Hi, I dont know whether to bother with a doctors appointment where I will be inevitability be fobbed off with "you're a woman" or to suck it up and wait it out. Any advice would be welcome.
My periods have gone from being a clockwork 28 days to between 24-26 days since I had my children which is fine and I can handle that. But they're becoming much heavier and a bit shorter, I've always had heavy periods with some pain but for the last year or so I can only liken it to contraction type pain that I have to crouch down to wait it out.
I'm passing lots of clots throughout which is quite normal for me but the size of them is increasing and the pain beforehand feels like a weight in my vagina/cervix and then goes as soon as I pass it. I don't really experience anything other than a bit of discomfort between these times.
I've also noticed (TMI, sorry) that I think I'm bleeding from my bum also. I do have piles but they don't bother me. It's only when I'm on my period that it happens, I can't use tampons any more due to the clotting so I solely use pads. I've read that this can be a sign of endo but I don't think I have any other symptoms of this. Presumably this isn't normal or just does nobody else talk about it?
Im early 40s so chances are that I'm peri menopausal. I don't know whether to ride it out or get checked. Im due a blood test for my iron levels as they've been consistently low for pretty much my whole adult life. I had a smear a couple of weeks ago that came back clear.