Period lasted 11 days - start of Perimenopause?

[anewbook]

Hello. Is anyone able to help please who has gone through peri/menopause?

I am 45.
Periods all regular and lasted 5 days until last month (actually on my 45th birthday)when it lasted 11 days. The flow was lighter from Day 6 ish but just kept going.
I have never experienced anything like this before and was wondering if it’s the official start of Perimenopause? I have been having some peri symptoms for a while now.

No-one to ask in real life ie mother/sister etc.
Trying to get an appointment at the GP is a battle in itself and I have lost the will a bit.

Just wondering if this is totally normal ?

Thanks

.

It could be. It could also be stress, or after some other infection such as covid. I wouldn't worry about it. If you periods become irregular from now on, then it may be the start of the menopause, but wait and see what happens next month.

Thank you @sonjadog
That has reassured me a bit.
I have been under a lot of stress lately.
I will see what happens this month!

Yes this can be normal - average age of menopause is 45-55. Periods can be further apart, closer together, heavier or lighter. I had a massively heavy period one month then missed the next month.

This is abnormal bleeding. It could indicate an issue with the lining of the womb. You could wait for next month but if it's not back to normal you need to go to the gp and insist on an ultrasound. I've recently been through similar, later period, spotting then heavy period. My lining was way, way too thick. After a biopsy I know it's ok and not cancer and hopefully a mirena will now sort it out but it would have been so easy for me to say it was peri and ignore it and put up with the symptoms. When I was concerned about cancer I was so glad I'd gone straight to gp. Any abnormal bleeding should be checked, I know it's a pain.

@over50andfab thanks, I didn’t know it could vary so much ! Although I have been reading up on it for a while, nothing quite prepares you for the real thing.

@fuckmyuteruslining
thank you for sharing your experience.
That must have been worrying for you. Glad to hear that all turned out to be well and hope your symptoms settle down. It can be very concerning when things start going haywire after decades of regularity.
You are absolutely right regarding abnormal bleeding, it should be checked out.

I don’t know anything about the mirena but have heard about it on MN. I will do a bit of research.