Peri period help required....

[jerin]

Ladies, I could do with some advice please.

I'm due to go on a 4 week holiday over the Easter period and I'm dreading getting a period whilst away. There will be days when I'm travelling for up to 4 hours with no access to a toilet and I just know that I'm bound to get my period then.

The past 2 years I've had only 2 periods per year, one in February then one 3-4 weeks later in mid march. Heavy is not the word, I have to be no more than about 40 minutes from a loo and set my alarm every 2 hours at night.

I will be travelling in Asia, public transport and my options are going to be very limited. Help!
Just typically my February period hasn't happened yet but the flushes are coming thick and fast. (They always start up a few weeks/months beforehand)
Incidentally, when I spoke to my (female) doctor last year about the possibility of premature menopause, she said to come back when I've not had a period for 2 years. I'm 42. My regular periods became irregular (2-3 months Inbetween then longer, 5 years ago.)

Is there anything I can do or take to induce my period now? Or to stop it? Failing that what can I use to avoid flooding? I'm not sure asia will be the best place to try and acquaint myself with a mooncup. Would super size incontinence pads help? An adult nappy? I usually use tampons with pads.

This is causing a massive shadow over the holiday of a lifetime.

Your GP sounds a bit clueless TBH! You can get support during peri without waiting to be post meno- which is what 2 years without a period would be.

In fact if you are having very irregular periods now in your early 40s you ( and your GP!!) ought to be seriously considering HRT to protect your bones as your oestrogen levels will be low.

You can easily delay a period- women do this all the time when they have holidays/ weddings etc. Your GP can prescribe Norethisterone which will delay your period and then about 3 days after you stop you should start bleeding.

I'm not entirely sure of the timing of this with someone who has irregular periods- maybe pop over to the General Health forum here as this question has come up before.

You could start HRT now but it will be hit and miss whether it will control your natural cycle in just 4 weeks because there is sometimes irregular bleeding to start with.

Any chance you could change GPs to one who is more on the ball?

Thank you pinkfrocks, I thought she would suggest hrt or something last year when I went to see her. I've now been a year all but about 10 days, since my last period. I had all the rubbish emotional/forgetful stuff about 4/5 years ago. I'm not too bad now apart from the occasional very heavy bleed.
I will try to see another GP, although it'll probably be a two week wait got an appointment!

If you draw a blank you might like to read the sitewww.menopausematters.co.uk and you can email the NHS consultant who runs it- for £25- and some women show their drs the reply as the basis for treatment.

I'd go back to GP and be quite insistent about HRT - it sounds like you need it. However, it might not be the right HRT first off - it's the same as the pill - you may have to tray a range of hormones to see which one works. And you don't have that much time.

Also to help you try diary doll

When flooding which sounds like what you are doing - these would have been great. I used incontinence pads and knickers and even that didn't stop it.

Transenamic Acic and noristherone may help (as does high doses of Ibuprofen) - but noristherone sent me wacky.

HRT stopped all that flooding with no bother at all -still get periods but completely manageable with a moon cup. Also I had a blood test and found I was anaemic - which apparently can actually increase bleeding.

Mooncups are good for moderate to heavy periods - and you can practice putting them in and out when you don't have a period. I was travelling a lot last year in various unsavoury places and found it brilliant as you can leave it in all day. But not for really heavy bleeding - it just falls out. It depends how heavy your heavy is.

Oh, and as pink frocks says. Your GP sounds clueless, you need the HRT now if you are perimenopausal - not when your periods have stopped.

Agree with the other posters that you should push your GP and get a referral to a specialist if needed - it is important to up your hormones if you're perimenopausal in your early 40s.

For me the solution to the flooding problem was mirena coil. It has worked straight away - but before I had it fitted I was having heavy periods every 10-12 days which is a bit different from your profile.
Also on the flooding - mooncup is really going to help (add a super size pad for a bus journey to give more peace of mind!). I can understand your hesitation re getting first practice in Asia but I'd suggest it is worth getting one and practicing a few times at home. It will make a difference. Note that there are quite a few different brands and some helpful websites reviewing different ones if you are research-inclined...

Good luck!

My GP prescribed Norethisterone. It was fantastic. No side effects and period delayed til I got home.
At your age though I would have thought you need HRT to protect your bones.