period advice please. don't read if tmi

[captainBeaky]

Thanks for reading. I'm a bit worried really so any advice would be appreciated. I am in my early 40s, not on the pill or any medication. I am definitely not pregnant, or likely to have been. I am as regular as clockwork. Every 25 days, to be exact, with painful but short periods. This month I was 5 days late and I am still bleeding heavily 9 days later and still experiencing painful cramps. Is this common? Am I perimenstraul? It seems a silly thing to bother a doctor with but all are unusual symptoms for me. My periods usually last for three days, although always painful before and during. Has this happened to you?

Yes, but i've got fibroids. Which are quite common for us ladies in our 40s. Many of us don't know we have them, for others they can upset how our periods are. I'm not saying thats what you have but you do need to see your GP to at least put your mind at rest.

Thank you spottie , anyone else? Please x

Ditto fibroids. I had a couple of late, long, painful heavy periods and went to the gp as it was out of my norm.

They did blood tests to rule out peri menopause, internal examination, then an ultrasound scan. Found one small fibroid, nothing to fret about.

Mostly it has put my mind to rest that nothing serious is afoot and that I'm not about to start having hot flushes and so on.

My periods seem to have settled down again, so it seems to have been just a blip in the routine cycle. I am early 40s.

I would say major changes to your normal periods should be discussed with a healthcare professional. I would book in with a GP and discuss your worries. It may well be nothing, but it is better to check these things.
Good luck, hope everything is ok.

Apparently lots of women in their late 30s/early 40s can have changes to their periods. Dh had a vasectomy, but I still did 3 pg tests when I suddenly had a really late period having been regular as clockwork.

My doctor didn't even mention fibroids, just said it is quite common.