I can’t get a doctors appointment. A question about my period

[Soubriquet]

I have just finished my second in a row cycle that was noticeably shorter

My periods were on average, 3-4 days long. The last two times it was only 36 hours and lighter than normal.

I’m not pregnant, I’m not on birth control and I haven’t had the COVID vaccine yet. I am 32 and dh keeps joking about menopause…and now I’m paranoid that it may be that

Last month, I was left with a lot of pregnancy symptoms. Extreme tiredness, tender boobs, nausea, metallic taste in mouth, belly getting bigger and mood swings but every test was negative. Then I had my period again this month, albeit light and short again. So far, no symptoms of pregnancy but I did only finish yesterday.

I cannot get a doctors appointment to save my life. It’s all “ring in the morning to see if there’s an appointment available” “oh I’m sorry. There are no appointments left. Try again tomorrow”

I don’t even want a same day appointment. I want one that can be booked ahead of time but “COVID says no”

Are you sure you aren’t in a queue trying to book the urgent appointments? Try ringing in at a different time and explaining what you want. Are your surgery doing telephone or zoom appointments as well? Your situation sounds like a chat with a doctor would be helpful even if it wasn’t in person.

Have you done a pregnancy test?

Oh sorry I can see you have

I would never see a GP for this . All periods are not equal IME. Sometimes shorter,sometimes longer. Monitor it.

I thought you was supposed to check with the GP if your periods change?

Once off, I wouldn’t bother but twice in a row seems a coincidence. I guess I could wait to see if it makes 3.

And it’s the same phone number for emergencies and normal appointments

I think you're right to want to get it checked out. Do you have practice nurses at your surgery? Might be easier to get an appointment to see a nurse, but not if it's the same phone number. Try phoning later in the day.

I wouldn't go to the gp with this either. Why don't you monitor it and see how it goes. I would often have a couple of light, short periods and then have a heavy one later.

We have to book appointments on an app now, we only ring on the day for emergency appointments.
I also wouldn’t be running off to the GP with it yet.
Are you trying to conceive ?

Mine did that in my early thirties, I mentioned it to the GP when there for something else and he said it was normal - that said, if you’re worried always check. Can you get a phone appointment? Or with the nurse? They’re often more knowledgeable on female health!

When I was pregnant with DD I never got a positive pregnancy test. Can you book an appointment with the nurse?

My periods are usually normal but sometimes they are very light and short. It's not something I've ever thought to worry about to be honest. I'm only saying this for reassurance, not because I think you're wasting a gp's time, although personally I wouldn't go see one for this.

Have you had Covid vaccination recently, OP?
Many women were reporting menstrual cycle changes after the vaccine. There were a couple of MN threads about it.