Can someone reassure me about periods in perimenopause

[Annoyingnamechangerperson]

I have general anxiety anyway which isn't helping me. I do take sertraline but uts just not working.

I'm 41 Will be 42 in about 4 months. For the past 18 months my periods have definitely been getting more irregular which I put down to perimenopause.

My usual 28 days could be anyway from 3-8 weeks, periods anything from spotting for a day to a full on period lasting 8-10 days.

The past two periods I've had have literally been barely existent. Spotting once a day for 2 days.

This period has come after 3 weeks again not unusual lately but I'm now on day 18 and still bleeding. To be honest the first 8 days were very minor spotting / old blood and the past 10 days have been light fresh blood. Not heavy at all but they're still going.

I've tried to get into the GP with no success and I'm starting to think and over think. Google obviously told me I was dying which is genuinely making me so anxious I'm at the point of feeling like I'm going to have a panic attack.

I'm phoning the doctor again tomorrow in hope that I get an appointment. Please can anyone tell me if you have had similar in perimenopause.

I can only speak for myself obviously but have just started Peri aged 51 recently.

I am mostly still as clockwork with periods as i have always been timewise with the occasional skipped/two a month.

I will be glad to be rid of them terrible cramps and PMS since I was a teenager (started at 12)

You are most likely ok; but speak to the doctor to put your mind at rest.

This is the only part about being a woman I hate

This all sounds pretty normal for peri menopause. Your reproductive system is slowing down, ovaries are producing less hormones, so your periods become erratic. No need to overthink this - you are in a transition and nothing you describe is abnormal. Many women in this stage have the exact same issues. Have a chat with the doctor - they can reassure you.

Thank you both, that does reassure me.
Anxiety and hormones are not a good mix for me

Yes. My period last nearly a year. I had internal tests and everything was okay. In the end they changed my pill and that has made everything go back to how it was. But it was a horrible year.

You're welcome

This has been exactly my experience OP, I'm 48 now but my periods started to change at about your age and in similar ways. It started with shortening cycles and then lighter/shorter periods, then went completely erratic for a while, no period for 3 months then 2 in 6 weeks kind of thing. Then I had a phase of incredibly long (8 weeks on one occasion!), heavy periods, saw the GP at that stage and was prescribed tranexamic acid a couple of times to slow the bleeding and had an ultrasound to check for fibroids/cysts/anything nasty, all clear.

They're still erratic now (I'm currently 2 weeks 'late' although I've mostly stopped trying to predict!) but thankfully not usually heavy or long these days, just annoyingly unpredictable. GP seemed to think it was all relatively normal for my age, as did MN when I posted, so try not to worry too much and see your GP (if you can!) for reassurance

Thank you so much you genuinely lovely people. I know it sounds really over the top and I'm not usually a fan of that but these replies have really helped me so much. I'm a single parent and live in a town where I don't know anyone I get so isolated sometimes with no one to talk to and I and then overthink so much. Just to have that reassurance from you lovely lot has honestly helped me to think a bit more rationally

Hi, I think I'm in the beginning of Peri, I have lots of friends going through it using various patches and gels etc which they are saying is helping.

I'm not particularly worrying about it really, part of the cycle of being a woman. But like when you are 11 thinking about when your period will start. It is what it is.

Just know that there are patches and gels and various things available to us, and not to struggle through it.

It's nice that women talk about it more now, my mum never did, it seemed so taboo. I'm glad it's not any more.

Yes I've had just this, erratic periods and I had a really long bleed too for about 3 weeks. Had it all checked out with a smear, blood tests and a scan and all fine. Get it checked out though!

Just thought I’d update in case anyone is interested.
I had an ultrasound, check up with gynae, a hysteroscopy (while awake which I was very nervous about after reading how painful it was) and found it surprisingly unpainful and blood tests.
I was contacted by phone today to tell me that everything has come back ok thank God.
Im still having weird periods so I assume just peri menopause

Mine did what yours have done, and I found it very unnerving. But then they went back to (more or less) every four weeks, albeit quite a bit heavier. By then I was having other peri symptoms and I’ve been on HRT for a few months now. I still have regular periods.