Period or spotting? A bit TMI. Sorry

[TheWoollybacksWife]

In a couple of weeks it will have been a year since my last period.

However for the last couple of days I have had blood on the paper when I wipe. The first day it was brown blood and yesterday it was red. Today I'm back to very faint brown blood. I put a pad on but there is nothing on the pad - if I hadn't looked when I wiped I would be none the wiser. No sore boobs, no pms, no period pain.

Do I have to reset my count? I'm early 50's. No other menopausal symptoms.

IMO yes, reset.
The 12 months is an average/ guidelines. Obviously some women will have no more periods after 11 months, some 13 or longer. If it happens again after a gap of maybe more than 2-3 months I'd see GP and you'd be referred for a scan.

Thank you @JinglingHellsBells

I spoke to my GP a while ago as I was having a bad time with insomnia and suspected it was menopause related. He suggested HRT wasn't an option for me as there is a family history of endometrial cancer so I think I was hoping that this was it and I'd sailed through the menopause without any hassle.

This has just happened to me this week! It will be exactly a year since my last period in one month’s time yet this week I’ve felt pre-menstrual, bloated and upset/ irritable, then this morning same experience as you. I guess this might be normal then...? Or do I see a GP??

@TheOriginalFactoryMum I'm no further along, really. I decided to wait and see if I bled again - so if nothing has happened by mid October then I'll reset my count from my September bleed. If I bleed again I'll go to the doctor. I'm a little wary of seeing him as the last two times I've mentioned the menopause to him he suggested the Mirena coil, I don't want it and I get the impression that it's either the coil or no help whatsoever. 🤷🏻‍♀️

@thewoollybackswife If you can find the funds, book yourself in with a private meno specialist. Most GPs a poorly aware of anything on menopause (huge petition for Parliament going on at the moment via social media to get mandatory training on menopause for GPs. They get none, believe it or not.) Most have no training or experience in menopause. When you say a family history of endo cancer, what exactly does that mean? Your mum? A single incident of cancer in the family rarely counts as 'family history'. The risk factors for it are being overweight and late menopause. But if you wanted HRT, the Mirena coil is regarded as good along with estrogen (and the Mirena reduces the risk of endometrial growth anyway.) So it's worth thinking of that option.