Paranoid about early menopause! Can periods change with age without it being sinister

[ChiquititaCat]

So I'm 27 and I always get health anxiety when going through something stressful (currently going through a breakup)

But I still can't help worrying! My periods used to be very heavy and extremely painful in my teens and my early twenties. I used to bleed for 5/6 days. Then at around 23/24 they got a little more regular and much less painful, but also the flow got lighter and I started to bleed for 4 days.

I'm now 27 and my periods are regular (normally 29-32 days, aside from very occasionally being a week late when stressed, but this only happened once or twice in the last year), but I'm worried that I now experienced very little pain and the flow is nowhere near as heavy as it used to be in my teens. I think it's still normal, I definitely need to change a pad every three hours in the first two days, so I don't know if this is a cause for concern? I bleed for 4 days but the last day is just spotting.

Has anyone else had this?

I would like to have children one day, and I read somewhere that lighter periods can indicate perimenopause? This really freaked me out!

I had anxiety about this about this a while back and took an AMH test which came up with 23 pmol at 25, if that is any indication! Any thoughts or reassurance much appreciated x

I think that's very normal to have heavier painful periods as a teen and then they become lighter, shorter and less painful in 20s. That's how it was for me an quite a few other I know.
In my case I'm 20 years older than you and just starting peri menopause. My period only lasts about a day properly and not heavy. I would only need a pad on the first day and liners for another day or two.
I hope that helps. Thing always seem worse at night when you're concerned.

Your periods sound perfectly normal.

If you were having them very far apart (more than 35 days) and the flow was very light, that might be a cause for worry.

Pain isn't an indicator of fertility.

If you are worried, have another AMH test but get it done properly (not an over the counter thing) by a fertility specialist and ask their advice.

Exactly the same happened to me. My periods in my teens were horrific!! They became much lighter and less painful in my 20s. After 8 had children in my 30s they became a bit heavier but much less painful again. Now I'm in my 40s they're all over the place!

Thank you guys! You made me feel a lot better. I always get super health angsty when Im going through bad periods of time!x