How will I know when menopause starts?

I had a total laproscopic hysterectomy (kept both ovaries) back in August. My recovery has been great and I feel better than ever! My only complaint is that I don't sleep well at all and sometimes wake up very hot in the night. I don't have hot flashes during the day and only feel this at night about once a week. Is this the beginning of menopause or how will I know when it starts? I still feel like my ovaries are working because every month I still get some of the PMS symptoms (sore breasts, moodiness, cravings, etc). Without the actual period to let me know if menopause has started how will I know when to find out if I need to start HRT or at least check in to it?

I think your dr. can do blood tests to determine hormone levels that may give us an idea of where we stand regarding menopause. I have not asked, but if my symtoms started bothering me I would. A girlfriend of mine had blood tests and her dr. told her she was in perimenopause, she was just 40.

I hope you don't mind but I found your question in post-op and thought it would be a perfect fit for our newest forum for Menopause and Hormones Basic forum.

There are blood and/or saliva tests that your doctor could give you to see how your ovaries are doing. Otherwise, most doctors go by the symptoms of menopause and treat those. Check with your doctor when your symptoms seem too icky to deal with yourself!

I hope you feel better soon!