Its either peri or cancer isn't it :(

[Nittyknobhead]

I'm 43. Mum and gran both started peri at 43 and 40 and I believe my great gran was in her late 30's. All took between 7-10 years to fully reach menopause.

I hadn't had a period for about 3 months. They literally just vanished. Spent £50 on pg tests (negative thank god!). That made me go to the gynae initially.

I finally came on this weekend after having some twingey type pains near my left ovary on Saturday when I bent over/stood up etc. came on on Sunday. The heaviest its ever been. Sunday night all of a sudden I had awful pain on my left side and low down in my back. I couldn't sit still or get comfy. After about 1.5 hours just as I was at the point where I was considering a&e (i thought it was my kidney or something and it came on so sudden it worried me a bit) it eased off. I ate my tea and slept fine.

I've seen a gynae who sent me off for hormone tests as he suspects peri due to some other random symptoms and family history but that was before this episode/i came on at the weekend.

I'm due to have an ultrasound for "peace of mind" in 4 weeks but I'm starting to get a bit worried. I assumed peri too but now I'm a bit less sure.

I have had an ovarian cyst about a year ago on the other side that felt a bit similar but with that I'd had 2 periods within 2 weeks and a dull pain. This pain on Sunday was nothing like that and today it still feels a bit pinchy 😔

Other symptoms I've had in the last 3 months or so include palpitations recently (eased off a bit in the last week tbf), rage, extremely sore breasts on and off, can't focus in work, can't be arsed with anything, then will have bursts of energy and feel great, short term memory non existent at times, mispronouncing words sometimes, forgetting words sometimes. I know these are some typical peri symptoms but I've not had any hot flashes really, if I was id probably be less worried.

Gynae tried to reassure me that its regular unexpected spotting or bleeding that might be concerning (and bloating etc which I don't have) but of course I've managed to find a handful of articles on Dr Google that disagree. Id had a tiny TINY bit of light pink discharge for 2 days abour 3 weeks ago - again gynae was unconcerned and said that's hormones.

Could it be coincidence that I have got another cyst? Maybe sparked off by peri? I don't want to Google again 😔 sorry for waffling...

[Whatevergetsyouthroughthenight]

Sounds more like Peri to me. If they thought there was any cancer risk you would be on the two week pathway for a scan. Try to stop worrying.

[BigButtons]

It’s most like peri. Don’t get worried and a h fiend sr google!

[Nittyknobhead]

Thank you for even replying!

I genuinely wasn't massively concerned until I came on again, then had that awful pain 😞

Its the same gynae I saw last time who diagnosed the cyst over the phone 🤣 he called me in for a scan a week later - yep cyst. Got me back a month later and it had gone so he was spot on there tbf.

Its just this weekend...its sent me under. And now I'm getting palpitations again 😩

[BigButtons]

Peri can cause palpitations for sure as can health anxiety of course. It’s amazing what shittery peri causes. Every symptom under the sun. No bleeds, long bleeds, short bleeds, clots, pain with no bleeds, sweats, anxiety. Once you had a scan etc see if you can take some HRT if appropriate 🙂

[OhhhhhhhhBiscuits]

All of what you have is my peri journey so far. It sucks! I didn't have a period for 5 months and then had the worst period of my life. Never been so heavy or so painful. Since haven't had one for 3 months so far. The ultrasound will show anything, but I wouldn't be worried in your situation.

[Mabelface]

You sound classic peri!

[DorritLittle]

It doesn’t sound sinister to me. Or things I have not experienced.

[RandomMess]

Think about it, 3 months of build up of womb lining would create a heavy period.

I have only had period pains about 3 times in my life but when I did it was agony.

[JaneJeffer]

It could be fibroids.

[sassyduck]

It sounds like peri. It really doesn't sound anything sinister. Try not to worry to much.

[Serena73]

I've had all these things and I don't really get hot flushes either. Had a spell of ovary pain and had an ultrasound due to past issues but nothing was wrong. Missed periods for 3 months before this happened and then they just came back fairly regularly. I don't think they are concerned about you otherwise they'd have seen you in two weeks.

[fetchacloth]

A classic peri symptom. I had this for years before meno.
I had PCOS too, my GP believed these were linked.

[Arcadia]

I had identical symptoms with awful pains and palpitations etc. and everything else you describe as well - rages, brain fog etc. but no hot flushes. Went through scan etc. thought it was something sinister but nothing found.

Has all cleared up with HRT.

[Nittyknobhead]

Ahhh thank you everyone. I'm very lucky enough to have Bupa through work but haven't updated the gynae with this weekends episodes. I do have his mobile number and am resisting the urge to quickly whatsapp him 🤣

just had my bloods done today and tried to book the follow up but he's clearly got a lot of vaginas to look at because the next appointment was in 4 weeks 😩 I've messaged his secretary to ask to let me know if he has any cancellations 🤞

I forgot about fibroids! I've had them too in the past. I've had so many things go wrong down there I've forgotten how I felt with them all.

[Scarfweather]

You’ve summed up my experience of peri.
HRT restored normality.

[Nittyknobhead]

@BigButtons

Peri can cause palpitations for sure as can health anxiety of course. It’s amazing what shittery peri causes. Every symptom under the sun. No bleeds, long bleeds, short bleeds, clots, pain with no bleeds, sweats, anxiety. Once you had a scan etc see if you can take some HRT if appropriate 🙂

I meant to say yes that was very weird, having period pain for 3 months on and off but no period, really unsettling!

[Arcadia]

Yes period pains without periods had me convinced I had something awful! But was all clear and the HRT has helped.
HRT immediately lifted my moods but those physical symptoms took a bit longer to settle.

[CatastrophicCat]

I had quite a long spell of really sharp ovary pain, usually around ovulation time, at the very beginning of my peri symptoms, it went on for months. I had 2 scans during that time, nothing found and I don't get the pain at all now, around 3 years later.

At the time I was convinced it was endometriosis and was only going to get worse, but no, it was 'just' peri! Since then I've had other symptoms I've worried about, horrifically long and painful periods at times, bleeding after sex, ridiculously erratic cycles etc, been checked out each time, worried it was cancer but once again, just peri.

Obviously always get checked out but it really is incredible how many things turn out to be purely menopause related, I'll be bloody glad when it's over!

[Nittyknobhead]

Not having a good day today 😕

I've stopped bleeding just like that. 4 days instead of my usual 7, and a bit of discomfort/twingey feeling is back on the left hand side. It feels like there is something in there that shouldn't be.

Hoping its a cyst kicked off by hormones/peri maybe and the pain/bleeding at weekend was it rupturing and maybe its just filling back up?

Interestingly I've felt better mentally in the last week. I've been on form(ish) in work, feeling pretty energetic....Still managed to completely mispronounce my own name tho yesterday 😒

[CatastrophicCat]

That's exactly how I felt OP, was convinced it must be a cyst or endo and was genuinely shocked when my scans found nothing. The pain continued at the same point in my cycle for months and months and then just suddenly stopped, as though my body was done with that stage of peri and on to the next! I had no idea my body would do such strange things during menopause, you expect some changes but I didn't realise symptoms would be so completely random and worrying. Fingers crossed your scan will give you some answers one way or the other but don't be surprised if there's nothing there and it's all 'just peri'.