OMG Having a Period After 15 Months of No Periods!

[Icequeen01]

I'm in shock. I thought I had gone through the menopause! I am nearly 57 and I haven't had a period since the first week of December 2016. Woke up his morning with a slight ache in my back. Just gone to the loo and OMG I have a flaming period! I also have a period pain (forgotten how crap they are!). I've only got some thin panty liners in the house as I got rid of all my sanitary towels a couple of months ago. Do you think my DS18 would mind if I got him up and asked him to pop to the shops for sanitary towels? (😀 joking!).

Has anyone else thought they were through the menopause only to get a period after so long?

Well Ive just googled it and now I'm really worried. It states I should visit GP as in 10% of cases it can be something serious. I feel sick now. I just thought it was annoying. I was due my smear in Feb and didn't get round to it so will be phoning surgery on Monday.

It made me slightly more sympathetic for people who have surprise babies 🤣🤣

But yes slightly different as I had baby after years of infertility and lots of ivf at 40 then a period about 3 months after he was born and thenno periods for 2.5 years so I really thought I was done but nooooo they are back and irregular but back

X

Did you have to see your GP about your periods returning?

You must definitely see a doctor for unusual bleeding when you have gone 12 months without a period. You will be fast-tracked for appointment for scan and investigations within 2 weeks. Your periods finished late so try not to worry but important to be investigated especially at your age.

That must be so annoying at 57

I naively threw all my sanitary stuff out when I came off the pill and had nothing for 5 months. After 5 years of symptoms even on the pill, I thought I had passed it by. Fortunately I had to buy some (gynae op) so had some in. I had loads of erratic close together periods after that and every time I went on holiday - I have now bought sanitary towels and ibuprofen in French, Italian and Japanese.

Unfortunately, it does mean a referral for you as it is more than a year

Thanks Bellaciao. In fact I spoke to a GP this afternoon as we pay into a medical plan which has a 24 hour GP service. The GP told me the same as you. That I must get an emergency appointment with my GP who should fast track me. She said they usually like to have all scans/tests etc done within two weeks. She said that in 80% of the cases she had seen it turns out there is no explanation and everything is fine but stressed that I must not leave this.

I'm not sure if I am reassured by this or more worried to be honest and to think I was joking about it in my first post!

You mentioned in your post that it was good that my periods stopped later. Can I ask why this is?

Thanks for your response Melamin. It was a real shock this morning I can tell you. Have now bought some sanitary towels as Im still bleeding, although very lightly. I have had a humdinger of a headache all day but this may be down to stress.

This is my worst nightmare as I am petrified of internal exams etc, always have been. I have even had counselling to try to help me. So on top of the worry of what has caused this I'm worrying about the procedures I might have to have 😢

It is not uncommon for the ovaries to wake back up within the first few years after you think you are menopausal, and that's probably all it is - just annoying! BUT there is a very slight risk after the change that too much oestrogen (in the absence of progesterone) can make your endometrium thicken up too much, and that's what you need to get checked. You get referred for an urgent scan, they look at your ovaries, cervix and womb lining and then the gynae team, and you, will know if they need to do any further checks. And if so, they will do them pdq, and if there is anything scary going on, they will deal with it just as quickly. Job done.

I've recently been through this so if you want to pm me you are very welcome. I'm sure you will be fine, there are a dozen things it's likely to be before the scary thing, but please get an appointment booked just to make sure. Xxxx

Thanks so much Peach for your informative and reassuring post. I'm so sorry to hear you have just gone through something similar but you sound like you are fit and healthy now.

I'm really trying to keep things in perspective and stop myself from going on Dr Google again. My DH is going to come to GP with me as I am probably going to be rubbish taking in what my GP says. I work in a school so the good thing is I finish on Thursday for a couple of weeks so no problem getting time off for appointments.

Thank you so much for the offer for me to PM you. That is so kind and something I may take you up on.

This happened to me a few years ago. I was referred to the hospital and had a examination. Nothing abnormal detected, it was described as “residual activity”. I didn’t have another period. Hope it is all ok with you.

It also reminded me that I had a period about 6 months after I thought I had finished as well. On holiday abroad, public holiday, shops shut, no sanitary towels, white trousers. Eventually managed to find a window open in a back street chemist dispensing methadone. In sign language managed to get man to understand what I needed. He offered me tampax which I can’t use, so more sign language to get pads.
Then I realised my husband was taking photos of me doing what looked like a dodgy transaction.

Thank you so much for your replies. It is really helping me and my apologies if I am coming across as a bit neurotic! I'm so pleased to hear the positive stories where everything was fine. I'm feeling more positive now.

