Periods gone haywire at 40

[Justchooseone]

I posted in women’s health but got no replies so posting here for traffic.

Last month my period was 4 days late, heavier than normal and spotted continuously for a week afterwards.
I’m currently 10 days late this month and no sign. Negative pregnancy test.

So as not to drip feed - coil came out in January as we were TTC, but have now stopped and using condoms (properly) as we have some big life decisions to make. We have one 2 year old DC.

Has anyone has this and what was it? My friends are saying stress, but I’ve been stressed before and this hasn’t happened. I’m usually between 24-26 days. The NHS website says to wait until you’ve missed three periods before going to the GP but I dont really want to wait that long!

[DustyLee123]

Sounds like you might be heading into peri menopause. When did your mum start ?

[Coronationstation]

Mine went crazy from around turning 40 but heavier and more frequent. I was diagnosed with fibroids but even once they were treated my cycle was ranging from 22 to 35 days. It also went crazier following the covid jabs. I’m definitely peri menopausal and now taking HRT in my mid 40’s.

[Justchooseone]

@DustyLee123

Sounds like you might be heading into peri menopause. When did your mum start ?

That is very sad 💔

My mum was well into her 50’s before her periods stopped I think. Not sure about peri symptoms it wasn’t so well known back then.

[Justchooseone]

@Coronationstation

Mine went crazy from around turning 40 but heavier and more frequent. I was diagnosed with fibroids but even once they were treated my cycle was ranging from 22 to 35 days. It also went crazier following the covid jabs. I’m definitely peri menopausal and now taking HRT in my mid 40’s.

Thankyou. I have heard about the covid jab. Did you notice any other symptoms?

[Purpledaisies4]

I'm 36 & since December mine have been all over the place. December's was 3 days late, January was a few days late & only lasted a couple days, February's lasted 10 days, didn't have one in March, April's was late & May's was 15 days late, it finished a few days ago but I'm now spotting again 🤦‍♀️ Having blood tests in couple weeks.

[dontgobaconmyheart]

My first thought would be the onset of menopause but I would probably just see the GP as you can test to establish whether you are menopausal. I'd probably also speak to the GP and make sure my smear test was up to date, just as a precaution with any unusual bleeding etc.

[Justchooseone]

@Purpledaisies4 Ok that’s interesting as I assume at 36 you are not perimenopausal. Sorry for your troubles, hope it gets sorted!! Come back and tell me what the blood tests showed!

@dontgobaconmyheart yes I think I’ll ring the GP and not wait three months. Thankyou for replying!

[SallyWD]

Mine went crazy at 42 - long before Covid! Perimenopause can last ten years or so. It doesn't mean menopause is about to happen.
I'm now 48 and sometimes periods are regular, other times they're crazy.

[maranella]

I agree it sounds like the start of peri-menopause. I know you feel too young at 40 and are almost certainly not mentally ready for this next stage of life, but oestrogen starts to drop around the age of 35 and by 40 that drop can be noticeable. It's a long, slow decline so it's quite normal to see start to see gradual changes from about 40.

[holaholiday]

mine started going haywire around 41/42(after giving birth at 40) but it was combi of hypothyroidism and peri ....but equally your body has to get used to not having the coil . are you monitoring your basal body temperature and cervical mucous to see when you are ovulating? you do have a naturally short cycle so its worth getting to know what's what if you are TTC as any hormonal tests the GP may offer will probably be wrong as they go by an average 28 day cycle.

[bluebirdsongs]

OP I'm similar at the moment....

I'm 39 and have a lot of my plate but I wouldn't say I am highly stressed.

About 8 months ago after being like clockwork all my life (every 28 days) my periods changed to every 6 - 8 weeks.

I then got my 3rd period within 7 weeks yesterday. They've all been heavier than usual.

I'm up to date with smears....

Is 39 too early to start peri. My mum was older but she said her menopause was a breeze she didn't really even know she was going through it!

[Justchooseone]

@holaholiday

mine started going haywire around 41/42(after giving birth at 40) but it was combi of hypothyroidism and peri ....but equally your body has to get used to not having the coil . are you monitoring your basal body temperature and cervical mucous to see when you are ovulating? you do have a naturally short cycle so its worth getting to know what's what if you are TTC as any hormonal tests the GP may offer will probably be wrong as they go by an average 28 day cycle.

