Perimenopause flooding and a wedding to attend - help!

[hedgehogsong]

I have tonnes of issues with my periods, which have been getting more and more irregular and heavy over the last five years (I'm now 44). Over the last year, i've been experiencing flooding fairly regularly which is just about manageable whilst I'm at home but next week I have to attend a wedding on the day my period is due. My period might be late (my cycle is v irregular) but the thought of wearing non-black clothes and the worst happening is really stressing me out so I'm wondering - what steps can I take to mitigate the worst? I will take supplies of tranexamic acid. Do washable period pants work for this kind of bleeding? Should I get maternity pads? Any ways to make this less stressful would be so helpful, thank you!

There's a pill you can take to delay it but you'd need to be starting it now. I took it for 10 days prior to a holiday, until I got home, as I was due while abroad. Call your gp to see if you are able to take it.

Get the period pants and accept you nedd to go to the toilet every hour

Or ask the doctor.

Boots have a thin maternity towel which I swore by for post partum bleeding.... I'd take some of those, change hourly and maybe wear period pants too just in case. A dark coloured jumpsuit might be better than a dress - although a PITA to get out of when needing the loo!

For the future, get on HRT. There is no reason to suffer like this.

Can you wear smart trousers and a long jacket or top?

I remember suffering like this.
I know it won't help with the wedding, but have you considered a Mirena Coil?
My periods literally stopped the month after I had it put in, I haven't had one since. I wish I'd had it years ago.

Thanks for all the responses.
@Cyclewidow46 - I have always had bad responses to hormone-based contraceptives. Last month I tried Qlaira (new type of pill, lower dose and different type of estrogen). I honestly thought I was losing my mind - I had a major panic attack and didnt sleep for 3 nights straight. It was so frightening. So the thought of taking anything hormone based (even though I know the mirena is much lower dose) terrifies me.
@Aquamarine1029 - i had a blood test (on day 3 of cycle, after fasting) and my estrogen levels are still fairly normal. I assumed that meant that i wouldnt benefit from HRT yet?
Maybe black trousers and really smart top/jacket is a safer option for now...

Also, tranexamic acid works best when taken with mefenamic acid. Combining them, as prescribed by my doctor, practically stops the bleeding for me.

For a belt and braces approach, mooncup with nighttime sanitary towel and period pants.

@careerchangeperhaps - a mooncup is a genius idea, I can do that ahead of time. That, period pants AND a maternity towel has got to be enough...

This was in the Guardian last week btw: www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jul/22/there-will-be-blood-women-on-the-shocking-truth-about-periods-and-perimenopause
Encouraging to know I'm not alone in this - but so frustrating that so many women go through this and so little info or support is available. II'm 44 and I got told by my female GP this year that the excessive bleeding isnt menopause-related as I'm far too young.

The pads from honouryourflow are really absorbent. I use them alongside a moon cup

Yep triple up.

Also look into
Northisterone. You can get it from boots but if hormone pills affect you're mood I would recommend being aware. I've been on it a year now in between failed mirena coils and it plummets my mood horribly. But if you just took it for a few days you may be fine and can stop it day after wedding and your period will come.

I had 8 years of horrific periods, flooding every month, mentioned it every time I was at the gp and it was finally a locum who listened, set investigations under way and I had an endometrial ablation just over a year ago. Life changing. I highly recommend it.