Periods in your 40s....hell?

[FortunesFave]

I'm 40 bloody eight.

48! That's 35 years worth of periods!

Every month the period arrives like some nasty old Aunt that nobody likes.

Over the past couple of years I get so tired the day before that I have to have a nap in the day. This coincides with me getting tearful.

When it finally arrives it's teasingly light for a day but this feeling of pressure and pain builds up in my lower back and abdomen and hips and I know that by tomorrow, I'll wake up looking like Carrie.

Two days of that then it buggers off. When will it STOP??

I've never taken the pill nor interfered with my periods. I'm 46 and since going vegan and running 6km a few times a week, mine have become light and pain-free. I even run on the first day and feel fine.

I'm a massive fan of acupuncture. I will look into it for my periods, thank you.

I can't have the coil or anything hormonal on the advice of my oncology consultant.

Star flower suppliments were suggested to me - seem to be helping with the worsening pmt and breast pain somewhat with headaches and stomach issues - at least with the constipation not so much with diarrhea.

Mine started at 11 and pre kids were always bad - and no GP was ever interested only suggestion was pill - in fact labour pain was on par with my monthly period pains. Then pg and bf for over 5 years seem to reset body and it's only gradually got worse in my 40s.

I'm not keen on the coil and the mini pill wasn't something current GP wanted to give me and I don't get on with the pill. Not entriely sure if it start of Perimenopause and no idea when to expect things as DM and DGM both had hysterectomies in mid to late 40s due to fibroids.

I think weight loss is key too. I don't even wear a bra when running, and have never had achy boobs.

I’ve just turned 57 and have had two of the bastards this year. They were as regular as clockwork up until 54/55. When oh when will they disappear for good.
Am also on HRT as the flushes and sleepless nights are relentless without the patches. My lead up to this has been a good 10 years.

@Elieza

I went for acupuncture. Lighter, shorter, more regular periods, roughly 4-5 weeks apart. No pain.

Wish someone had told me years ago.

What kind of treatment via acupuncture? Can you give some details? How long did it take and was it at a NHS-approved place?

I’m 46. Cycle is a bit wonky - anywhere between 25 and 45 days but still consistently turning up.

Some nights I struggle to get to sleep. Others I go to sleep quickly but wake up three hours later and then I’m awake for an hour or so. I tried Melatonin but it upsets my stomach.

I started at 11 and was still having them regularly at 54, then they became irregular and finally stopped when I was 56-57. Luckily no other menopausal symptoms at all.

53 for me too ....

46/47 for me...yippee...

@Thewithesarehere
I googled “acupuncture professional body U.K.” and looked for a therapist near me.

I was lucky that one who did loads of post grad stuff in women’s health was within my travelling distance, as although I didn’t initially go for that (at the time it was ME/CFS I was asking about) and she sounded good so I the appointment and that was me.

Since then I’ve been back for loads of different things.

I now go once a month on average, just depends on if get any unexpected bills. I go twice if needs be sometimes, it balances itself out.

Many are part of these health schemes that you pay monthly and get x amount back from then of dental/physio/alternative health appointments costs. So you could check that out too.

Mine were quite irregular / a longer cycle (every 5 to 6 weeks) prior to having children then they got a bit more regular in my 30s after having DC but still a bit hit n miss/ every 32 days or so.
When I reached 42 they got lighter and started coming every 25/26 days and it's been that way ever since.
I'm now 50 and no sign of stopping. So far that's 39 years ...
The pain is the same as it's always been - hurts first day but responds to ibuprofen. Luckily no other perimenopausal symptoms though I've always struggled with sore boobs, sometimes for 2 weeks before coming on. Other months they're fine! Been like this since I was 16.
I sort of want them to stop now but then I also want them to carry on cos I worry about the drop in hormone levels.
Such a joy!

Have you tried mirena? Apparently it stops periods in 80% of woman within a year.
It lasts 5 years and can be used up until and through menopause.

I had horrendous periods by 35 flooding etc. Mirena coil has been a life saver for me, now on my third & last. I have not had a period since, best thing ever,awful painful insertion but totally worth it.

I started at 10. Am 45 now. No signs of stopping or perimenopause, as got hormone levels tested a few years ago.

Always had hideous periods from the beginning. Used to faint regularly from amount of blood I lost and needed iron tablets after both C section deliveries.

As a result, had to start taking the pill at 17. Stayed on it right up until 39 (minus the years ttc) and would have stuck with it had it not been for my age, slightly high BP and slightly overweight. Decided to get sterilised. Massive mistake. Have had nothing but issues every since. Plus one of my clips has bloody well migrated too 🙄

Gynaecologist suggested the mini pill. Tried both a few years ago. Bled constantly for weeks, even passing clots. Spots, sore boobs, greasy skin, mood swings. You name it, I had the side effect. So stopped that quick smart. I was recommended the mirena, but heard so many horror stories that it put me off.

Since then, for the last couple of years I have been taking transxamic acid pills to help manage the blood flow every month. But I'm so done with this now. 35 years and at least 5 more to go or maybe even 10 😬

I went on the pill two years ago aged 49 to stop my periods. I was regular as clockwork and they’d settled down to not much pain and about five days long over the previous five years. But they were making me feel ridiculously spaced out - and that would come on without warning which was not good (especially when driving). So I have no idea where I’m up to with mine!!

I am 50. Has been regular as clockwork every 28 days since I was 16....not sure if starting late means stopping late? Now suddenly gone to a weird brown heavy period every 3 weeks!! Hoping am heading towards the end....

My solution was an endometrial ablation . Best thing I ever had done. Really light pain free period that last a day. Thank the lord x

43 to 48 and my periods were like the Texas chainsaw massacre every month. Had one this time last year that started in mid November and finally finished on Boxing Day. It was like someone had turned on a tap. A scan found multiple polyps and a thick endometrium. The polyps were removed and a biopsy taken at the same time. Turned out I had endometrial cancer. Luckily it was found at an early stage and I've had a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo oophorectomy and all ok now.

Not having periods has been liberating and life changing. Anyone who has a change in their periods should see their GP. I put mine down to my age and would probably have put up with it for longer had I not had one really bad one. Endometrial cancer is rare before the menopause, but don't be fobbed off of you're worried.

43 and mine are definitely changing - shorter cycle (always used to be 28 days exactly) and now spotting for a week before the damn thing actually starts. And with the spotting comes anxiety and insomnia that this past week has been the worst it’s ever been; there are other things going on that are contributing but bloody hell it’s been awful. So tomorrow I shall book an appt with the GP. I was prescribed sertraline earlier this year for hormonal rages and anxiety but never took it because it just seemed to be treating the symptoms rather than the cause. Hoping to get a sympathetic one this time.

@dubyalass

You were very wise to reject taking the sertaline. This is not the appropriate way to treat peri/menopausal anxiety. I was pushed in the same way to just take a "magic" pill and I, too, refused. I needed HRT, and as soon as I started it, the absolutely chrushing anxiety was completely gone. Here's a good article about this...

www.google.com/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/health/menopause-antidepressants-symptoms-worse-hrt-shortage-a9148951.html%3famp

@aquamarine1029 thanks, that is really helpful. I felt totally fobbed off by the GP when she prescribed the sertraline; it was a quick phone call on a terrible line and I felt like I had no choice, she wouldn't offer anything else.
Just had another sleepless night but am definitely feeling more level headed today. It's really affecting my ability to function, though.