Please talk to me about menopause and specifically periods

[MrsDoyleFallingOutTheWindow]

46 yo and my last three periods have been two weeks apart each with spotting before this most recent one and they have absolutely floored me - the one I'm having now is awful - flooding and cramps and generally really tender slightly swollen abdomen. I actually left work early today as I was paranoid about marking my chair - it was just cascading out of me. Is this normal and what can I do? I feel like I know so little about it and I can't face indefinite years of this.

[PollyPerky]

It's normal but not everyone gets it (I never did.) You need to see your GP because there are tablets they can give you to reduce the bleeding when it starts, or you could have a Mirena coil. Have a read around online- lots and lots about menopause and heavy periods.

[AthenaAshton]

Placemarking...

[MsHomeSlice]

yes, my periods were getting progressively heavier over the past few months, then stopped! Six months off and then with my hopes up for that being it I had the worst one ever....as you say it was just cascading out of me....spent three weeks more or less standing up for fear , waking up every hour or two at night to go to the bathroom, just awful!

In the six months off I had the hot flushes, no night sweats though, but just out of nowhere...burning up, sweating, boiled pixie face...don't think anyone wanted to be in the car with me over the summer as I had the air con on FULL

on top of the Niagara Falls Period I felt I had a lurky UTI, not enough to visit GP, peeing more often, feeling sore...you know how it goes!

anyway....off to the GP as this was just too much, have never had bother with "Lady Issues" and I felt so awful. GP was really very clued up and kind I was practically weeping with how pathetic I was feeling! She asked all the right questions and the upshot of all that is that now I have a new Mirena, to control the periods/womb lining, with the addition of vagifem to pop up there, to prevent the vaginal atrophy....it likely was not a UTI, just an elderly area ...old age does not come alone ladies! 8)

Had a visit to a local clinic to get sorted and also one at the Menopause Clinic in nearest city, also have an open appointment at the Menopause Clinic should I wish to go back in the next wee while.

The mirena seems to be getting a grip on things...had a couple of periods since, but just normal to less than normal, the vagifem is presumably doing its stuff since everything down there feels perfectly normal and I have stopped weeping with fury and disappointment at ALL THE THINGS ...which I sort of did not realise I was doing until dh said how much happier and relaxed I seemed.

Go to your GP, I am mostly cross with myself I did not do this a year ago, and stuck it out in the hope that everything would sort itself out! And put up with a year of terrible periods because "this is how it is"

[MrsDoyleFallingOutTheWindow]

Thanks everyone. Buoyed up by your advice, I've I've made an appointment. Am wary of hormonal coils because the pill made me a bit crazy and I have a tendency to crazy anyway (long standing mh condition). If something can stop me bleeding like a fucking stuck pig that would be great though - this current "period" has been going on ten days now and I'm fed up. I'm wearing maternity pads. Yesterday honestly reminded me of lochia - it was that bad.

[MrsDoyleFallingOutTheWindow]

My appointment isn't for two weeks though and I've just flooded again. Should I try to see someone sooner? I mean, should I be worried about all this bleeding?

[PollyPerky]

Maybe take some Floridoex (herbal tonic) to help keep your iron levels up.

How much hare you losing?

You can get Tranaxemic acid over the counter at Boots- take for heavy periods- same as GP would prescribe.

[PollyPerky]

here www.boots.com/boots-pharmaceuticals-cyklo-f-heavy-period-relief-500mg-tablets-tranexamic-acid-18-tablets-10120808

[lljkk]

I would have thought you need to concentrate on getting more iron into yourself, OP. Iron Anemia is your big problem right now.

[MrsDoyleFallingOutTheWindow]

Th Thanks again. Spoke to a dr and she said to keep the appointment but has prescribed me some tranaxemic acid in the meantime to get the bleeding under control. She said I may have fibroids as well by the sounds of it and the dr I'm going to see can refer me for a scan. I am feeling really fed up - got sheets and underwear soaking in buckets all over the place and I'm generally just bored of fucking bleeding. Going to pick up prescription now.

[PollyPerky]

You can get really pretty waterproof pants for periods- used to be called Diary Doll and invented by a tennis player- Annabelle Croft. They'd def help at nightime etc. Have a google.

[PollyPerky]

Just checked you can get them on Amazon.