Age 45, periods now arriving every 20 days instead of 29 days!

[Summergarden]

Ugh, I’d almost been looking forward to the menopause to finally get rid of the monthly curse. But the last few months my periods have been arriving every 20 or 21 days. It wouldn’t be so bad except that since I was sterilised they’ve been very heavy, especially for the first 18 hours so I daren’t venture far from home.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I’m praying this will be a very short lived phase.

My cycle changed from 28 days to around 21-23 days about 4 years ago. I’m 47 now. No hot flushes, but I’m feeling anxious/depressed a few days before my period. Also seemed to have developed driving anxiety.

On the good side my periods are light and less painful.

im 48 and my cycle is every 21 days, it’s exhausting and annoying. I have to plan my life around my periods Anne pray they arrive at the weekend due to flooding , nausea and lightheaded dss, After years of horrendously heavy and painful periods I went to the doctor and now been on the pill for 3 weeks, my periods have arrived but are not heavy and much more manageable, doctor said hopefully once in the swing of a few months of the tablets my periods will hopefully disappear , but TBH after years of horrendous periods this month has been much easier. …. So far.

Yup, 43 and I've had a few 22 day cycles in the past year. I started at about 34/36 days in my teens, down to 30/32 in my 30s, now it's either 22 or 28.

They're heavier, and I feel quite unwell just before and on the first couple of days. Not any more painful than usual, but just feel really yuck. Also hormonal headaches which start three days before I start bleeding. The joys!

This is me for the last year! All my life regular painless periods. Hit 46 and hello heavier periods and shorter cycles. First day flooding, painful cramps and exhaustion. Last 3 months I've been lucky and been at home so I could sleep for a couple of hours. I hope this won't last years. I don't particularly want to go on the pill / coil. Anyone found anything natural thats helped?

During period menopause mine became every 3 weeks and I had the most dreadful flooding for first 2 days so bad I was using biggest super plus tampons and maternity time pad together and still having to change every half an hour. It lasted about 2-3 years and I had to go to GP to get transanemic acid. I became anemic too. I had to go on to iron tablets. My hair got thin and started to fall out and I recall being dreadfully tired all the time. Once menopause proper came over erted back to once a month and a lighter period. It was such a relief.

Gosh, I hadn’t realised this was unfortunately so common and that so many of you have suffered/ are suffering with it too. Nice in a way to not feel alone though I suppose.

I genuinely never realised this was a common peri thing and had assumed the gaps between periods would only increase not decrease.

I’d love to know of any natural remedies that could help if anyone has tried any.

Yes, went from 28 days to as low as 14 days apart.

What The Actual Fuck

We were always told they would get further and further apart with some hot flushes and then peter out.

LIES!

I hate HATE the driving anxiety I passed my test after 40 hopped on the motorway two weeks later accidentally (fucking sat nav) wasn't afraid of anything last few years I've barely left my home town

Yep I’ve only just turned 40 last month but my cycle changed about a year ago to around 22/23 days it’s so annoying

Weird. My cycle lengthened. I was always 26 days and I went into the 30s and hit 40 days at one stage. The coil sorted it.

I’m 51. Sometimes get a period after 21 days, other times can be up to 40 days. So unpredictable.

Yes. This happened to me at 44 after 30+ years of 28 day cycles. My cycles then went from very short one month to very long the next (15-49 days), and became extremely heavy. They got so bad that I went to see the GP.

I was put on HRT; my cycles went back to normal and it also helped significantly with other things like sleep! I wouldn’t be without it now.

Genuine question because I've been on the depo for nearly 20 years and haven't had a period in that time, why wouldn't you use a solution that stops them? Aside from when you are TTC? I went on the depo at 17 so I don't know any different!

Same here, anything from 20-50 days. Really frustrating after 3 decades of such regular cycles I could book holidays months in advance to avoid being on my period.

It sucks. They get shorter together and then faaar apart so you're constantly checking. Or they'll last for 2 weeks..it's a pain in the arse.

I've just (4 years later) completely missed one cycle, and am currently 4 days late for the next. I'm hoping that's the end of them

Snap! But I came on today. Was gutted!

Yes. Welcome to perimenopause. Why we are not issued an orientation pack and safety talk like on a plane completely bemuses me.

Read up on the symptoms. There is help - but GPs are ... variable ... in their usefulness. Become your own advocate.

Standby for lift off.

Just some of the symptoms. Not exhaustive.

I'd add frozen shoulder, a general sense of dread and disappearing labia minorae to the list.

https://www.prima.co.uk/diet-and-health/news/a35329/perimenopause-pre-menopause-recognise-symptoms/

HRT. It's caused by loss of hormones, so that's the answer. It comes with risks, but so does getting older and I'm taking my chances.

Also - when you have been periods-free for a year, you're officially in menopause.

And then, if you suddenly get a bleed no matter how small - call the doctor. It's not a sign that hey you're still youngish ... It's potentially a sign of uterine cancer (1/10 cases). I've been round twice, all ok so far. Just one of the shit things nobody warns you about.

Yep, normal then around 49 they started to lighten and skip, length really erratic (from 21 days to 5 months in between), had 3 in a row just 24 weeks apart late last year and nothing since at 52. Welcome to that club, you learn to always carry sanpro

That’s right. Darling mother nature trying her best to give you one last chance…well every 20 days 👶😂🙄

Around that time I also noticed a zoom up in libido, and opportunities for bad behaviour seemed to be everywhere. I think now that was my system going 'YOURE RUNNING OUT OF EGGS AND TIME!!!'

So appreciating this post! I text an older friend about this not long ago as I wasn't expecting it. I'm 42 and mine have gone from 28 days super regular to 18 - 34/35 days. But sooner is becoming my more regular! I don't know how people the same age go around confidently wearing white or cream. I'd be on edge all day!

It's called "circling the drain". At least that's what I called it.

So nice to be done with all that.

Personally - hormonal contraception doesn't suit me. I haven't taken the pill since my mid-20s because they all either made me mental, gave me chronic thrush or endless bleeding.