Periods

What is clear is that periods are not treated seriously by many Drs, my DD went back and forward to the male GPs crippled by pain so bad she would be crying the first day or 2 and spending the whole time in a hot shower (limited painkillers choices due to kidney problems). It was only once a female GP joined she was taken seriously, with the GP commenting it is medicine she uses herself that she prescribed.

I've been lucky in terms of pain and bleeding but terrible in terms of mental health. I have bipolar and when I'm in a bad place I end up suicidal and having serious meltdowns every month the day before my period. Think normal PMT but amplified since the baseline for mental health is far more fragile than average. I still have problems getting that taken seriously.

Lass, yes. Part of the dilemma is that a hysterectomy is such major surgery, when at almost 53 my periods could stop at any time.

I was also told though that ablation was not necessarily guaranteed to solve the problem, although I am thinking of revisiting the idea now.

I know doctors are dismissive but for women still going through this it's worth going back (again and again and again) until you get help.

The coil works for some, weigh up the side effects against the potential benefit rather than decide to suffer on.

Lots of women have benefited from abulation (don't know why my gp never went with that option).

I didn't get a hysterectomy until I was desperate enough to plead for one and say the magic words 'I have health insurance' that was when I realised the gp knew full well I needed a hysterectomy and wouldn't do it on the NHS . So if you have health insurance start the appointment stating that, if you don't consider paying if you can, it honestly can be life changing.
Yes it is major surgery but the pain and discomfort of recovery was not much worse than I was used to then it was over.

Someone mentioned Viagra. Low-dose Viagra is also available OTC, but no idea how safe or what dose for periods and would also be off licence, so a man would have to buy it I guess. Has anyone actually tried it for this purpose?

Kwells, not kells.

Joy Rides are hyoscine hydrobromide. Kells are the same. Because I can't get Migraleve Pink anymore I'm doing the same DIY on drugs that stop nausea.

So my options are either hysterectomy, ablation or wait it out hoping that each period will be my last

I am tempted to a hysterectomy if I could persuade them, but at 52 is it necessary?

Hysterectomy is major surgery. Ablation is a day procedure. I was in and out in 6 hours. It can be done under local anaesthetic. Mine was done privately and they used a general anaesthetic. I don't know if the NHS would.

The worst part, only bad part, was throwing up after the op and it took days for the general anaesthetic to clear my system but that's because I'm a female, non- smoker with a tendency to travel sickness- apparently high risk factors for a bad reaction to anesthetics.

TinselAngel, that's how I read it too.

Cocodamol is available OTC, as are Joy-Rides. Joy-Rides are a brand if travel sickness pills. I don't think there's a generic version.

I always assumed it was my body saying "well there's no way you'll get pregnant, so you might as well enjoy yourself!"

Glad to hear it, TinselAngel. I only mentioned it because this is an anonymous forum and I wanted to know. The only times I've said anything about it in real life the other women looked at me as if I was showing off and I felt silly.

You have my sympathy, OP.

I am 52 now and still perimenopausal. I have been experiencing flooding for the past three or four years, which is exacerbated by a sizeable fibroid. I haven't had too much pain, but the flooding alone, and the unpredictability of it makes me afraid to go out for several days a month. After that I have about another week of significant bleeding. I can also never be sure when a period has actually finished and whether it may suddenly flood back on again.

I don't feel comfortable with the idea of the mirena coil. My GP also stopped pushing the idea after we found out about the fibroid issue. So my options are either hysterectomy, ablation or wait it out hoping that each period will be my last.

I am tempted to a hysterectomy if I could persuade them, but at 52 is it necessary? Each period could be my last, so an I at the end of periods or how long is a piece of string?

Ablation I might enquire further about.

Currently I have been trying the wait and see approach but so far I keep having periods (and flooding). I get furious each time yet another starts. I want this to end.

I am considering another GP appointment soon.

I hope you start to improve today. You aren't alone.

I used to get that too, Prawn.

Sympathies OP
I feel exactly the same. The pain wakes me up and the flow is ridiculously heavy. My mooncup runneth over. But I think the premenstrual symptoms are even worse for me. My emotions and the breast tenderness are just unbearable and seem to last a good 2 weeks.
I've thought about the Mirena coil but got scared about possible side effects and I read that there might be a link to breast cancer.

I never got PMS. Instead I got very horny two or three days beforehand. DH used to look forward to it. Does anyone else get this or am I weirdly lucky?

You can get cocodamol over the counter.

Cocodamol is only available on prescription, isn't it? I'm not even sure what Joy-Rides are... are you outside the UK, JellySlice? I'd like to be able to get cocodamol over the counter but suspect it'll never happen.

To recreate Feminax, take cocodamol and half a Joy-Rides with a caffeinated drink.

You can sort of recreate the old version of Feminax if you get the ibuprofen + codeine available over the counter in Boots, and take it with paracetamol. There's no caffeine so you don't get the sleep difficulties - in fact, it tends to knock me out, so I wouldn't use this combination during the day, but it's great for that first day of a heavy period when you'd otherwise be awake all night.

I experienced flooding for the first time a couple of months ago. I'm peri, and I've been quite lucky in that my periods have generally been getting shorter and closer together, but there was one time when it was about a week late and the heavens opened, so to speak. I was at work and I had to hide in the toilet for 20 minutes until it passed - and even then I got blood on the back of my skirt and had to shuffle round all day trying not to turn my back on anyone. That was a nasty shock after years of heavy and painful periods that were still at least regular and manageable!

Another mirena fan here.
No periods, no hormone swings...and I'm prone to hormonal migraines but I am not getting them either.

My stupid reaction to codeine meant I could never enjoy the benefits of feminax and paracetamol rarely did the trick. I always had heavy periods and after having my second child, was bleeding so heavily I was still using, and flooding through, maternity pads. It's shit. Like others, my gynae recommended the merina. It has definitely helped in that I don't bleed more than spotting but I still get raging pmt, cramps and insomnia (currently flicking between here and ikea planning new wardrobes) and I'll have 18-30 hours of crippling ovulation pains to deal with in 12 days. My cycles are slightly erratic but shorter by about 4 days in the last 4 years. And to cap it off, the spd I have since being pregnant 8 years ago (that medics keep fobbing off) gets worse for a few days so I feel like my leg is detaching itself while a bowling ball weighs on my pelvic floor.

Hope you get some rest tonight, floral

Feminax was my lifesaver. It's not manufactured any more (what they call Feminax now is just very expensive ibuprofen). The original had paracetamol, codeine, caffeine and hyoscine

It did work. I didn't know it is no longer available. Migraleve Pink can't be had for love nor money. It's not officially discontinued but chemists can't get stocks.

We're in sync floral, commiserations. Though I don't get much pain, it sounds awful!

Of course, mine came the day after dh & I had a blazing row. Again. Since hitting 30 my pms is worse than a teenager, and I don't recognise it at the time, I'm always surprised. Ffs could I be more of a stereotype...

I have had crippling endometriosis in the past, and now sing the praises of my Mirena coil. I'm on my second one now (they have a five year lifespan) and I experience some mild discomfort maybe twice a year at most. Mostly, I am period-free. Should be perimenopausal at my age, but the Mirena has it 'masked', if you see what I mean. It might be worth considering.

Oh yes. The joy of a 3 weekly cycle plus pmt from hell for a week, migraine and nausea 24 hours before I come on then 2 nights of insomnia accompanied by leaks and lots of laundry. I'm fucking sick of the perimenopause.