is this peri and what should I do?

[lockdownmadness]

I'm not sure I'm quite there yet but I am concerned.
My periods are still regular but definitely lighter. I have had cysts in the past and also a fibroid removed.
This month I bled for 4 days mid cycle.. very light and now spotting 7days before I'm.due. I have pain and sickness, could be infection I guess, but I also have sore boobs which doesnt happen very often. I'm teary and low and unable to concentrate with really bad brain fog. Think I'm going to have to call the GP

Any abnormal bleeding should be checked out.

How old are you @lockdownmadness?

If you are in the peri range - normal ranges- so anything from mid 40s upwards, it's normal peri. I don't think you need to see or talk to your GP just yet.

Everything you describe points to peri. The sore boobs- cycles change and there is less progesterone which results in sore boobs sometimes. PMS can get worse or appear for the first time as we approach menopause. A short cycle- like 2 weeks early- is normal. Mine dropped from my usual 30+ days to 17 days a couple of times.

The mood swings and brain fog you describe are again, typical of peri.

Irregular bleeding is an issue with women post menopause when they have not had periods for a year or more,

For anyone whose cycles go haywire, in peri, it's absolutely normal.

It's not a reason to contact your GP. You don't need an internal exam, or a scan at this stage. What they would tell you is to keep track of your cycles for 6 months and see the pattern.

Have a read of the info on the website of Dr Louise Newson (it's called My Menopause Dr) and is really helpful.

@JinglingHellsBells 44.
Thanks very much for your help.
I called GP i think I am at the start of peri but the pain is worse today so i have an appointment and also she mentioned scan. I have a feeling it may be a fibroid

Ah well good luck.
Fibroids are really common- evidently 40% of women have one! I have one and never knew till I had a scan for something unrelated. It doesn't bother me and it's quite small- about an inch or so.

Hope you get on okay. I suspect your scan appt won't be for a while if it's not thought of as urgent, so things might settle down again anyway. Take some Ibuprofen for the pain- it's good for period type pains.

@JinglingHellsBells. Ibuprofen and paracetamol not working. I'm bleeding and stomach is swollen and tender to touch. Hopefully will get to the bottom of it. Anxiety is sky high and feel very low. I feel like there has been a huge drop in hormones. Very difficult to manage and had to phone sick to work. Not me at all..

So, doc also says symptoms point to peri menopause. She was unable to do swabs because of bleeding. Has prescribed antidepressants and says I'm dry so has told me of some lubricants. I'm not sexually active and have no partner. Is this the end for me? I've been awake and in pain the last few hours, have awful sickness. Also crying and feel very low. Took bloods yesterday and going to do thyroid and hormone levels. The brain fog and memory loss is awful and interfering with work. I'm hoping in some sense it is something else as I'm feeling totally dysfunctional at the moment

why on earth has she prescribed anti Ds? Has she done a full assessment to see if you are depressed? Why is she giving you these and not HRT if it's peri menopause? That's madness.

You need to see a menopause gynaecologist.

I am sick and tired of posting here (only in response to posters!) about how anti Ds are not to be prescribed for anything that may be peri.

Regular readers here will know how I bang on about it.

Menopause consultants are tearing their hair out at GPs who reach for anti Ds instead of giving women HRT.

NICE has also issued guidelines 5 years ago to say GPs must not offer these.

See another GP or if you can afford it, see a private consultant (most are working online now) and get the right treatment. You don't need ADs, you need estrogen.

If necessary, go back to this GP and show her the NICE guidelines (pinned at the top of this page) where they say very strongly that ADs are not to be given to women like you.

Hiya. I am 47 and though my cycles are fairly regular, I had an unexpected bleed mid cycle in November last. I just assumed it was a period and I had another one four weeks later.

I have no history of gynae problems and suspect that it was an infertile cycle - if you don't ovulate you don't produce any progesterone (from the ovum casing), and that cycle comes to an abrupt and very early end. There is also, as you describe, an almighty hormonal crash and you do feel it in your mood and energy level. I get that quite a lot even in normal cycles - I suspect that the quality of my eggs/progesterone is by now pretty rubbish.

However if you have a history of fibroids it is worth getting it checked out, but I just thought I would mention my experience, periods can be all over the place late forties.

...and also want to add that sore breasts are also symptomatic of low progesterone. Possible oestrogen too but I suffer more in the second half of the month.

Pain, swelling sound much more serious than just menopause. Insist on a referral to a gynecologist. GPs know a little about a lot. You need an expert.

@JinglingHellsBells thank you v much for your reply.
In fairness to the doctor I do have a history of depression and anxiety however this seemed to go to another level. I almost felt like I was going mad. Lockdown isolation doesnt help. So I've started on sertraline.
My 'period' is very heavy and it hasnt been like this for years. Always very light and regular past late 30s.
@jackdawdawn, oh that makes sense I didnt realise that is what caused it.
Doc did mention gynaecologist and scan but will have to wait.
I felt weak yesterday, almost like an old woman slowly moving around. Sleep around 5 hours. This is definitely new to me. Have never bled between and like I say not had a heavy period for years. Oh and it was polyp not fibroid. Why all of a sudden a heavy period?

I think a lack of progesterone does tend to make your period heavier, clottier and more painful. As far as I understand it, progesterone refines the thick womb lining which oestrogen produces in the first half of the cycle. Some theorise that fibroids, flooding etc are actually caused by excess unopposed oestrogen. Also I have also learned that prog. has a calming effect on mood, so if you are jittering with anxiety in the second half of every cycle, snap! I am waiting to find out about HRT, seeing a private doc in July. Good luck.

Hope you don’t mind me posting, I’m starting to think that I’m showing signs of peri menopause (just turned 39) and in my searches stumbled across this TEDx talk which I found very informative. Hopefully it might help others.