Hi, I wonder if any other women with RA have thought about this?

I've read in a few places that women with auto-immune diseases are more likely to have an early menopause. I'm 39, turning 40 in a few months. My mother had an early menopause (agecd 45-46). I've had RA since age 21 (nearly 19 years) and have been on ever increasing doses of methotrexate for 6 years now. For the last 5 years I've had increasingly irregular periods - a coil (non-hormonal) did not help sort them out, and even acupuncture (usually very helpful for irregular periods) has not helped. They're not painful or anything, and not heavy, just completely unpredictable so that I have to take sanitary protection everywhere, can't book ahead for a smear test, etc etc!

Maybe methotrexate has something to do with it? I'll post something in that forum as well just in case.

Am going to get my hormone levels checked, but thought it was worth asking around first.

Clare

Hi Clare - I asked my GP if MTX could cause my periods to become irregular and he laughed and said no but being 50 could! However, a colleague had MTX injections to treat an eptopic pregnancy so I'm sure they do affect reproductive stuff. Anyway, I had about 4 haywire months then nothing since November. Fingers crossed that is it!! XX Ailsa

Thanks for your replies! I've looked around on the internet and found quite a few suggestions that RA is associated with early menopause and perimenopausal symptoms - I've had rosacea for a few years as well, always flares up around my period, so I know that's hormonally linked. I'm not too worried, just want to understand what's going on, and make dietary changes or take supplements if necessary. Having usual blood tests on Monday for methotrexate and leflunomide monitoring, and will have my hormone levels checked too. Will keep asking around - and I'll let you know if I find anything out!