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Original poster

Do you have a longer gap between periods as you get older?

17 replies

1234ThumbWar · 14/09/2010 10:05

I've always had the most reliable cycle ever, knew on day one of period every time I got pg (except the time I'd just had a baby Hmm. I'm now four days late, last month I was two days late - it's highly unlikely I'm pregnant as not only has DH had the snip, but I'm 42. Could this be an age thing? I ask my Mum recently when she started the menopause and she said early 50's so surely I'm still a bit too young. I'm finding it very unsettling.

OP posts:
PANCHEY · 14/09/2010 13:48

bump

SolidGoldBrass · 14/09/2010 13:51

NO help as such but the same thing is happeneing to me - going up to 3/4 weeks late sometimes. I think it is possibly the beginning of the menopause.

fishingfilly · 14/09/2010 13:58

my sister started missing the odd period or they would come later and later - this happened for 2 years. She started this at age 44.

Im 43 and mine are coming every 3 weeks now!

strandedatsea · 14/09/2010 13:59

There is something called the perimenopause - which is sort of your body preparing for menopause but can last years. I am also 42 (it seems to be a popular age for things to start changing!) My periods have actually got much closer together but I have apparently got a cyst on my ovaries. I am off to see the dr about it this morning (very worried) but I have also had blood tests done to see if I am perimenopausal.

TennisFan · 14/09/2010 14:00

I have only had 2 or 3 periods since christmas - i am 43

strandedatsea · 14/09/2010 14:00

fishingfilly - me too, every 3 weeks.

purplepeony · 14/09/2010 14:02

Menopause is anywhere between 45-55. The pattern can chage as early as 10 years before the last period.

Some people experience longer gaps but some people's come closer together. Mine were like this- they would come ever 3 weeks and once it was down to a 17 day cycle. I didn't miss any, or have longer intervals at all, until I was around 52, then they just got lighter and lighter but with no gaps until a 4 month gap before the last one.

Ragwort · 14/09/2010 14:02

You might be pregnant - vasectomies don't always work Grin - I had my first child at 42 and thought it was the start of the menopause ................ !

But yes, the gap between periods did get longer and longer for me and then after a couple of years with just two periods they stopped (at 50 ish) - bliss, no more periods ! And I was lucky and had no other menopause symptoms/problems.

fruitshootsandheaves · 14/09/2010 14:04

Mine are coming more frequently...they were every 35 days, but now are about every 24-28 days.
I am also 42, nearly 43 and I am going for blood tests this week to check things out. I am very panicky about any slight change since my mum had lots of trouble which turned out to be ovarian cancer Sad

MollieO · 14/09/2010 14:08

No. Late 30s I went from a 28 day cycle to a 21 day one for no rhyme or reason and it has remained 21 ever since (now mid 40s).

strandedatsea · 14/09/2010 14:10

fruitshootsandleaves - Sad for your mum. I am panicky too.

Niecie · 14/09/2010 14:15

Same here. Always as regular as clockwork 22 day cycle and frankly, after 30 yrs of such a short cycle I don't want them to come any more frequently!!

Now I find that it can be a couple of days late sometimes. I am 44 so I suppose it might be the perimenopause. What a depressing thought.

Niecie · 14/09/2010 14:17

strandedatsea - hope all goes well for you and your mind is put at rest.

DaftApeth · 14/09/2010 14:24

My perods went awol for a while, I could go 6 months without one and then they would come back as normal for a few cycles.

I assumed it was the beginning of the menopause but my GP wasn't convinced and felt I was a bit young (early 40's).

After lots of blood tests, it turns out all my hormones are normal but I have an underactive thyroid and since starting medication, they have returned as normal (oh, joy!).

Original poster
1234ThumbWar · 14/09/2010 16:15

DaftApeth - I've had an underactive thyroid for years, so not likely to be that as I've been on thryoxine a long time and can tell when it's out of sync.

OMG Ragwort - I do not need to hear stories of women getting pg after vasectomy at 42 I was feeling most secure in the knowledge it wasn't likely. I've already managed to be the daft woman in the anti natal group who's pg again before most others have even got around to sex.

I'm off to google peri-menopause, it sounds like this IS the age that things begin to change then. I have been hormonal (crying during Big Brother on Friday!), but my DH would say that's nothing new Grin.

Fingers crossed for you strandedatsea.

OP posts:
strandedatsea · 14/09/2010 16:37

Thanks - just back from dr's and will be seeing a gynaecologist next week as - of course - all my tests are inconclusive. In the meantime yet another blood test, this time for CA125 which is cancer indicator but hopefully this is just to rule it out. I am hopeful I will not need surgery immediately as we live overseas and have very little support.....

Original poster
1234ThumbWar · 14/09/2010 17:27

Hope the results won't take too long to come back, I'm sure it is just to rule it out and cysts are very common I believe.

OP posts:
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