What I really meant Icequeen1 was that the length of time that has elapsed since menopause is more indicative of whether there is cause for concern with an abnormal bleed when not on HRT, and especially if you are older. A woman of 57 who went through the menopause say at 50 and then suddenly had an abnormal bleed (if not on HRT) - could be justifiably more worried. As your menopause was later than usual and it is only 15 months ago - then there could be some residual hormonal activity as storynanny reports. In fact early post-menopause can last for several years on average from what I recall.

A few women do end up having a thickened lining on account of this hormonal activity which sometimes needs progesterone treatment to thin it. Do try not to worry though.

Hello Icequeen01. Just found your post and your story is identical to mine - even to the same months! I’m a bit younger 😂 at 52 but like you just thought it was a nuisance. I did have pre period symptoms, tender boobs etc so am sure it’s hormonal but will be ringing the dr’s tomorrow to get checks out.

What happened OP? Was everything ok?

Happymrs - at 52 and only 15 months after your last period it is very unlikely to be a cause for concern especially as you had the typical pre-menstrual symptoms. The definition of menopause is set conservatively at 12 months following last period ( in the absence of HRT, POP, coil etc) in order that anyone who does bleed after this is investigated and to ensure that any cases of potential endometrial cancer are very unlikely to be missed. In the vast majority of cases like yours ( ie at your age and very soon after the 12 months has elapsed) I am sure all is well.

Thank you for your response. Yes I’m not overly worried particularly as I have had period symptoms now and again (but period never came) but will get checked just to in the safe side.

It happened to me also about 2 years after my last period ! just the once and pretty light ..and I was about the same age also.. It never occurred to me to go to the docs ( but then i have to be dragged there anyway). but that was it , I never had one again

Happymrs

This happened to me, I was 2 years period free.
Same as you gob smacked .
I googled said see Gp asap.

I rang Gp and told receptionist, she gave me appt that day!
Gp (male ) wanted to do internal I was bit embarrassed and said no.

Got appt at hospital they did a small operation, you are awake
It’s called something but I can’t remember the name now
Basically it’s like an smear where they have a look inside.
They couldn’t see anything and I’d be sent for again.
When I came out of small theatre, I sat for 5 mins you can have coffee if you want.
As I was walking back to the car with dp, I got the most horrendous pains I nearly passed out(low pain threshold) I couldn’t move.
Managed to sit in car and told DP to just get me home.
Took 2 paracetamol and lay down, after half an hour I was fine.

We have private health care, so got it set up and went into bupa hospital with general anesthetic.
Great, totally opposite to what happened.

They found fibroids and polyps, hence the bleed.

If you have this, which I think you will
Take 2 PARACETAMOL 20minutes before procedure

Funnily enough I was going to post again tonight. I managed to get straight to my Dr who did an internal but couldn’t really tell much as I was still bleeding. I was fast tracked and have my hospital appointment tomorrow morning. My bleeding stopped after 7 days (just like my normal periods) and I’ve had no further bleeding. I have had a dull back ache off and on and that feeling as though you are about to start but nothing has happened.

I’m pretty stressed about tomorrow if I’m honest and it’s been made worse by the fact my mum became ill yesterday and has now been admitted to the same hospital so I will have my appointment and then go straight to see her.

I just hope they are able to tell me tomorrow if everything is ok or not but it is reassuring to hear that others have had similar and been fine.

I am assuming you are having a hysteroscopy icequeen same as Haribogirl? This is a v thin camera inserted up through cervix to look at womb. You should be give a leaflet and sign a consent form if so. Or maybe at this point just a scan? I have had these. I had some abnormal bleeding and initially had two scans at same appointment - ultrasound scan ( like with baby) with full bladder, and then transvaginal scan after emptying. They stick a probe thing up and measure thickness of lining and look for abnormailites, but it's just the size of a !!!! and well lubed up! Next appt (another time) was the hysteroscopy ( and biopsy - snip a teeny bit of womb lining and check for cancerous cells or hyperplasia) as an outpatient. I refused to have general anaesthetic as it's just a procedure and have never had one before (GA) - so the advice in the leaflet was to have 2 IBUPROFEN and 2 PARACETAMOL one hour before your appointment, and again if necessary if you have any pain later. My consultant was fab and so I didn't need to take anymore as those meds did the job. All over and done in 15 mins (didn't like the legs in stirrups but hey! Good to see the inside of one's precious female organ!

Hope it goes well....and sorry about your mum icequeen.

Yes that’s what it’s called, knew someone would come up with it

Repeat 2 paracetamol and ibuprofen

The letter just lists all the things you could have done and states the consultant will do an internal at this appointment so not really sure what to expect to be honest.

Just wanted to wish you luck