AIBU to ask how your periods changed in your 40s?

Ernest there was a study released about 10 years or so ago that had found an increased risk of breast cancer in women who had taken hrt long-term. There were a lot of media reports/scare stories about it so that is probably what you have heard.
The devil is in the detail though, as always!
The main findings were later retracted (no publicity for that!) and the increased risk seemed to apply to women who started hrt 10 years or more after the menopause.
For those starting at menopause, there is a protective effect. I think there is a slight increase in things like blood clots and heart disease if you are 60 or above, but not for under 60s and for under 45s the protective effect against osteoporosis outweighs everything else.

Mine became unbearably heavy in my 40s, with flooding, clots etc. They also lasted a ages (up to 16 days each month). I was eventually referred to a gynaecology consultant and I had a big fibroid in my womb which was removed. It got a lot better after that!

However I'm about to book a GP appointment as in the last few months my cycle has got shorter and shorter. No really heavy bleeding or flooding, thank goodness, but four or five days of bleeding every two weeks at the moment. I'm 50 and my mum had periods until she was 56 so I could have several years more of this. I am worried the fibroid is starting to grow back which the hospital warned me was a possibility .

Mine have become more regular (28-30 days) and they're not as painful as they used to be. Having suffered from PMT quite badly at one stave, that seems to have eased off too, unless it's just become my natural personality and I haven't noticed!

Mrs brown, you know though that women have a bit of a fertile surge at the end of their reproductive lives, so if you don't want another baby, be careful. Sorry, don't mean to teach my grandmother how to suck eggs, but it seems to have caught plenty of women by surprise so far..

Now less than 28 days. I used to start heavy and tail off. Now I get godawful spotting for ages, with gaps to kid me I might have got off lightly, then a really, really heavy and painful day or two before it starts tailing off. I'm spending a ridiculous amount of time spotting or bleeding. Such a PITA. Four years ago an ultrasound identified a small fibroid. I suspect the cunt has grown.

I am 44 and get a period about every five months - thought early menopause? I had my DD at 37 after TTC for literally 2 months so surprised my fertility has dropped so much so quickly. Periods also very heavy and feel crap when they do come. Had been on pill for many years before pregnancy, tried coil after and it actually fell out (???).
Currently not using anything other than the refusal method which is not going down well with DH! Gave in this morning.

I take decent magnesium supplements for breast pain caused by hormones.
They do help.

I'm 45 and my cycle has come down to 28 days from 33 5 years ago. I also get horrible mood swings at the end of my period and nasty cystic acne generally before my period but can also be as it finishes too. Recently I've been getting migraines around ovaluation too.

Clearly my hormones are all the shop but I have no idea how long this could go on for. No flushes etc yet.

I thought HRT wasn't good for you or safe? (I don't know bloody anything - would happily be informed)

I'm 47. ( ) My periods have become irregular, and have flooding on day 2 or 3, to the point it dominates my life and puts me off social engagements (couldn't even consider going with dd camping with the girl scouts as I had no idea at all if I would start then or not). Also insanely painful knockers for 2 weeks out of 3? 4? 5? Last time I went jogging I was happy it was early, as I was able to hold onto my tits without people seeing. (I'm really not big busted at all by any stretch, but even with my sports bra it was agony) No idea how long this will go on for.

Q's
1 HRT?

1. Anything you can do about calming the periods down? I don't think mine are dramatic enough for ablation.
2. What can you do about painful knockers?

Anyone under 45 who goes into perimenopause should go and talk to the GP about hrt, even if you don't have other symptoms. Hrt can protect you in the future against osteoporosis.

I stopped keeping track 20 yrs ago. Generally getting lighter as I get older is only thing I'm sure about. No bother at all, tbh (I turn 50 this year).

I'm 43. Mine went from a pretty regular 28 day cycle to literally nothing, about a year ago.

I've noticed in the last year mine have dropped to every 21-24 days rather than the previous 28-29. Also much lighter and last just a couple of days max. PMT is getting worse though. I'm 40 so thought it would be later..

I'm 50 and they are starting to tail off a bit - had a blissful 4 months when I thought they'd stopped but no such luck. Before 45 pretty normal and regular - since 45 they have been hideous with 5 days of really heavy bleeding and clots - sometimes I've shoved 3 superplus/ultra tampons up there and had to change them within an hour - grim. Also went through a patch from 45-49 when they were more frequent. In the last 3 years or so also I've got a lot more sensitive down below and get thrush/itching during every period that lasts for a week or so afterwards.

Sorry OP - probably not what you wanted to hear...

I'm 47 and for the last year I've been firing out periods every 28 days without fail. It's like my body knows it has no use for the eggs any more and just wants to wind things up as efficiently as possible. They last four days : two heavy, one regular, one light. My mum and gran didn't stop till mid fifties so I've potentially got another ten years of this shit.

Much more irregular, though usually longer (up to 10 week!) gaps rather than shorter. Much worse PMT than I used to get. Occasionally much more painful too, but not every time.

Does anyone have any ideas for supplements I can take to help with extreme tiredness and pmt.
I had my iron and thyroid levels checked and was told it was fine about 6 months ago.

42 and cycles shortened from 27/28 days to 23/26 days when I was mid 30s. Much lighter post kids in mid 30s and no pain except a mild draggy ache for an hour or two.

Generally last 3/4 days but we're only ever 4/5 days anyway. Heavy on day 2 but not too bad (again never been a problem for me). Every 3/4 months I seem to get a slightly heavier one. This pattern has been pretty consistent for the last few years.

DM and grandma both had their menopause in their mid 50s so quite late. I also had an ovarian reserve test when doing ivf and that showed strong reserves for my age so I suspect I may also be on the later side. I started early though and the idea of 45 years of periods is a bit depressing, especially as I can't have more kids.

I'm 43 and mine have become less painful but I now have a really short cycle of about 20 days.
Pmt was so bad last month that I put myself back on the mini pill so I won't hate my DH when we go on holiday in August.

Mine are exactly like this. After a lifetime of regularity they're less predictable, sometimes heavy and sometimes light. PMT is noticeably worse. I've just turned 40.

Bit heavier, still regular. Kick my arse a bit more these days, though.

Thirty fucking years of this is enough, tbh.

I'm 43 and mine went erratic about 2 years ago and stopped completely at the start of this year. Over the bloody moon at the thought that it might be over and done with! Although I've just started hrt as I'm quite young and that can start bleeds off again.

I suffered from a varying cycle, it was sometimes 2 weeks, sometimes 4. A lot of clots, rather than flooding, hot flushes etc, but it wasn't too bad. I had a very emotionally painful adolescence and I was worried the change would be similar, but I felt okay in myself. The biggest shock was having a final period six months after the previous one! I thought I had finished, and had to root around to find some tampax as I'd chucked most of the stuff away. I was 47 when I finished and I noticed the changes (and the flushes) starting at 42.

I started getting shorter cycles in my late 30's, from 26/28 days in mid-30's to 23-26 days at 40 - then had DD at 41.

Since then it's been "yuk" - my last 2 cycles were 14 & 18 days, and occasionally I get a long cycle 36-42 days, which is much better.

And yes to bloating, sore boobs, heavy periods - never knowing when it's going to start, wearing maternity pads to deal with heavy flow, vaginal dryness, zits during AF.

My mum was through the menopause by 45/46, with no hot flushes or major symptoms - she said her periods just stopped.

I'm 48 and they have stayed pretty regular, and fairly consistent, maybe a bit heavier at the beginning of each one. Apart from the flood of 2014 which shall remain in office folklore for generations to come