Seconded! I used to have horrible horrible periods, which were really heavy and nasty. I used to bleed for practically the entire month.
With the Depo, I get the cramps, sure, but they’re not as intense, and I don’t bleed!
My mother was pretty well into perimenopause by the time she was 42. For about the past year, my period has been a little wacky, even though I was on the pill (once it was 5 days late, which is pretty bad for being on the pill); I predicted (to my husband) that when I went off the pill, I’d probably go right into perimenopause. Well, guess what? I saw the doc in Sept. I’d had my period just beofe seeing him. He took me off the pill. I haven’t had a period since then. I don’t think I’m pregnant, because I’m not having any other pregnancy symptoms (and we’ve been dilligent about using birth control), but lots of other perimenopause symptoms. I’ll be 42 next month.
What I’ve heard is that you’ll likely go through it about the same time you mom and older sisters did. It can happen as early as the late 30’s or as late as mid 50’s.