Brown discharge sorry TMI warning

[Namechangre]

Hi
I'm 45 and been having peri symptoms for about 4 years, including periods closer together, getting heavier flow (not flooding though,) hot flushes, vag dryness, breast pain, poor sleep etc.
Saw GP who diagnosed peri based on symptoms alone, she did an internal and said all looked OK, recommended Sylk/natural remedies first before going down hrt route. Smears up to date.

However, for the last 2 years or so I've been getting brown discharge after my period. Period takes a day or 2 to get going, bleed for around 3-4 days, then get brown discharge which gradually tails off after a week or so. Its mostly when I wipe and it is slight its just I obsess over checking toilet tissue. Never fresh blood though.
What scared me was that I read that brown discharge that goes on for more than 3 days can be serious ie cancer. But then I also read that just about anything can be expected / normal in peri.
Does this sound like peri? Has anyone else had this?
TIA

I can understand you feeling anxious but to be honest it does sound pretty normal. Are you getting a week of brown discharge after the 3-4 days or is it a week including the 3-4 days?
I think what you're finding is just a slightly longer period which happens in peri, or not- it varies for everyone.
I've had friends who have had permanent brown spotting all month in peri- it's often low progesterone in the 2nd half of the cycle (treatment is the mini pill/POP) if it's really bothersome- but that's not quite what you've got.

BTW if you are having all those symptoms, you don't need to put off HRT especially for vaginal dryness. There is no virtue in not using vaginal estrogen cream when you are suffering. The other stuff your dr suggests are lubes/ moisturisers, but they don't actually change the vaginal cells from estrogen-depleted to normal.
You also don't need to put up with all the other symptoms either- HRT would sort.

I started a thread on the BMS advice a couple of threads down and there is also a link there to Dr Newson's site and HRT info- worth reading.

Hi Jingling
No for a week or so after my period. Its not heavy, just a smudge on my knickers/liner. It's gone on for about 2 years or more, seems to coincide with periods closer together but shorter and heavier.
If it was anything untoward would it have worsened by now?
I'm too scared to go to see my gp.
Anxiety is sky high, from after period to ovulation and then it settles down for 2 weeks and then starts again.

It really does sound like a hormonal imbalance.
You really ought to consider HRT as you have a lot of symptoms incl the anxiety. You are also young to be in peri for 4 years by 45 and you'd benefit from the extra top up of estrogen to protect your bone density.
Have a chat with your GP?

Yes thank you, I'll make an appt.

GP had previously said she wouldn't recommend hrt as my mum had breast cancer in her early 40s,and also I'm very overweight (trying to lose it though.)

The anxiety is the worst thing, centres on my health. Also lots of urinary symptoms, frequency, slight leaking, feels like a uti but nothing there. Always happens after period up til ovulation. Would that point to low estrogen or low progesterone, or both?

Thank you so much for your help x

I get this too. I assumed it was normal.

I'm also using Vagifem. It's brilliant.

The Vagifem sorted out all my bladder symptoms that are identical to those you described

PalomaPear

I did mention it to my gp ages ago but she just said it was to do with peri (re the discharge.)
I'm glad it's not just me!
Are you on any other hrt or just vagifem, if you don't mind me asking?

I'll ask gp, going to book an appt on Monday.

Hi, I'm a couple of years older than you but my symptoms are the same, except anxiety.

I get heavy periods close together with a drip afterwards than can last a week. My 31 day cycle has now become 25.

I'm also fat!

The bladder things were sorted by Vagifem. I never thought about vaginal dryness as my sex life was fine.
So when my GP suggested Vagifem after me saying, no I dont have any dryness, I thought she was mad but I was desperate. I was clawing the walls thinking I had a UTI.
It worked within a couple, of weeks. You do a 2 week loading does of every day and then twice a week afterwards. After I had been on it a few months it seemed to stop working, so she told me to repeat the loading dose. And that's what I do, when I feel a bit of a burn start I use more.
My summer holidays was ruined last year because I thought I had a UTI. I wish I'd known about it then.
No other HRT ( yet)

Paloma
I never used to get uti's but over the last few years I've had loads. When the practice nurse checks my urine it's nearly always clear, even though I get all the symptoms, burning, frequency-up to about 20 times a day, and terrible urgency and pain.
I use the supermarket cystitis sachets or bicarb of soda which helps a little.
It's so frustrating for those 10 days or so every month. I only feel normal for the last 2 weeks of my cycle.
warning tmi also feel like my labia have shrunk and feels like they're rubbing on my knickers. Like thrush but it's not.
I'm going to ask gp if she can give me vagifem. I'll mention the discharge too but I'm hoping that it's all tied in to peri.

Thank you so much for your help!

The risks with your mum's cancer do not apply to you.
Taking HRT at 45 does not have the same risks as for older women ( 50+) this is because you are simply topping up what you should have until the age of the average menopause- 51.

You do need to get your vaginal atrophy sorted. All the symptoms you mention are caused by loss of estrogen. I don't have much faith in your GP because if she examined you, she ought to have seen your shrunken labia.

Without treatment, Vagifem or Ovestin, this will get worse. It can become almost irreversible in time if nothing is done so the sooner you begin the better.

Is there another GP you can see because yours is not clued up on menopause or HRT.

Being overweight is not a reason to avoid HRT BUT being overweight puts you at a far higher risk of having breast cancer than using HRT, so you need to tackle that.

This chart shows the risks between BC and other factors- you can see that weight causes an extra 24 cases compared to 4 for using HRT.
So if you do use HRT you should also be doing everything you can to lose weight.

www.menopausematters.co.uk/pdf/Understanding%20Risk%20of%20Breast%20Cancer.pdf

@Namechangre please let me know how you get on. Happy for you to PM me if you want but I've clicked on watch this thread.
If you can get Vagifem then you will soon feel the difference.
Good luck!

Paloma
Thank you. I'll update once I've been to see the gp.
Fingers crossed!

Am similar age and get brown discharge all month. Had a clear smear, clear test for uterine and bladder cancer so would presume its perimenopause though doctor won't give me anything and says its not.

@Namechangre ** How are things?