Frequent periods - is it pre-menopausal?

[Hassled]

My cycle has gone from a regular 28 days 18 months ago to more like 21 days more recently, and now I've started again 15 days after my last period started. It's too heavy to be spotting around ovulation or anything.

So I've googled frequent periods and the answers are vague - could be a sign of the menopause, could be polycystic ovarian syndrome. But when I googled PCOS, it made no mention of too frequent periods. So I'm baffled.

I'm 42, healthy. Feeling a bit old and tired but generally fine. No family history to compare to as mother died young. I'm due a smear test (the fun never stops) so will ask then, but does anyone have any experience of this?

[Hassled]

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[AnnabelCaramel]

Fibroids I betcha.

[3littlefrogs]

Yes. This happened to me. You are probably perimenopausal. However, there are many different causes of bleeding and you need to see your GP and get referred to a gynaecologist.

[3littlefrogs]

The thing is, if you continue to bleed excessively, you will get anaemic and then you will feel tired, miserable and ill. Been there. Go and get it sorted out.

[AnnabelCaramel]

Hear hear re the anaemia. Go get checked out; the investigation may be no fun but it's better than putting up with the symptoms.Good luck.

[girlnextdoor]

You are a BIT on the young side unless you are going to be early menopause. I KNOW that peri seems to start at 35 according to some people but seriously, it may be fibroids or a slight ohrmonal imbalance. Best see the GP and ask for referreral to Gynae. My periods only got closer together- 17 day cycles at one point, when I hit 49-ish and I am still having the "odd " period at 53.

[Hassled]

Thanks all - fibroids hadn't actually occurred to me. I will get it sorted asap - periods always wipe me out and getting 2 in a month is more than I can be dealing with.