AIBU to ask how your periods changed in your 40s?

[Hollipopsmum]

Just that really. I've noticed mine are becoming a bit erratic, heavy one month, lighter the next, some months longer than others and not coming every 28 days as they used to. Do you have similar experiences & is this the beginning of the end??

42 and cycles shortened from 27/28 days to 23/26 days when I was mid 30s. Much lighter post kids in mid 30s and no pain except a mild draggy ache for an hour or two.

Generally last 3/4 days but we're only ever 4/5 days anyway. Heavy on day 2 but not too bad (again never been a problem for me). Every 3/4 months I seem to get a slightly heavier one. This pattern has been pretty consistent for the last few years.

DM and grandma both had their menopause in their mid 50s so quite late. I also had an ovarian reserve test when doing ivf and that showed strong reserves for my age so I suspect I may also be on the later side. I started early though and the idea of 45 years of periods is a bit depressing, especially as I can't have more kids.

Does anyone have any ideas for supplements I can take to help with extreme tiredness and pmt.
I had my iron and thyroid levels checked and was told it was fine about 6 months ago.

Much more irregular, though usually longer (up to 10 week!) gaps rather than shorter. Much worse PMT than I used to get. Occasionally much more painful too, but not every time.

I'm 47 and for the last year I've been firing out periods every 28 days without fail. It's like my body knows it has no use for the eggs any more and just wants to wind things up as efficiently as possible. They last four days : two heavy, one regular, one light. My mum and gran didn't stop till mid fifties so I've potentially got another ten years of this shit.

I'm 50 and they are starting to tail off a bit - had a blissful 4 months when I thought they'd stopped but no such luck. Before 45 pretty normal and regular - since 45 they have been hideous with 5 days of really heavy bleeding and clots - sometimes I've shoved 3 superplus/ultra tampons up there and had to change them within an hour - grim. Also went through a patch from 45-49 when they were more frequent. In the last 3 years or so also I've got a lot more sensitive down below and get thrush/itching during every period that lasts for a week or so afterwards.

Sorry OP - probably not what you wanted to hear...

I've noticed in the last year mine have dropped to every 21-24 days rather than the previous 28-29. Also much lighter and last just a couple of days max. PMT is getting worse though. I'm 40 so thought it would be later..

I'm 43. Mine went from a pretty regular 28 day cycle to literally nothing, about a year ago.

I stopped keeping track 20 yrs ago. Generally getting lighter as I get older is only thing I'm sure about. No bother at all, tbh (I turn 50 this year).

Anyone under 45 who goes into perimenopause should go and talk to the GP about hrt, even if you don't have other symptoms. Hrt can protect you in the future against osteoporosis.

I thought HRT wasn't good for you or safe? (I don't know bloody anything - would happily be informed)

I'm 47. ( ) My periods have become irregular, and have flooding on day 2 or 3, to the point it dominates my life and puts me off social engagements (couldn't even consider going with dd camping with the girl scouts as I had no idea at all if I would start then or not). Also insanely painful knockers for 2 weeks out of 3? 4? 5? Last time I went jogging I was happy it was early, as I was able to hold onto my tits without people seeing. (I'm really not big busted at all by any stretch, but even with my sports bra it was agony) No idea how long this will go on for.

Q's
1 HRT?

1. Anything you can do about calming the periods down? I don't think mine are dramatic enough for ablation.
2. What can you do about painful knockers?

I'm 45 and my cycle has come down to 28 days from 33 5 years ago. I also get horrible mood swings at the end of my period and nasty cystic acne generally before my period but can also be as it finishes too. Recently I've been getting migraines around ovaluation too.

Clearly my hormones are all the shop but I have no idea how long this could go on for. No flushes etc yet.

I take decent magnesium supplements for breast pain caused by hormones.
They do help.

I am 44 and get a period about every five months - thought early menopause? I had my DD at 37 after TTC for literally 2 months so surprised my fertility has dropped so much so quickly. Periods also very heavy and feel crap when they do come. Had been on pill for many years before pregnancy, tried coil after and it actually fell out (???).
Currently not using anything other than the refusal method which is not going down well with DH! Gave in this morning.

