Yes, it's the perimenopause that takes the 10 years, the actual menopause is when you don't have a period for a year straight, that's how you know you're through. But when they ask, sometimes they just ask when was your menopause and other times they ask when was your last period! But they do ask, in a sense, when were you done :-) so when you get done, think up a date to answer all questions because they keep asking even when you're 57+ I'm telling you :-) Why, I don't know. I still love when my appendix burst in 2003 when I was 52 and I had infection problems that related to my ovaries and the gyn (and other doctors) were talking about, yes, there's your little shriveled ovaries" and making me feel like I was 80 or something LOL.