Periods erratic?

[thebestpossibletaste]

I thought that during the menopause my periods would become less frequent, but sadly that's not the case.

I'm 48, nearly 49 and after being regular all my life, over the last year my periods have been very heavy for two days then spotting for the remaining five days, my cycle lengthened to 30 days and the pain was sometimes unbearable, so that I would just lie in bed with a hot water bottle and cry.

Last month I had another full period two weeks after the first one, now it's three weeks since then and I think another period is on it's way, sore boobs, some pink discharge.

Is this fairly normal and how am I supposed to know when I'm due on? I've been trying to plan my life around my cycle as the pain is so bad and my period so heavy at first that I don't want to be out of the house on those days but that will become very difficult if they are going to be all over the place.

I've spoken to my GP about the menopause but blood tests have shown nothing and they wanted to send a camera "up there" to have a look (I've had some mid cycle spotting), which I find extremely invasive as I think this is probably just normal hormonal fluctuations, so am reluctant to go back at the moment.

Is this fairly normal and how am I supposed to know when I'm due on?

Yes it's normal and knowing when you will have a period- or not knowing- is all the fun of meno! You can't predict them at all.

Agree that the investigation sounds a bit OTT- it's a great idea for women who have stopped bleeding for a year or more- but if you are having periods then it seems a bit unnecessary.

Oh joy!!

The GP I saw was very young and wouldn't really discuss menopause with me, seemed to think it wasn't an option or wasn't prepared to be happy to do something about it. This is the second GP I've seen. The first one was older than me and told me, it's just my age!! Like, deal with it!

I'm not struggling much yet, I get the odd hot night, not so much flushes as waking up very hot and kicking off the duvet. I'm not worried about taking HRT, at least at the moment - unless the GP had told me I should.

I am losing some hair, have been for a while but when referred to see a gynae, she said that is more likely due to my psoriasis - she could be right, I don't know, but am petrified of having a bald patch!! I now daren't have it coloured in case it makes things worse, which is making me feel a bit unhappy as I have more and more grey strands growing, certainly at the front. I've bought some henna and when I have time will try that, hope it will cover some grey.

Hair loss can be down to thyroid issues so maybe worth pushing for a blood test to check? You can also buy Regane for women if that route appeals? But receding hair can be female pattern baldness which can be hormone related- so you should have some blood tests.

Thanks, they took a blood test and everything came back ok so presumably not thyroid.

Not sure how Regane works but am always really cautious with shampoos because I have psoriasis of the scalp and it is easily aggravated, I use only SLS free shampoo etc.

It's not a receding hairline, though, it's more a general thinning the hairdresser said. Could that be hormone related?

Yes it is well known that post meno- low oestrogen- hair thins in some women. But it can also thin for other reasons such as stress, poor diet- such as anaemia-and so on.

Is the hair breaking off due to your psoriasis? I had eczema on my scalp at one time and the hair fell out - in patches- around the dry scalp. It did grow back but for a while I had some bald patches mainly behind my ears.

If you can afford it a trichologist such as Philip Kingsley salons might be able to advise.

I'm not sure if the hair is breaking or not. I've had psoriasis for as long as I can remember. I have been losing quite a bit of hair for years, probably since my youngest was born 12 years ago.

Hi OP, I totally sympathise. I started going crazy period wise around 37 and a few friends experiencing similar. At the moment I spot for a week then progress to flooding. I'm having period pains for a week before and during. So it's pretty much constant. Oh and I can't bloody sleep either. Roll on the menopause I say. :(

Hello OP, it sounds very similar to my experience.

Your hair problems could be because of the sudden change to your hormones and any loss or thinning could stop soon.
The irregular cycle was something I had to get used to and was similar to yours right at the beginning of menopause.
My hair is ok now just slightly thinner at the front, but not noticeably to anyone else. Eventually you will know your true cycle as hormones settle a bit, but the irregularity could continue for quite some time.
It lasted for a year with me and then completely stopped, it was hell for that year. But hey, we're all different. I had no other side effects whatsoever apart from a baby and was completely finished by 40

morethanpotatoprints LOL at no other side effects whatsoever apart from a baby!!

