If you have never booked a med spa visit and the word menopause keeps coming up, ask the plain question first. Here is the plain answer, with the next steps sorted by cost.
The definition in one sentence
my.clevelandclinic.org gives the clearest version: Menopause is a point in time when a person has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. That is a count of months, so you can check it against your own calendar before you check anything else.
Where to read more before you spend anything
Start with this overview of menopause age, stages, signs and side effects. Then read the menopause basics from Women's Health. Reading costs a few minutes and commits you to nothing.
The cheap step and the step that is not a do-it-yourself job
The cheap step is to write down your period dates so the months are easy to count. Choosing a treatment is a different matter. This page on treatment for menopause and perimenopause covers the treatment side, which belongs in a conversation with a clinician, not in a shopping cart.
Put the question to a licensed clinician
Beginners tend to wait until they feel sure of the vocabulary. You do not need to. Bring your dates and your questions to a licensed clinician in the Hackettstown area and let them do the explaining.