I haven't taken any medication yet. I am right at the beginning, seeing symptoms for less than a year. I want to see what's going on first without them being masked.

Did you periods stop due to help from the meds or would they have already?

My periods did not stop on their own. My GP put me on a BCP (Jolivette) to stop the bad cramping and out of control bleeding. It stopped my period within about 2 months. My tubes were tied in my 30's so it was not for birth control. I stayed on it for a year and then went off. Periods never came back. The medication I take has helped me alot but I thought when my hormones leveled out I would be able to wean off. Well, that doesn't seem to be the case. I guess I should appreciate that I feel OK. There are a few side effects with the med. but not as bad in comparison to the nightmare I found myself in a few years ago. Hopefully you will be able to manage without meds. I know there are many women on this sight that are toughing it out. I threw in the towel. Take Care, Deny

To me it doesn't seem possible that you would need to take them for the rest of your life. Our Mom's got by just fine as did thier Mothers before them. No, I don't think this is right at all.

This seems extreme to say you will need a med for life.Is the med to help with anxiety/depression?.......I would not resign myself to meds for life......From all i've heard,yes your hormones will level out and you should get relief from the symptoms naturally.

Yes the medicine is for anxiety/depression. I never took drugs for this until right before I turned 50. 1 of the symptoms that hit me REAL bad is the Internal Vibrations/buzzing. I could not stand it. I mean I seriously could not stand it Multiple Dr's & tests were not able to figure it out. It was not until I found this group that I began to understand and read from others they felt the same thing. It was some cold comfort but it was comfort. Pretty amazing I never suffered from this until that time. I guess it will be up to me to decide when to try to wean off. This Dr. has seen me in pretty bad condition and she has helped me very much. She believes the vibrations are driven by the anxiety. My husband has been thru hell with me. He says so what if you have to take meds indefinitely. He related it to his having to take tummy pills for life. It scares him to death when I suggest attempting to wean off. Thanks much ladies!!!

Deny, I am postmeno now for about 2 yrs. I take no meds, still have all my inners but for the last 8 mo been experiencing a cool buzzy vibrating feeling mostly in my legs, and every once in awhile in my upper extemities. I have never heard of this with menopause, so its nice to know:) I go for my pap next month, and I will be sure to bring this up with my Dr. I wish you the best of luck with this roller coaster of life that us ladies have to endure during this time in our lives. I do have to say perimeno was way worse for me, I thought I was going to lose it at times.....Thank god I had a caring husband that really kept it real for me:))))) Take care.

It's an individual thing, this menopause. I don't guess I've thought about it, but I would like to hope my hormones would level out eventually. On another note, a member of my church choir said she just has days when she cries at the drop of a hat and she's in her 70's.
As for me, I am 4 years and 1 months without a period. I had no symptoms until after my periods stopped and then all you know what broke loose. Anxiety, panic attacks, paranoia, depression, thoughts of dying, on and on and on. All emotional s/s, very few physical. Some hot flashes but that was it. I still have hot flashes almost every day.
Sept, 2009 6 months after everything started, I started on HRT and antidepressants. They've been changed a few times but there's no talk of me coming off them. I take Lexapro, Wellbutrin XL (to help the lexapro. just started that 12/12), Ativan PRN 1mg up to 2 x/day. And Combipatch.
Some people can do it the natural route. I cannot. I have accepted this and do not frankly care.
Blessings to you today.