Guess I'm going to have to live with the irregularity and hope I don't get caught out. I work part-time and so far haven't been at work on the day I started my period so haven't had to deal with the pain there, but know that it's going to happen sometime and am dreading it! On the plus side, I've found some fairly strong painkillers at Boots (Naproxen) which seem to help more than Feminax, but I hate the thought of the side effects and worry incessantly about them when taking the tablets, try and keep it to a minimum whilst still coping with the pain.

If you're bleeding mid-cycle, then you do need the gynae checks to ensure there are no underlying conditions (some of which you are in the age frame for). Also to look for things like polyps which can be easily and painlessly removed (and which are almost invariably benign) and which are a common cause of erratic bleeding.

Thanks. I had have an internal and a scan, neither of which showed anything. The mid cycle bleeding has stopped now too - well, in the whole scheme of irregular periods anyway!

I just don't fancy them putting a camera up there, don't fancy the pain and can't face a general anaesthetic either (they make me sick!) for something that is probably just hormonal.

Oh definitely don't take feminax OP. As a young child I had bad pain as started at nine, hence the early change.
Feminax contains aspirin which is known to thin out the blood and can make you heavier. I know everybody is different but when I suggested to my doc I took these for the pain, he said under no circumstance with irregular bleeding due to the above mentioned. Sorry not as a child, it was fine to take then, I mean during menopause.

Thanks for that info, didn't know that, thought they were just strong ibuprofen.

thebest

There are lots of natural remedies recommended to help with any side effects you may have. you will hear people recommending something that somebody else has told you not to bother with, because it didn't work for them . ime I would say try lots of things and see if they work, when you get to that stage. On the positive side your irregularity sounds like my experience and it only lasted a year, but it was complete hell. Not knowing when its going to happen becomes more than inconvenient and hormones can turn you into a she devil. Not everyone gets the same symptoms though and some pretty much sail through.
Good luck.

Just remembered OP. As a child with the severe pain that makes you sick as well my Doctor prescribed a drug called Ponstan Forte. I'll never forget the big yellow tablets. A horse would have struggled to swallow one, but they worked. Not sure if they are still on the market as 35+ years ago.

Not heard of them but will check them out, thanks

Yes they are around- they are a strong pain killer which help with uterine contractions- my gynae gave me some to take when he did a biopsy of my uterus lining but I didn't take any- it was quite painless!

thebest FWIW I had a hysteroscopy- camera- with no GA or no local anaesthetic. That was my choice- was offered both.
It was painless though took quite a while ass my cervix was tight but I was post meno then- a younger women would find it easier.

Thanks Bella, I've had three vag. births without any pain relief but when I had a coil inserted 13 years ago I was told it wouldn't hurt but nearly passed out with the pain so when they told me the camera examination would hurt a little I am understandably a little sceptical.

I'm like this and it's been going on for about 4 years. Completely erratic, flooding, etc etc.

I have had numerous scans and a hysteroscopy, all of which found nothing. I also had a blood test to predict whether I was near the menopause and I wasn't.
I take tranxanamic acid for the flooding which helps a bit

Orange, how old are you? I can't face four years of this!

I'm 49, and totally sick of it. I do not want to repeat the experience of a hysteroscopy ever again. My periods can be 3 months or 2 weeks apart, but always always last at least a week, and sometimes 3 . In terms of pain, it's like being a teenager again. I just want them to go away...

Frequently have to wear super plus plus tampon with pad, and still flooding within an hour, and at night have to make up a nappy like arrangement of pads. Totally sick of it

I'm 45 and stopped taking Cerazette last September. Nothing for 4 months then a light bleed of one day in January. A 3 day bleed in February. In March and April I have had sore boobs, dragging feeling in my stomach but no bleed. Suppose I will have to make an appointment with my GP although my blood test last year showed no menopause indicators. I know I'm not pregnant because you have to have sex for that On the plus side I had my free sample of Sylk the other day.