What is temporary menopause?

As with some cases of premature ovarian failure, the normal functioning of your ovaries can be interrupted for various reasons, causing your menstrual periods to stop temporarily. This is typically referred to as temporary menopause, although it is not really menopause because your menstrual periods eventually resume.

"Treatment-induced menopause" refers to the sometimes temporary effects of chemotherapy and radiation. In addition, tamoxifen is often used either to prevent breast or endometrial cancer or to increase the survival rate of women with these cancers. Tamoxifen can cause some problems that are associated with menopause.

The menopause-like effects from using tamoxifen are generally temporary. Your ovaries usually begin working again after treatment ends, particularly if you are young. The closer you are to the age of a natural menopause, the more likely it is that the ovaries will not resume their previous function. Many premenopausal women who have endometriosis (a benign condition that can cause great pain and bleeding) or benign uterine fibroids take hormonal treatment that temporarily stops menstrual periods. If you are treated with progestin, danazol (Danocrine), or GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormones) agonists (including Synarel or Lupron), your periods usually resume once you end this therapy. Similarly, if you go on continuous birth control medication (such as Seasonale), your menstrual periods should return after you finish taking it. Illness, high levels of emotional stress, over-exercise, and excessive dieting (particularly eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia) can all cause your menstrual periods to stop. Usually, once your health improves or you have resumed healthy lifestyle habits, your periods begin again.