I had a copper coil so no hormones to contend with. I was checking ovulation with the clear blue stick and was ovulating day 11 as late as February

[Justchooseone]

So I’m guessing another baby is pretty unlikely in peri menopause 😭

[piscesangel]

Sorry OP, I had exactly the same experience as others, peri menopause starting pretty much on the dot of turning 40

[Purpledaisies4]

@Justchooseone I will do. Dr said it would be early for peri but not impossible, bloods will rule out thyroid or anything else. Good luck x

[megletthesecond]

Periods actually stopping is different to peri-menopause which tends to take years.

[Justchooseone]

@bluebirdsongs

OP I'm similar at the moment....

I'm 39 and have a lot of my plate but I wouldn't say I am highly stressed.

About 8 months ago after being like clockwork all my life (every 28 days) my periods changed to every 6 - 8 weeks.

I then got my 3rd period within 7 weeks yesterday. They've all been heavier than usual.

I'm up to date with smears....

Is 39 too early to start peri. My mum was older but she said her menopause was a breeze she didn't really even know she was going through it!

I feel like it’s way too young, but there seem to be plenty of posters here who think it’s possible.

I’m like you, got an awful lot on but wouldn’t say I am highly stressed.

Any my mum was like yours barely even noticed her menopause!! Periods went haywire for a couple of years I think and then that was it, but she was much older.

I guess the only thing we can do is go to the docs and get tested. But how can I tell them when to test if I have no idea when I’m ovulating now as I’m so all over the place?

Getting pretty sad and upset here I’m not going to lie. I thought I had a couple more years of fertility left in me, especially as I had my DC relatively late

[TrueScrumptious]

Perimenopause can last about ten years, so you’re bang on at 40 for things to start changing.

[FrankieRose82]

@Justchooseone was the coil the mirena or a hormonal one? This could be why as your progesterone needs to level out again and this could take up to 6 months.

[SallyWD]

@Justchooseone

I feel like it’s way too young, but there seem to be plenty of posters here who think it’s possible.

I’m like you, got an awful lot on but wouldn’t say I am highly stressed.

Any my mum was like yours barely even noticed her menopause!! Periods went haywire for a couple of years I think and then that was it, but she was much older.

I guess the only thing we can do is go to the docs and get tested. But how can I tell them when to test if I have no idea when I’m ovulating now as I’m so all over the place?

Getting pretty sad and upset here I’m not going to lie. I thought I had a couple more years of fertility left in me, especially as I had my DC relatively late

OP - you can still be fertile during the perimenopause. It's just a period of hormal fluctuations that can last for 10 years or more. It's not the actual menopause. Yes pregnancy becomes more challenging but that would always be the case in your 40s due to the fact your eggs are now getting old.
As I said my periods started playing up at 42 but I'm now 48 and sometimes they're regular as clockwork. Perimenopause goes on for many years.

[JuneOsborne]

My periods went haywire at 40. It was a vitamin D deficiency. Now I'm mid 40s and the vitamin D fixed them, but now I'm having other issues that must be peri.

But, I can tell the difference between vit d deficiency issues and peri issues. I had missing periods, late periods, early periods and spotting with the deficiency.

[Justchooseone]

@JuneOsborne thats interesting. I just recently had full bloods to find out why I was so tired all the time, but they were normal apart from slightly low calcium, and it turned out it was a chronic sinusitis which cleared up with antibiotics and I feel much better. I’ll double check with the doctor that vitamin d was done

[Justchooseone]

@FrankieRose82

@Justchooseone was the coil the mirena or a hormonal one? This could be why as your progesterone needs to level out again and this could take up to 6 months.

A copper one so no hormones

[Justchooseone]

@SallyWD

OP - you can still be fertile during the perimenopause. It's just a period of hormal fluctuations that can last for 10 years or more. It's not the actual menopause. Yes pregnancy becomes more challenging but that would always be the case in your 40s due to the fact your eggs are now getting old.
As I said my periods started playing up at 42 but I'm now 48 and sometimes they're regular as clockwork. Perimenopause goes on for many years.

Thankyou very much. I do have a tendency to catastrophise! I’ll try and chill a bit. Maybe all is not lost!

[fetchacloth]

OP as others have said it could be the start of peri, 40 isn't too young for the start of that.
You've mentioned spotting, I would be inclined to see your GP and mention the spotting as this could be due to hormonal change or something else that requires tests.
Good luck 🌺