Started period a week early. Do I need to contact GP?

[Hormonesffs]

Hi,

Just that really.

I'm in my late 30's and have INSANELY heavy periods! Cycle is normally 25 ish days. Used to be 30 plus, but over the past few years has got shorter.

I'm on iron for iron deficiency, as a result of my ridiculous flow, but felt like I sort of had it under control.

I'm day 18 and a few days a go got my usual ovulation pain followed by a bit of brown spotting, which is fairly standard for me. Then today I start spotting bright red blood, which I thought could still be to do with my ovulation, but this afternoon it seems to have turned into a proper period. I have the cramps and everything.

I also feel pretty rubbish. Headachy and emotional. This is how I often feel around ovulation and my actual period.

Do I contact my GP now or just track things for a bit? I have massive anxiety, so am trying not to let my mind go anywhere else.

Thanks.

I'd wouldn't make an immediate appointment but I'd keep track of your cycle and push for investigations to check there isn't an underlying cause to your heavy bleeding (if that hasn't already been done). Do you have anything to help with the bleeding e.g. tranexamic acid?

I'm 35 and have noticed my period cycle getting shorter. My last 3 cycles have gone from my usual 28 days to between 21 and 23 days. I'm not sure if I'm pre menopausal though as I was sterilised 5 years ago and I know that can bring it on prematurely. I also have heavy periods like you.

If it's a one off they're not likely to do anything about it. Keep track and go when/if it becomes a pattern.

@emmathedilemma the doctor suspects endometriosis, but I really don't want the procedure to officially diagnose, as it's done under a GA and I really seemed to have developed quite a phobia since having dc. Plus once it's diagnosed, there doesn't seem to be much they can do. I've had scans etc, but not for a while now. I've had blood tests recently which came back OK.

How can I ovulate only a few days before my period?

@CakeCrumbs44 , could it be? I really hope so! There's no way I can lose that much blood that often 😒

Have you been checked for fibroids? They should still be looking for ways to control the bleeding if it's that bad it's making you anaemic.
Have you had a covid jab recently? That sent a lot of people's cycles crazy. My last one was 18 days which I'm hoping isn't going to be a regular thing!

You should try and get the heaviness looked into - how heavy are you talking? Our GP measures heavy as a super tampon needing to be changed every hour or more often I think.

Having a period arrive a week early is nothing to worry about though.

Agree track all symptoms (pain, mood, bleeding) for at least 3 cycles then see your GP. I'm my experience they won't do much before that point.

@emmathedilemma I had a scan a couple of years a go, which didn't show any. Course things could be different now, but I was being investigated for pain and heavy bleeding then. I would say I am heavier now, but the pain (well...the excruciating pain) seemed to have subsided.

My hair shedding has only just started to slow down. If this is my new cycle I'm not going to be able to top up my iron enough and it will no doubt start again ☹️

@SheWoreYellow much heavier than that! They're sort of more concentrated now, in that I only have about 4 days on, but I have 1-2 days where I am changing every 20 minutes - super ones. My last one I just lay in bed, not being able to sleep because I knew I would need to change again and again. The GP wants me to go on the pill, but I'm desperate to stay away from hormones if I can.

How do you know what the GP wants? There is traxenamic acid as an option, for example.

@SheWoreYellow how do I know? Sorry, not sure what you mean. I have spoken to many GPs over the years about my heavy periods. The early period is what's new.

I have actually tried the traxenamic acid, but it didn't really do anything. Plus it's not really a long term solution is it?

Oh no. Well yes, you need to get this looked into.

Don’t see why traxenamic acid wouldn’t be a long term solution, just as an aside - my DD is on it, do you know if it’s not for long term use, or just meaning you want to work out why you have such a problem (which is understandable).

I agree with @SheWoreYellow you need to get something sorted to help control the bleeding. TA can be a long term solution if it helps reduce your flow. You only need to take it on the bad days.

My gynae always used to say changes lasting longer than three months. Didn’t do anything for a one off blip.

@SheWoreYellow and @emmathedilemma , regarding the traxenamic acid, tbh I hear completely different things! Some doctors say it does reduce flow, just helps thicken and clot the blood (which would be a nightmare for me because I have a huge clot problem....literally! ) whereas others say that it helps reduce blood loss. If it doesn't actually reduce the amount I lose, my side effects, I e, hair loss, fatigue etc, won't be reduced. Also, I get told to take it at different times. Some say to take it at the very first sign of your period others say wait until your on your heaviest day.

I took it for the first time this summer and I waited until my flow picked up and it did absolutely nothing. If anything it made it slightly longer!

GPs seem to have varied opinions on it. Some say if it's affective keep using, other only like to prescribe it as a one off, so I'm very confused.

We were told to take it at the first sign of the period, or if you are very regular, the day before. So that might be worth a try.

It definitely reduces flow for my DD. Rather than thickening it. Perhaps it thickens at source and so doesn’t come out at all, I’m not sure.

@Pineconederby yes, I think I'll keep an eye on things for a bit. I need to speak to a proper gynecologist/specialist, as most GPs just say that they're offering me the pill, so there's not much else they can do. I feel like they're just ticking a box - Patient offered mini pill
Patient refuses mini pill

Case closed.

@SheWoreYellow I might think about giving it another go.

Honestly, of all the times! I have a big weekend coming up, where I won't be in my bed....not good 🙄 And then if my period goes back to normal next cycle, it will now have knocked it forward to all over Christmas. Great 👍

I used tranexamic acid for a few months while I was waiting for investigations for heavy periods. I found that if taken at the beginning of my period it reduced the flow by about half.

I've just had a mirena coil fitted less than a month ago, my first period on that was really light - I could manage with just regular tampons, whereas before I was flooding through super plus within a couple of hours or less.

I know you say you want to avoid hormones but mirena might be worth considering. As the hormone goes directly into your uterus, a much lower amount gets into your bloodstream compared to other options like the pill or implant. I found the combined pill affected my mood a lot, and was worried about the coil but so far have noticed no side effects.

Mid 30s my periods started doing this, including getting extremely heavy, late 30s skipped a few, turned 40 and I'm now 4 months without a period. I assume my cycle changes were perimenopause related, it may be this for you.

I wouldn't see a GP for one early period and track as others have suggested.

The heavy bleeding is another thing entirely though! Do you feel the GP is doing all they can on that front?

On the heavy bleeding - I’d always had nightmare periods, very heavy and painful. Then mine changed to very like what you describe - 2 completely out of control days, the 2 more normal days. So shorter. It turns out I had developed a fast growing fibroid. So I wouldn’t dismiss going back and trying to get the heavy bleeding looked into because it could be something has developed since you were last scanned.

Probably peri menopause?