Periods and the menopause

[wouldntmindbeingmrsw]

I'm 48, soon to be 49. In good health. Good diet and exercise regularly.
My periods have been very painful since I can remember. The beginning of the year I didn't have one for about 10 weeks. Then they started again, every month. Some months it would come as many as 10 days early, some months 3 days early, some months on the right day. This month it's come 8 days early and is hardly anything.

So, I'm asking for your advice and experiences .
Could this be the start of the menopause?

I have read bits and bobs of information, but not much.

No any symptoms.

I would think that it’s peri menopause. I’m still regular as clockwork but I’ve noticed massive differences in the length or heaviness, or sometime lightness, of them, and me being more emotional and worn out during them. I’ve put that down to peri too.

In a word, YES.

Yes! Mine is half or less flow and up to a week early but one month I skipped altogether (can you imagine the panic!!!)

@Honeyroar Now you have said, I have been more tired lately,but put it down to not being a good sleeper anyway.

@movingonup20 I bet you were relieved when it finally arrived 😯.

Definitely! I am 48 and have noticed my periods getting closer together, 28 days, 25 days, 20 days etc and then I missed a couple of months and now they are really light and getting close together again. Weird. My GP says it's perimenopause for sure.

Yes and I don't like to be all negative but this started happening to me 2 years ago and I am still not finished with periods. They are just very irregular, sometimes 2 weeks apart and sometimes 12 weeks.

Other things I have experienced are night sweats and bouts of insomnia. I don't specifically get hot flushes but I am often hot.

Oh Huckmuck this has been going on at least 4 years for me, albeit my periods are still regular. I get almost crippling cramps a few days before a heavy period too. I’m so sick of it all! (I’m 51)

Yes. I am 48 too. Last years periods disappeared for 4 months. Then sometimes only 2 or 3 weeks apart. Sometimes the heaviest I have ever experienced. Other times so light.

It's very weird. Peri.

Thank you ladies, for your comments. Let's watch this space. I hope everything runs smoothly for all of you. Xx

@Honeyroar.i'm 48 and I've started getting cramps from mid cycle to when the period starts and the periods are getting worse with flooding..they're also coming earlier. I get lots of different peri symptoms and am on Evovel patches

Thanks @BooseysMom did you have to get that prescribed or is it over the counter. (the cramps are in my leg!)

@Honeyroar.. mine are always lower abdomen. Yes the gp prescribed the HRT but I asked for a coil to be fitted which they refused to fit. hope you get it sorted.

honeyroar I have terrible cramping too, from around ovulation until period is over which means about two weeks. Never experienced it before 😔

I also find that I feel so much clearer headed after my period. Really bizarre.

I am 48, and just want it to be done with it can be so debilitating

Thanks for this thread OP, I was just thinking of my own about periods.. I'm 48 too! My periods have started to get closer together. Gone from 30 days to 18 but it's a different number each month so might go 31 days, 25, 18, 21 etc. Some v heavy some light. Mostly periods lasting about 10 days so sometimes by the time they finish I have a couple of good days then the PMT starts
Also getting UTIs, some problems sleeping, v unusual for me, and a couple of night sweats. Plus hot feeling face occasionally.

Very comforting to read other peoples experiences on here

I'm 47 too and am suffering at the moment. Having spent most of my life having very regular periods with just a bit of sore boobs and a bit of a headache as pmt, I'm now spending most of the month in agony of backache, migraine, fizzy head, aching joints, itchy skin and mood swings.
My periods are heavier not lighter, positively gushing! Sorry tmi. I've had to buy massive nappy type reusable cloth pads to cope. Periods have been 2 in a month then nearly 2 weeks late. I'm currently Newley 2 weeks late and have spent most of the weekend in bed with a bit water bottle for backache and painkillers for headache. It a bloody miserable.

I just want my period to start to at least get a few days relief before it all starts again.

The only thing I haven't experienced so far are hot flushes.

Sorry I meant to say 48. Just shaved a year off my age there.

Does anyone find that their stomach feels so sore and tender and 'puffy' ?

My dd is 15 and has started periods and is having similar symptoms to mine stopping

Does anyone find that their stomach feels so sore and tender and 'puffy' ?

Yes, although it's okay first thing in the morning

It gets plumper as the day progresses!

I’m just about to turn 50, my periods range from 25-35 days apart, And day two is so heavy I don’t go out, been like it for about a year, likely to come on in the next week, I feel side swiped with tiredness today, but I’ll get to bed tonight and won’t sleep a whole night through, I rarely do these days, I get hot, kick covers off, then cold, toss and turn, drop back off, happens at least twice a night. Alarm goes off and I struggle to get going without caffeine. White wine seems to make hot flushes worse too 😕 doctor won’t give me hrt coz I’m on blood pressure tablets and they think the natural route is best. With no knowing when this will end is getting me down. And I feel terrible when I snap at my husband too.

Can totally relate Pinksmyfavoritecolour - I get really tired a few days to a week before my period too then go to bed & can't sleep so well.

With no knowing when this will end is getting me down

Exactly this. If someone said you've got 6 months more of this or a year or even 2 years, it would make it all far easier. It's the whole vagueness where nobody seems to know much about it. When it's been going on since forever and it's half the population go through this

It is relentless and I agree Mrsstrike if you knew it was short-term it would be more bearable ☹️

Yes dingledongle it's when you read it can be 10 years or whatever although I reckon mine's been rumbling along about 5 or 6 years so far, gradually getting worse

I can remember my mum having a really tough time, she had breakdown, I had a small baby at the the time and had to care for mum too, she saw so many doctors and must have had just about every part of her body checked and scanned, my dad was so loving aNd patient with her, but I know he was pushed to his limit with her At times, her medication constantly being changed, she’s still on hrt now at 72, without it she gets Bad uti’s.
So I’m desperate to ride it out naturally and stay strong, but Christ it’s hard. Having chat groups like this and the fact me and friends talk openly about it, just makes me sad my mum didn’t have this 25 years ago, the support would have benefitted her so much.