Feel like I’m being trolled by my own body (perimenopause)

[Icepop79]

My periods have always been pretty regular and the pattern they follow each month is broadly consistent. Suddenly, this month it’s all gone completely haywire and I’m sick of it! I’ve been stuck in a cycle of light spotting for days followed by unexpected flooding with absolutely no warning. Night after night I’ve wasted tampons and sanitary pads which have remained almost completely dry, so this evening I stepped it down. Lo and behold, I’ve just woken up to carnage and I’m now going to have to add washing bedsheets to my list of stuff to do tomorrow. It’s now been like this for about 2 weeks.

Is this now my new normal? Any advice on how long I can expect this to go on would be gratefully received. I’m off on holiday in 2 weeks and really don’t want to be managing this uncertainty. I’ve ordered some norethisarone but I’m supposed to take it from 3 days before my period is due. I have no idea when that would be anymore.

I also don’t really have any other peri-menopause symptoms and I’ve had none of my usual PMT symptoms so this has caught me completely by surprise. Again, is that normal?

I suffered like this since January- I came on and it just never stopped. Blood-work all normal including hormones(accept being anaemic) I had an ultrasound scan which is clear, swabs which picked up infection so took antibiotics, I tried two different hormones- made no difference and I felt like a different person and finally the gp suggested the mirnena coil which I accepted. The bleeding is light now, but I bleed for 3 weeks and have 1 off rather than the other way round. I’m fed up. The last (male) gp said ‘well this is the way it is sometimes’- so I’m yet to go back. But surely this isn’t how we live for the next 10 years?

No advice just solidarity that this is shit.

It’s so shit @Icepop79 How long have you noticed the change in your cycle and what age are you? I ask because I’m the other end of it now but it went in for longer than any health professional told me it would (sorry - we’re all different though!)

@Pippa12 That sounds like absolute hell - I’m so sorry that this has been going on so long for you.

@Gettingamixedresponse this is the first month there has been any significant change. Usually I have a day or 2 of spotting, it’s then very heavy for a couple of days and then it tapers off for about 2-3 days. Normally accompanied with bad stomach ache on the heavy days (which has got worse over the last 6 months) and a migraine either at the start or near the end. I’m 48. Not really any other perimenopausal symptoms other than 5am insomnia and occasional anxiety.

Mine are crazy, haven't had a proper period for months! I don't take any hormonal contraception. I was expecting this to happen in my forties but more towards late forties than early forties.

Same for me after years of 25 day clockwork like cycles… just as I turned 47 they started to be erratic in frequency and heaviness, very heavy and continuous for months at a time by the end of that year. Had my IUD changed for a Mirena after a year of it, which improved things immensely. Still get some pmt symptoms, cramps and spotting (now 18m later) which are erratic but that flooding is no longer happening. Worth a shot?

Will definitely investigate mirena coil. Thank you for the solidarity and advice.