[TheOriginalMe]

I won't be needing them ever again, it was a liberating experience.

Yay

[Angelique67]

It is a great feeling. Now that I haven't had a period in almost a decade I can't imagine how I ever dealt with that.

Oh, I am so envious! And congratulations!

[~Christina]

Ooooo I remember my last damn box prior to my Hysterectomy ! 11 years ago ! I also can't understand how I managed monthly always anemic from blood loss..

Afterwards i walked down " that aisle" and just laughed like a monkey . hahaha

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by Angelique67

It is a great feeling. Now that I haven't had a period in almost a decade I can't imagine how I ever dealt with that.

I know, right?? Its like... before smartphones!

[Angelique67]

Originally Posted by hankster

I know, right?? Its like... before smartphones!

Ha-ha! I never thought of that!

[TheOriginalMe]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is relieved. IRL everyone seems to regard it like the end of the world or like having their smartphone taken away.

[splitimage]

I am so relieved that that phase of my life is over with, talk about a pain. It's about 2 years since I last had a period and I love it, although I'm not crazy about the increase in facial hair.

I have a friend who is 50 who is still getting her period, she's jealous of me.

splitimage

[spring2014]

me too!!!!! after my surgery my period just stopped . im just using the napkins as a liner instead of period pads!!!!!

[SeekerOfLife]

When I was a teenager I hated that time of the month. The cramps were awful. In my twenties, I came to completely accept that part of being female. Though, what did annoy me hugely was my period starting on a day I did not expect it. (Lesson: ALWAYS be prepared). Within a year of stopping my cycles, my wrinkles started. Wrinkles on the face; looser, dryer skin on the arms, etc.
I guess every stage of life has its good and bad points.

[Solipsist]

gawd. Women just seem to get the short end of the stick when it comes to body changes and fluctuations:

As teenagers we get breasts, hips, pain to go with the acne and emotional ups-and-downs.

Then the monthly flush of blood for DECADES with cramps, bloating, cravings, more pain, more emotional ups-and-downs (very often also coinciding with increase of acne).

Then the baby-carrying-and-delivery with the weight gain, more cramps, more bloating, stretching, sometimes tearing, MORE pain, even MORE emotional ups-and-downs (and again, sometimes increase of acne).

THEN: Menopause.
With the weight gain.
And the wrinkles.
And looser, drier skin.
And increase of hair.
And emotional ups-and-downs.

But at least no more cramps and pain!

I'm not saying i'm looking forward to Menopause, but after all the other stuff i can't say it doesn't look like a good Body Retirement

I'm jealous. I'm 18 and probably have another 35 years of monthly joy.. when I was on a very high dose of olanzapine (Zyprexa) (25 mg) I didn't menstruate for a couple of months. However when we lowered the dose I started again.

So I had this conversation with my pdoc last week:
Pdoc (male): "It's great that you're menstruating again!"
Me: "Says you.."

[lizardlady]

Originally Posted by TheOriginalMe

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is relieved. IRL everyone seems to regard it like the end of the world or like having their smartphone taken away.

I started menopause at 38. Was finally done with the whole mess at 42. Other than being afraid I was pregnant over the first missed period I was enthusiastically thrilled about it. Told a friend "Never wanted kids. Never had kids. Never had any use for those body parts. I'll be glad when it's all over" I don't get women who get upset about it. I never valued myself based on body parts or the ability to have children.

[IrisBloom]

My last flow was exactly 2 years ago at 55, yes, that's FIFTY-FIVE. I thought I'd never stop. I had gone 11 months then BAM! One last hurrah. lol
Told the grandkids to look for me in Guiness world records. lol

I have all of the aging signposts, but I don't worry too much about it. Aging is a privilege denied to some. (Just used Spellcheck for the first time. Another sign? lol)

I still have my last box of tampons. Ya just never know.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by IrisBloom

I still have my last box of tampons. Ya just never know.

On tv they use them for nosebleeds.

I dont wanna think about what that says...

[IrisBloom]

Good idea, Hankster! My dad scrapes his arms or legs and bleeds profusely. I could make bandages out of them! With duct tape to hold them on!

[Artchic528]

I think I might have early menopause to look forward too. Mom and her sisters all had it early, so I am looking like I might too. And I kinda am still undecided about having kids. Hmm.

[*Laurie*]

***CONGRATULATIONS*** TheOriginalMe!

I'll be 53 in December and still have regular periods - even though I now have only 1 ovary. My periods are lighter & shorter, but every month like clockwork. I understand that our bodies need to menstruate on their own schedule, but geez. I just bet I'll have periods until I'm in my later 50's. It feels kind of cruel, because it's just a reminder that I won't be having more children.

[IrisBloom]

My mother went thru meno at 49. Just stopped one day. No symptoms. I was hoping that would happen to me. I don't know if I was super fertile or slow or what. lol

[Nammu]

Welcome to cronehood! I loved being over and done with it. I had such bad PPSD that it was a relief.

About that box of tampons, I read someplace or another that they were developed for gunshot wounds. Yo what a vision! :O

Originally Posted by LauraBeth

It feels kind of cruel, because it's just a reminder that I won't be having more children.

My apologies if this is a bit of a derail, but I feel the same. I won't be having children, and I find my cycle a cruel reminder of that fact. For that reason, I'm very keen to be done.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by Tea Biscuit

My apologies if this is a bit of a derail, but I feel the same. I won't be having children, and I find my cycle a cruel reminder of that fact. For that reason, I'm very keen to be done.

I'm sorry, Tea Biscuit. That's hard.

I am immensely grateful for the two (now grown) children I have, but I lost my very much wanted third just at the 4-month mark of pregnancy. I was forty, so long ago, yet my periods drag on. It's just plain frustrating sometimes.

[TheOriginalMe]

Thanks everyone. I've not had children and I thought I'd be devastated to be done but I surprised myself with how easy it was to accept.

I had an ablation which means I no longer bleed but I think I still ovulate from time to time. So far I have been lucky and not really had any obvious menopausal symptoms and I'm hoping it stays that way.

[Shmooey]

I had an ablation back on June 23. The GYN said that I could either stop bleeding entirely or have much lighter flow. I'm turning 45, been in perimenopause since 40, and have not had a period since the ablation.

FINGERS CROSSED IT STAYS THAT WAY!! WOOOT!

[thecrankyone]

Went on depo just to stop the periods which had started to become wildly unpredictable and because I had really bad symptoms from pms. Best decision that I ever made