Is this the beginning of the end? Warning TMI

[CareyHunt]

I am 33, but my mum, gran and aunt all had prem. menopause ( mum in her early 30's.)

So, I have read lots of the posts in this topic, and I share alot of the symptoms (moodiness, itchiness, feling a bit teary/pmt ish) I feel generally a bit shit, and have put on about half a stone that I can't shift ( am usually v.slim).

My periods have also changed alot, from being regular and average, to becoming v.long and heavy. Now the bleeding has changed entirely. For the last few cycles my period seems to stop and start, from about a week before it is due, lasting for about 2 weeks at a time. My blood loss is mainly brown nd sludgy, like my period just can't get started. Sometimes there will be a day or 2 of 'normal' period in the middle, and then it peters out, same brown sludge, stopping and starting.

I can't find any other mentions of brown sludge? Is this it?!!

It could be given your family history, but think you should be checked out in case it is a different medical problem. Have hormone tests done and take it from there. It may be something they can treat you for, if it is an endocrine disorder for example. (I'm not a doctor so don't take this as a diagnosis)

My peri-menopausal periods can be brown and sludgy, too, and the entire thing can stop and start over a couple of weeks- and became alarmingly unpredictable, like the last one where I thought the brown sludge had petered out so that was it (though it would have been my 'lightest' period in years) - then oddly, I woke at 3am one day, why, I don't know, but I just made it to the loo before I was 'gush central'! I keep XL super-duper tampons in the bathroom cabinet just in case!

I'd second the advice to get a check up if only die to your age but if you do have peri-menopausal periods, they sound like mine!