3 periods in 7 weeks is this normal?!

[Eulalia]

Period 1 - started 1st Oct, next one 25 days later on 26th Oct and now this one started today again 25 days later. Is this normal? I feel completely drained as each period I have aching hips and legs and tired obviously and periods are quite heavy. Not taking any contraception at all so I assume this is just my natural body cycle. Prior to this my periods were 30-32 days and prior to that I had no periods at all, in fact hardly had any in the past 8 years due to long term breastfeeding. Prior to babies was on pill but prior to that - long time ago they were never this close together. I am 42.

Still feeding ds2 (age 2) hence reason for not wanting to take contraception and using rythmn method - just as well not been caught out!

Can I do a poll and ask MN's how long they have between cycles and has their cycle ever changed?

Thanks.

Agree with Anna on this one. The pill is the second most liberating thing in my life after my driving license. Actually probably on a par. I tried prostogen only contraception (mirena and implant) and bled more or less constantly. Much worse that qofq's 7 days in every 25. More like 21 days in every 25. But now I am on the pill and take two packets back to back - so am bleeding 6 days (and lighter than I would naturally) out of 49. It is a vast improvement on when I was breastfeeding and having periods or trying these other methods.

Thanks for the messages, seems this is a fairy common problem. I used to be so smug (to myself) about not having any periods, in fact in the 8 years of children I had added together a total 6 years of no periods all naturally with pregnancy and breastfeeding.

the bleeding isn't very heavy, just at the start which is pretty normal. I think I'll leave it another month and see how things are, stress can bring it on earlier and things have been a bit difficult recently.

Yes age I suppose...Mercy, can I ask how old you are now and what is happening with your cycle?

Thanks.

I would be smug about that too eulalia - my periods came back when I was still exclusively breastfeeding DD.

Eulalia, I am 44 and almost 2 years ago I started having more frequent periods completely out of the blue (ds was about 20 months at the time).

Before I had children they were pretty irregular, anything from 26 - 31 days (when I came off the pill, that is). After children they were much more regular - every 26-28 days.

Now they can happen anything from every 20 -28 days. There is just no real patten to speak of but they are generally quite a bit heavier than before, especially in the first 2 or 3 days.

It could be the perimenopause, it could be fibroids - I think it's best you speak to your GP if it's really affecting you or you are worried at all.

Good luck and much sympathy!

Thanks Mercy, I take it you haven't been worried then?

feeling better today, still tired but am fighting off a cold as well and got a few worries about ds1 which should be more or less resolved next week. I'll see how it goes as better to rule out other problems before going to the doctor.