*%:&^ perimenopause aka how to manage unpredictable periods?

[2cubesoficeandasliceoflime]

I know Im lucky to have got to my age without experiencing any real period issues (other than awful period pains pre kids).

But Im asking for tips on how to manage unpredictable periods. I have no idea when they will happen. Sometimes I flood.

For the last few years my periods have been very light and short. Really, really sore breasts coming up to it though so I always knew. I had never flooded in my life.

For the last 6(?) months however my new routine seems to be no warning before 1 or 2 days of a blood then either that's it or sometimes a week or 2 later I have a really heavy period with no early warning system. 2 months ago I was on a train. No indications of anything before I got on but then I stood up several hours later and realised I had flooded. In light jeans obviously. I didnt have any idea when I got on the train. Getting off, I had to walk past a man who visible recoiled and gave me a disgusted look. Twat. As if I had any control over it.

Then this month, I had blood for 1 day a week ago then nothing but this morning I woke up and my bed looked like a scene from Carrie.

The 1 or 2 days of bleeding are a variation of what I had before so it's more that I now get the joy of an additional heavier period some months. I get 4 or 5 weeks between any bleeding so I don't think it counts as bleeding between periods.

I’ve had very heavy and unpredictable periods my whole life and things got better (or more regular at least) when I got the copper coil. I had also hit breaking point with hormonal contraceptives - completely understand what you mean about them making you a bit mad! Don’t get any of that with the copper coil. However it makes periods heavier for some people, so worth bearing in mind if you’re looking to roll the dice on it.

Can only speak for myself but had
mine done on the Saturday morning at the end of January at gynae dept along with my hysteroscopy, and it stopped my bleeding literally within a couple of hours. I’ve had the odd bit of extremely light spotting every so often but that’s it in 9 months.

Hi, I had this for a couple of years. My GP prescibed Tranexamic acid which worked really well. When I started getting hot flushes and night sweats I went back to my GP who put me on HRT (patches). They've worked really well, my periods are now predictable and more like they used to be. I had loads of issues on hormonal contraception and had to stop taking both combined and mini pill on GP's advice, but HRT has been absolutely fine.

I wear a liner all the time. If I see some blood I stuff my pants with tissue and go get pads. It's never a problem. Always somewhere to buy pads.

Fucking annoying that I can have periods every 2 weeks. WTF.

Mirena has been incredible for me. Still have periods but they are light.
No more flooding. Works for my HRT with high oestrogen.

I never smelt using period pants though and I wear them sometimes if I'm going to be busy at work in case I have a bit of urinary incontinence (prolapse) and they save me. I never wash them in cold water, just straight in the machine and tumble.

Another mirena convert! My
beavy oeriods were caused by a polyp and fibroid. These were removed and coil out in. I’ll be honest, it took a good six months to stop bleeding (although it was lighter in flow) and I spotted for another six might the. But life changing since then. Hormone dose is very low and localised so I had none of the side effects I previously had with pills.

Another vote for the mirena coil here! I had the same experience when I stopped taking the pill when ttc for my first. After stopping, my mood lifted and I felt calmer. I had no idea until then that the pill had been affecting me! I vowed after that not to go back on any hormonal contraception. But then perimenopause kicked in with flooding and random cycles, and I was struggling to also keep my iron levels up. 10 months into the coil (and a polyp removal) and its been so much better. I still get periods but they are incredibly light, and my mood doesn't seem affected by it. But do get checked out for fibroids and polyps too - that can affect bleeding and then they can fit mirena at the same time.

I had odd periods for years and a lot of painMy Women GP was very dismissive. Made me feel like a nuisance.

After a lot of complaining l was given scams, blood tests and hormone counts l was diagnosed with ovarian cysts on both ovaries and some patches of cervical endometriosis.

I was not on even near to menopause according to my hormone levels
But had a full hysterectomy about 22 years ago.

It took a few years to settle down and some weight gain. But it was worth it.

Hope this helps you.

Transanemic acid.

Another vote here for the mirena coil. I'd had one years ago and hadn't got on with it so I was very reluctant to give it a try this time. But my peri menopausal periods were just awful - heavy, flooding, but also with an unbearable build up of hormones which made me feel like I was a) going mad and b) made me feel very low. So I had nothing to lose really.

After an initial 6 weeks of spotting I haven't had a period since. i would honestly say that not only has it changed my life but it's potentially saved my life too. (I know that sounds dramatic, but the impact has indeed been dramatic).

Thank you everyone. Seems like the coil needs researching.

No one else Ive spoken to experienced the "calm" so Im somewhat reassured that it wasnt just me. I dont remember being told about that side effect at the time though.

I’m on my 2nd mirena to control heavy bleeding. It hasn’t stopped them completely and I do sometimes get a heavier bleed. I’ve been getting bleeding fortnightly lately so going back to gynecologist to get it checked. Could be caused by fibroids. It’s a very frustrating!

Following as I don't have time to read the thread now, I'm also all over the place and zero warning, I can have a few months of every 21 days (new to me as used to be 28 days) and then months with nothing. I'm on txa to help with the flooding and the huge clots I now get thanks to the bitch that is peri!

I spent 3 years trying to avoid the Mirena coil as I was worried that as I’d not reacted well to the progesterone only pill that it wouldn’t be good for me. I finally had one fitted during a hysteroscopy and although I had very light spotting for about 5 months, it finally stopped and I’ve had nothing at all since. It’s been amazing. Nothing else worked for me and the pill (both combined and POP) made me feel so ill. I wish I hadn’t spent so long avoiding it!