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?

Thank you so much. Will update later.

Well I saw the consultant this morning who asked lots of questions and then did an internal and attempted to do a hysteroscopy. Unfortunately the entrance to the uterus was very tight due which he said was due to the fact I had my DS by c-section so I assume I haven't been stretched! The consultant has decided to do the procedure under a GA as he could tell how anxious I am having an internal and didn't think I would cope well just having a local. I have to say I was pretty relieved at that! They will also do a scan at the same time. My DH asked the consultant what he would be looking for 🙄 and he said he had to check for cancer but he felt it was unlikely in my case due to the short length of time since my last period but stressed he couldn't rule it out. He also said it isn't unusual to have one or two rogue eggs released after the menopause. I'm bleeding a little now which I am assuming is from the attempt to do the hysteroscopy and not because it has started off another period!

So everything was much as you all had predicted. I'm feeling a little less anxious now but hope we can get the procedure done asap - I was told they try and do them within 4 weeks but I have signed a form to say I would be available at short notice if a cancellation came up.

Thank you all so much for all the advice and handhold, I have so appreciated it and I will update once I have had the procedure.

Glad you’re feeling more relaxed now. I went to the drs today and have been told I will have appointment at the hospital within 2 weeks so I guess I’ll have the same thing as you. I had 3 big babies via vaginal birth so I’ll probably be ok on that side of things! Not too worried but I could see the form said suspected cancer - but he said unlikely as always had normal smears and no problems etc. Best to be on the safe side.

So glad you managed to get an appointment quickly MrsHappy. You sound so much more level headed than me. I’m a really confident person in all other areas of my life apart from anything gynae. No idea why. It definitely sounds as though you should be ok after 3 bouncing babies 😄 Do let me know how you get on. I mean this in the nicest possible way but it’s nice to hear of someone in a similar situation!

Thank you. Yes the procedures don’t worry me too much - just be glad to get the results done with. I know of a few people who had a similar thing in the past who didn’t realise they should have it checked out. They’re all ok. I’ll post once it’s been done.

Thought I would give you a little up-date.

I went to have my pelvic scan today but, unfortunately, they were unable to see anything as apparently I have so many fibroids! I could see the face of the person who was doing the scan and she was pulling all sorts of faces which scared the life out of me. She then stated it was impossible to see anything because I had so many fibroids. She said she would send a report through to the consultant and that he may decided to do a MRI scan. So I'm no further forward to be honest.

HappyMrs - have you heard anything yet?

Hi. Sounds like I’ve been luckier than you. Had my done this week. It was a bit more uncomfortable than I expected and period pains and a bit of bleeding for a couple of days afterwards Consultant said all looks fine but she did do a biopsy just to be on safe side but she did say she really is not expecting anything. Up to 4 weeks for the results. Good luck x

That's great news, so pleased everything is ok. Fingers crossed I will be in the same position in a few weeks 😀

Thank you. Yes I certainly hope so 🤞

Just had the same happen to me also on holiday! Luckily my daughters are with me and had some tampons and towels with them. I’ve made a gp appointment for Monday when we get back. I’m 52 and had the mirena fitted for 7 years with nonperiodd during that time. I had it removed in October and had bleeding the week after but doctor thought that was due to having the coil removed and didn’t refer me anywhere. Been period free since till yesterday but been feeling like I’m about to have a period for about a week.

I'd not worry Murinae. The Mirena would mask the perimenopause anyway, so you are probably not post menopause yet. You can't count the 7 years- expect you know that- with the mirena as 'no periods' so you would need to count 12 months from october when it sounds as if you had a period. You won't have gone a full year yet from what you say.

@Queen The consultant who took the coil out said the last two years counted as no periods as there would be no hormone left on the mirena by then. Not quite sure that’s true but he did say to come back if any bleeding. I have made a gp appointment for Monday. I’m hoping they can do hormone blood levels or something rather than a biopsy! I got my letter for a smear test two weeks ago but haven’t made an appointment yet as we were going away. I’m not that worried. Think it probably is residual hormones and that the mirena still had some hormones left working when they took it out.

Ah sorry! Thought you meant you'd had a mirena for 7 years but not necessarily the same one. Maybe yes, there was still some hormone left in it. You're doing the right thing anyway. Expect your GP will refer you for a scan and maybe a biopsy after that. Blood tests won't show anything- even if they show post meno levels in your blood they won't show any thickening of the lining.

No that was my third mirena so hadn‘t had a period in about 17 years! Was a bit of a shock when I started one about 4 days after having it removed. It lasted about 7 days too. Was another shock to start another one now and I thought I was finished with all that! Don’t like the sound of the biopsy either

My periods stopped when l was 53. One year later on holidays abroad l got my period. Mad search for shop. No periods for a year. Exactly one year later on holidays abroad again l had another period. Very weird. None since.Didnt even occur to me to see a doctor. But l had scans since for another reason and all was fine. What is the thing with the holidays as already mentioned twice here?

@June no idea but the first time in October I was also on holiday in Portugal. Was really embarrassing as I got blood all over the bed! This time is also on holiday but thankfully the bed was still clean and just my pjs had blood on them. We are also only in Buxton so no were warm and exotic this time.

It's such a pain isn't it! I've got a date through for my biopsy but it's not until 29th May - so much for fast tracking. I've also received another letter today from the hospital asking me to go for an ultrasound scan next week. I had one done at the hospital on Saturday but because of all the fibroids they couldn't see anything! I think there's been a mistake and it should be an MRI scan as this is what I was told they would probably have to do.

This whole situation is taking so much longer than I had expected and I'm getting anxious about it all again. No further periods but lots of period like pains but this may be being caused by the fibroids.

So the new date for another ultrascan was sent by mistake because the person who carried out the ultra scan didn't put anything on the system so they were unaware I had already had it. That also means that the report she wrote hasn't been sent to my consultant. So another week lost. 😡

Icequeen01 that‘s terrible. I’m now just back home and contemplating cancelling the gp appointment tomorrow. The thought of the referral is putting me off. Would a smear test give the same results as I have my letter for that so could get an appointment quickly? Good news is I got the all clear on my mammogram from the week before last. Three years ago I got recalled for that and ended up with a biopsy which was thankfully just fibrous tissue.

I have mownjustnstoppef bleeding so it was Wednesday to Sunday so about the same length as a period.

That's exactly he same as me. My bleeding lasted exactly 7 days which would have been the same as when I had periods. I haven't had any more bleeding so I'm hanging onto that!

I'm afraid I don't know the answer about you just having the smear test but I would assume it can't be as easy as that otherwise they could have suggested that to me to speed things up. Why don't you go and have a chat with your GP? I promise you, no one can be as bad as me about having gynae procedures. Great news about your mammogram. That must be such a relief for you.

@Murinae A smear test is only for cervical changes. The risks with post meno bleeding are (worst case) endometrial cancer, so a smear doesn't pick this up. They do a scan and maybe a biopsy to check. Bleeding can also be caused by polyps in the womb, fibroids or a cervical polyp.

Ok I haven’t cancelled it. I also told my boss I would have to leave early today so I’m going to the gp at 3:30.

Just come out of Gp. She was really nice (hadn’t seen this one before) and did the smear test there and then and has referred me to the gynaecologist for an urgent scan and then gyne appointment. Said should be within two weeks.

Well done @Murinae. So pleased you plucked up courage to see your GP. I hope your 'fast track' is quicker than mine 😀 I'm week 5 and have got no where really apart from finding out I have fibroids! Please come back and let us know how you get on.