start of menopause?

I am 54 years old and have not had a period in a year......is this menopause?   My ob/gyn thinks I should undergo a hysterectomy because of uterine fibroids, but I tell her I don't want to do this because I have no serious symptoms.
  She does a yearly abdominal ultrasound to check the size of the fibroids, and so far each year, there is no change in the size. I mentioned to her about the absence of periods and she said that I will have one....but have not so far.  My yearly appointment with her is this May.  

[AnnieBrooke]

Menopause is defined as the absence of a period for a year, so except that you have fibroids, it sounds pretty much like you have gone through it.  You might google menopause or menopause with fibroids -- there could be some good information out there about the intersection of fibroids and menopause.  (My thought is that the fibroids would tend to reduce in size once you are really through the 'change,' but I don't know that for sure.)  Along with you, I see no reason to remove the fibroids or the uterus unless there is some negative change.