Diagnose me please!

[AWaspOnAWindowInAHeatwave]

I gave birth in 2014, fell pregnant again whilst BF without having a period, gave birth again, BF until January this year.

I had an implant fitted just under a year ago because it had worked well for me pre-DC (history of heavy painful periods, implant stopped my periods altogether).

My period came back within a week of stopping BF and so far had returned every 2 weeks ish, lasted between 8 and 10 days each time, and swung from barely there to a full-on gush and everywhere in between without any particular pattern.

The most recent period lasted 29 solid days, finished yesterday, and I can feel the pre-menstrual cramps coming back again tonight so I'll not be surprised if I don't start another period before the weekend's out.

I've put on around a stone because I'm craving the usual crap period foods pretty much all the time.

My breasts have shrunk to almost nothing but I keep getting a "let-down" pain / burning and hardening sensation in them half a dozen times a day or so.

And they've started producing little dribbles of milk over the past couple of weeks - like colostrum as opposed to actual milk.

I'm struggling to sleep due to constant night sweats and ridiculous but really vivid dreams - I'm having to change the sheets daily as I'm waking up wringing wet through multiple times per night.

My mood is pre-menstrual / menstrual pretty constantly.

Weirdly, my sex drive appears to have shot up through the roof, and I'm driving DH barmy with it.

Someone please reassure me this is just what happens after putting my body through a continuous pregnancy/breastfeeding cycle for a few years, and it'll sort itself out?

I've got an appointment with the GP in a couple of weeks but if she's only going to tell me it's to be expected, I'd rather not waste her time.

I have no idea but it doesn't sound normal to me. I think you are right to get this checked out by the GP & I hope they are helpful. Definitely not a waste of time to see the GP at all & I'd be surprised if they didn't want to look into it further.
Maybe keep a diary of symptoms to show the doc.

Thanks Jim. I've been keeping track of the bleeding in my period tracker app but I'll start to note when the other things are happening too. I was wondering if it was just par for the course after being pregnant/breastfeeding for 3 years straight without a period.

How old are you? Could it be perimenopause?

It sounds like your oestrogen levels are high (or progesterone low). Maybe your doctor will prescribe a progesterone supplement, or recommend a progesterone only contraceptive instead of the implant.

I should hope it's not perimenopause - I'm early 30s (and hoping for another child in the future!)

Thanks Vitamin - I'd prefer to stick with the implant if possible as pre-DC I tried just about every contraceptive out there and the implant was the only one that kicked my awful periods into touch - although I think I'd rather know I'll have to write off one week of the month than not know when it's coming next!

Sounds terrible and all to familiar for me, you need to get an appointment with your GP and tested for endometriosis, I have struggled for 10 years with your symptoms and now take CP for 90 days then 1 week off and so on.

Thanks user. I'll keep the GP appointment then.

Get your thyroid checked too. Including your anti-bodies. Heavy periods/weight gain and difficulty regulating your temp could be signs all is not well. Are you feeling overly tired or anxious too?

May be worth having it looked at.

Thank you. Yes I do feel tired and anxious all the time but I think that just comes with he territory of having 2 under 2, a full time job and a zillion other commitments.

They will probably give you the pill for a month to ease your bleeding down.

A pituitary gland tumour causing excess prolactin?

God Sunshine I don't like the sound of that...

I'm not a medic only a guess so don't panic on my account!!!! It probably is thyroid related or early menopause TBH

Just remembered another symptom I omitted from my OP... I've developed a moustache (not one made out of hair, but a darkening of the skin between my nose and top lip), if that's relevant to anybody.

Sunshine - I'd rather it wasn't thyroid related or early menopause either!! But thanks for the suggestions.

I'd have the implant taken out as a first step so you can see what your body is actually doing if it were me

And my butterfly mask has got darker too (although it never really went away).

I might as well have the implant taken out - 2 poor sleepers under 2 are a contraceptive all by themselves funnily enough. Only thing I'm concerned about is I'm anaemic anyway, and if I end up with the same heavy periods I had pre-DC I won't be able to function!

It's the implant. Known for causing erratic bleeding patterns, even if you have got on with it before. Still see gp to rule out other things though.

Mini pill might help my periods have stopped. I had the implant for 4 months the first couple of months was fine and then I bled continuously for 6 weeks. I had to have that out I had no energy.

Have you done a pregnancy test?

(V unlikely I know, but purely to exclude) You def need to see GP

I have endometriosis, I believe the implant caused/triggered it but can obviously never prove that.

I have symptoms similar to you. Pain, mid cycle bleeding/brown discharge, hormone fluctuations that cause all kinds of symptoms, crippling fatigue, bloating, brain fog..

The only way to diagnose is via laparoscopy. Your GP should start with bloods and scans and refer you to a gynea. I've had laparoscopies to treat mine but it always comes back

I also have Hashimotos- endo symptoms are magnified 100x when my thyroid is under active. Levothyroxine helps.

..have you tried desogestrel,contraceptive pill.you take it every day at the same time...no bleeding.