Now less than 28 days. I used to start heavy and tail off. Now I get godawful spotting for ages, with gaps to kid me I might have got off lightly, then a really, really heavy and painful day or two before it starts tailing off. I'm spending a ridiculous amount of time spotting or bleeding. Such a PITA. Four years ago an ultrasound identified a small fibroid. I suspect the cunt has grown.

Mrs brown, you know though that women have a bit of a fertile surge at the end of their reproductive lives, so if you don't want another baby, be careful. Sorry, don't mean to teach my grandmother how to suck eggs, but it seems to have caught plenty of women by surprise so far..

Mine have become more regular (28-30 days) and they're not as painful as they used to be. Having suffered from PMT quite badly at one stave, that seems to have eased off too, unless it's just become my natural personality and I haven't noticed!

Mine became unbearably heavy in my 40s, with flooding, clots etc. They also lasted a ages (up to 16 days each month). I was eventually referred to a gynaecology consultant and I had a big fibroid in my womb which was removed. It got a lot better after that!

However I'm about to book a GP appointment as in the last few months my cycle has got shorter and shorter. No really heavy bleeding or flooding, thank goodness, but four or five days of bleeding every two weeks at the moment. I'm 50 and my mum had periods until she was 56 so I could have several years more of this. I am worried the fibroid is starting to grow back which the hospital warned me was a possibility .

Ernest there was a study released about 10 years or so ago that had found an increased risk of breast cancer in women who had taken hrt long-term. There were a lot of media reports/scare stories about it so that is probably what you have heard.
The devil is in the detail though, as always!
The main findings were later retracted (no publicity for that!) and the increased risk seemed to apply to women who started hrt 10 years or more after the menopause.
For those starting at menopause, there is a protective effect. I think there is a slight increase in things like blood clots and heart disease if you are 60 or above, but not for under 60s and for under 45s the protective effect against osteoporosis outweighs everything else.

I'm 55 and periods are normal, every 28 days, no change in bleeding in the past 30 years. I was hoping they might stop soon, but no symptoms of perimenopause.

I'm 46, and this past year my periods have become less regular (though never actually missed one, just they are sometimes late), and much shorter and lighter. Much less painful also.

Thanks Okite.

Would people generally say though, that if symptoms are manageable it's better to stay off drugs? Would you only consider HRT if you're getting difficult symptoms?

48 and been on HRT for about 4 years. Fab stuff. Helps regulate periods and moods.

Agnus castus for pmt too. Trying to persuade GP I needed HRT took longer as I started peri in late thirties and no one would prescribe it.

ernest, it depends on if you are in early meno or not. For early meno (prior to age 45), the protection against osteoporosis means it should be routinely offered - obviously it's up to the individual if they want to take it or not.
I have chosen to take it, despite not actually having any meno symptoms other than a lack of periods!

I'm nearly 42 and things definitely aren't 'normal'. Well, not what was previously normal. Used to be every 28 days regular as clockwork. PMT wasn't too bad. Now, I feel as though I permanently have the rage. The tiniest thing can set me off into a toddler style tantrum. My cycle seems to be every 21 days or so, which is dam frustrating and seems to coincide with holidays regardless of how I try to plan them. Much lighter too - at first, my cycles seemed to be shorter but with horrendous flooding and needing to double up on sanitary protection. Now, I have 2 days of moderate flow, then a complete day off with nothing happening, day 4 will be slightly heavier, and then day 5 will be too light for a mooncup or tampon, but just enough to warrant a pad (my god I hate those things and always have done).
Lately I've started to sweat at night too. I'm waiting for the onset of autumn to see whether this is an actual thing or just a side effect of the warmer, humid, weather we've been having.

Ihatethecold, can you recommend the brand? I had such awful breast pain towards the end of last year my DH wanted me to see the dr. I knew it was hormonal though because the pain disappears once periods start. I've got used to it now and I know that's what it is, but if I can take a supplement to help, I will