The Big Question: How Long Does Menopause Last?

We all know what menopause is right, ladies? It is that time some women look forward to, while others approach it with a great deal of fear and dread. Menopause isn’t a quick process either. It is likely that some women will be having to deal with the symptoms for a reasonable period of time. Here, we want to answer the big question ‘how long does menopause last?’.

When does menopause start?

One of the more confusing parts of menopause is knowing when it starts exactly.

There are some women in their late 40s and early 50s that will start to skip their period. Missing a few periods does not mean that you have started menopause. It is a good sign that menopause may be around the corner as your reproductive system has started to slow down. However, a few missed periods will mean nothing really.

The menopause doesn’t actually start until you have missed twelve successive periods. You may have a few light symptoms of menopause during this year, but the process hasn’t really fully begun. You are in what is known as ‘perimenopause’ i.e. this is your pre-menopause. At most, you will probably be dealing with these symptoms:

  • Hot flashes
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Sweating, particularly at night

There are some women that will be dealing with these symptoms for ten-years before they actually see twelve successive missed periods. So, the perimenopause symptoms could last upwards of a decade. Luckily, the symptoms should be rather minor. Some women may not even spot that they have them.

The Menopause

Once the twelve periods have been missed, you will now have entered menopause. This isn’t actually a ‘stage’. It is more a transitionary moment between perimenopause and postmenopause. So, you won’t actually be in the medical stage of menopause for all that long because it is not actually a stage. That being said, most people will end up calling the postmenopause stage ‘menopause’, and that is how we are going to look at it!

Postmenopause

If you have missed twelve periods, you are now in postmenopause. It is unlikely that you will ever have a period again, although some people may do. If it feels like you are entering menopause quite long, then there is a strong chance that your body has a medical issue as opposed to you going through the normal cycle. You may want to get that checked out. So, if you are young, don’t be surprised if your period does return. It just means you weren’t actually in menopause to begin with!

Postmenopause will last around three to five years. Some women have claimed that their symptoms will last up to a decade. However, this is going to be incredibly rare. The symptoms for postmenopause are going to be much the same as perimenopause, but will likely be a bit more intense. Symptoms will include:

  • You may have trouble sleeping
  • You may experience serious mood changes. This can be on either end of the spectrum.
  • Hot and cold flashes
  • Sweating at night
  • Weight gain
  • Headaches
  • Hair loss
  • Breast tenderness
  • Hot and cold flashes
  • Loss of libido
  • Changes in the vagina, particularly dryness

When postmenopause starts, it is likely that you will experience symptoms quite frequently. However, as your body starts to balance out a little bit, the symptoms will be a little bit easier to deal with. So, if you are at the start of the ‘process’, we can assure you that things are going to be a lot easier for you as time goes on.

In summary, from start to finish, the entire menopause process can take anywhere from 5-15-years.It really does depend on the woman, with most likely being closer to the lower end of this time frame.