Is it possible to have a period without the red stuff?

[Chocol8]

I'm always, always early and have horrific periods, very heavy and clotty.

Last month i was 8 days early after a weeks light bleeding from having a biopsy, but this month i am 3 days late...very unusual for me.

I have been having the usual symptoms: pain, larger boobs etc, but nada going on downstairs. Typical considering i was gonna start the pill back to back to stop the flippin things!

Defo NOT pregnant, but defo in pain. Any ideas please? I suppose it could be the menopause - i'm 41. Any ideas please?

was going to say perimenopause, possibly?

maybe its on way,i get all symptons week before.

The first signs of the menopause

In the years before you reach the menopause, you may notice that your periods aren't so regular. Or there may be a change in your patterns of bleeding. This is often one of the first signs that your hormone levels are changing. Doctors call this stage the perimenopause. It usually begins in your 40s and it can last for several years.1 Some of the most common symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes and problems sleeping, can begin at this time.

Changes in your hormone levels can have lots of different effects on your menstrual cycle.7 For example, when your ovaries start making less progesterone, you may have heavier periods. The job of progesterone is to help prepare the womb for a fertilised egg. It also helps the womb to shed this lining if an egg isn't fertilised. If the ovaries don't make enough progesterone, the lining of your womb may continue growing. This is why many women have such heavy periods during the perimenopause.7

During the perimenopause:

You may have lighter or heavier bleeding than normal.
You may bleed for fewer days or more days than usual.
Your menstrual cycle may get shorter or longer.
You may skip a period.
All of these changes in bleeding patterns are normal during the perimenopause, and they're nothing to worry about. But you should talk to your doctor if you have any of the following changes in your bleeding, because you may have another condition that needs treating.11

You should let your doctor know if:

Your periods are very heavy (you need to change a tampon or pad every hour or two, you have to get up in the night to change your pad, or you have to wear both a tampon and pad)
Your periods last more than six days
The time between the start of one period and the start of the next is shorter than 21 days
You get bleeding or 'spotting' between periods
You bleed after having sex.

isnt aging great

I've had the symptoms for over a week now - but nothing doing. I was wondering perimenopause too...

Sorry Lou - i just saw your post - thank you, yes it looks like perimenopause - fantastic!!!!! Just when i thought my body couldn't let me down anymore than it already has...!

lol ikwym

Terrible period pains but no periods here too. I've had this for the last 3 months, and yes the pain was far worse than normal. Turns out I may have fibroids. This possibility was discovered after the doc tried inserting a meridian and failed miserably. I have a scan due end of April to find out what going on. Last year I did ask the GP if it was possible I was going through the early stages of menopause, (my mum did). I think a blood test confirmed I wasn't. I'm 37.

mirena, sorry for spelling mistake.

Ahh, so i'm not on my own with this then - that's kinda reassuring.

I had a scan in January and was told i had polyps but when they went to take them out a few weeks later, they'd gone! After a bloody general anaesthetic too!

It's 2 weeks now, still in pain and keep running off to the loo to check i haven't started...it's just so flippin annoying. Think i will ask for a blood test to confirm, but last time the doc wasn't keen on getting it done as it costs too much.

Hope they find out what's causing your probs TwirlyN.

ohhh how annoying. I remember years ago they discovered cysts on ovaries. I went for a scan, it had gone. Nurse wasreally baffled as she was looking for something the size of a tennis ball. Have you spoken to your mum about her history?

Hi TwirlyN, I know Mum used to have very bad periods, but she's not around now sadly.

But you could be right about it running in the family, my sister who is on a trial about heavy periods told me today that a woman who has a "heavy" period will lose 120ml in one cycle - she lost double that in just one day!!! In the time she was bleeding, she lost 484ml!!!!! And, she's not anaemic! Amazing.

Have asked for doc to call me back tomorrow to see what if anything can be done - my boobs are still bad, i'm moody as hell and still in alot of pain...it just doesn't make sense, unless it is perimenopause.

to hear about mum. Good luck with docs. do you let know how you get on.

Hi Twirly, guess what, i didn't get a call from the doctor as i requested, but it didn't matter too much as i started late last night!

I really can't remember a time i was late (except being pregnant of course) - i'm ALWAYS early! Weird. Still, as Lou says, it is one of the signs of perimenopause, so may ask for a blood test next time i'm there.

chocol8 why don't you just ask for a blood test. Tell your doc you think you may be perimenopausal. At least you'd know for sure.