and over.
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6,000,000 of women today have a history of heart attack and/or
angina or both.
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Nearly 13% of women age 45 and over have had a heart attack.
When considering how to maintain healthy blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels, there are various things that you can do. One of the simplest and most effective strategies is regular exercise. Just being mobile everyday, a nice walk, maybe a little bike riding, is a good way to incorporate some fitness into your life and a great way to get out and enjoy the day! Another great way to stay in the healthy zone is, of course, to eat right (limiting processed foods and sticking to “smart carbs”—fruits and vegetables)…and perhaps add in some red wine to your life! Everything in moderation, of course! Self awareness is your friend. If you start feeling “not right” or “just not yourself ”, it might be time for a check up. Listen to your body—you can’t afford not to…especially as you move into those best years of your life!
Hey Ladies, I'm 49 and started "the Change" when I went on Metformin. After 6 months
I'm no longer getting night sweats and my periods are back to normal. I think its time to
up the amount of Met that I'm taking, but because I'm a Vet, I gotta wait for my annual
OB/GYN appt. Anybody have this happen to them ??
__________________ PCOS since age 8
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
DX 1991
Spiro since 1991
Gonna try Met one more time
Hey Ladies, I'm 49 and started "the Change" when I went on Metformin. After 6 months I'm no longer getting night sweats and my periods are back to normal. I think its time to up the amount of Met that I'm taking, but because I'm a Vet, I gotta wait for my annual OB/GYN appt. Anybody have this happen to them ??
Welcome, savoy!
I got my period (after months of not having one) after just two weeks of taking Metformin. I've only been on Metformin for a month, so I'll be curious to see if I'll now get a period every month. As for the hot flashes, I still get a little warm occasionally but I don't get the night sweats or hot flashes anymore since being on Met. Boy, that Met sure seems like a miracle drug, doesn't it?
I'm surprised that you'll have to wait an entire year to see your OB/GYN. Usually when someone is taking Met, the doctor prefers to see them at least every 3-4 months to check on their medication and see how they're doing on it. Is the one-appt-a-year schedule a typical practice at the VA clinics now?
Just found this site. I am 48 years old and menopausal (2 years). I had my right ovary removed when I was 21 because the cysts were so bad. I had a child when I was 16, but never able to conceive again. I was not officially diagnosed with PCOS until I was 41. My gyno finally put me on Yasmin for the irregular periods with uncontrolled bleeding. They worked like a charm. Then two years ago I developed high blood pressure and they took me off the Yasmin. I cried for days, they had been such a help to me. So after I had to immediately stop taking the BCP, I never had another period. I did have terrible night/day sweats, gained 40 lbs and now two years later have more issues. I now have vaginal atrophy, which has caused my bladder to have a mild prolapse and have noticed my gumlines receeding. Am I just paranoid, or are these normal parts of menopause? The doc says I just did not have enough estrogen, so she has put me on Estrace cream. Any one else with any of these problems? Sorry for the long post...thanks!
Menopause Age Cysters 
PCOS and Menopause 
