It's not square one, never fear. I THINK I've stopped completely now; it's been about 6 months. But there was some spotting for a while, and a period in 4 months probably means you're getting really close to quitting. You could have this one and no more for a long time, or could have a few and then quit again. I never went 4 months, just 2 or 3 for a few times. I'm hoping it's over, as I'm having SEVERE hot flashes suddenly since the spotting quit. It's a roller-coaster; we're both on it, aren't we having FUN??? lol

I also skip 2 or 3 months at a time, and then I have my full period again. It is almost like being on an expedition, you never know what to expect next!

thanks guys! I know I'm at the end of peri and have been ready to enter menopause for a while now, next stage is perfectly fine with me. So far I was regular with the exception of twice skipping a month. So almost 4 months made me very hopeful.
The gyno told me that I'd be done when I saw him in November and I laughed. Told him to tell my body that.
My GP assumes I'll just have no more periods now. I'm proving both wrong. sigh

The longest I have gone was 3 months and my dr told me you have to go a full year before they consider you to be in menopause. Is this incorrect? The lousy thing is I get horrible night sweats for about 5 or 6 days during the months that I don't have a period. Guess we have to suffer some way or another!

I went 13 months without a period and then got one.so it can take a long time.It was a real pain because after going 12 months,then if u bleed they call it abnormal bleeding and have to do a biopsy.the biopsy was normal.Now ive gone 5 months again since then.

rainflowers- the same exact thing happened to me. Biopsy & all
Never bled again after that.

I hope thats it for me now.I dont like how they have to do tests at this point.i knew it was a period because i had all the symptoms from moodiness to backache..

I went for almost nine months then had a period at Thanksgiving. I haven't had one since then but am having symptoms like I might have another. This has been going on for over three years now, skipping several months only to have another period. It gets very frustrating thinking the one year mark is near only to start again. Hang in there. We're all in the same boat:)

I think the gyno and GP go by my age (52) and assume that because the average woman reaches menopause between 50 and 52 I'm there. Yeah right.

I've had a biopsy a few months ago and it was highly annoying. At least I know all is well but was never warned that 1) it would hurt, and 2) that I'd be cramping for a few days afterwards.
When I came back for the results the gyno asked if I cramped afterwards. As if "no" is ever an answer he hears, sigh

Sobe..my last biopsy was very painful too.i had them before when I still got periods because my periods were so heavy.this time was the most painful its ever been.I hope to not go thru it again.
i'm wondering if the hot flashes will ever calm down...sigh..

Mine was so painful it brought tears to my eyes and I dreaded the thought when I was told I needed another recently.

I'll be 55 in August so there is no magic number for sure. I sure hope to be done by age 60 though! Since I started this all around 51 that might be feasible.

I had a biopsy before my hysterectomy and I was so scared because I had read horror stories about how painful they are. Much to my surprise, I felt a tiny pinch and nothing more. I must have been one of the lucky ones or my gyno is very good at it.

there is no typical age for it in my opinion. supposedly your family history is more predictive of when yours will happen.......(your Mom/grandmother's time of menopause)
that's what the medical literature says anyway.

hang in there; your time will come. I have not had a period since 2006 , I think. you have no idea how happy I am to say that ! I am currently 54; BUT I did have some surgeries that may have leaned me toward earlier menopause. What I had was endometrial ablation and it is not to cause menopause , but for intractable bleeding. I had to have it done more than once. I also take natural progesterone.....( I have endometriosis) anyway hang in there ladies !