42, period 9 days early… peri?

[Periperiperhaps]

I’ve had a lot of month-round breast ache, and definitely felt a bit more emotional than normal etc.

But this morning I’ve woken up to my period and it’s day 19 of my cycle! My cycle is usually like clockwork - day 28. I have never ever been early before.

Is this a normal thing to happen if you’re perimenopausal? It’s not very heavy, but it’s very weird.

I take it back - now my very early period is very heavy! Argh. I’m not sure I’m ready for perimenopause. Part of me was still secretly (and foolishly?) hoping for another baby 😢

it could be anything, are you sure it’s your period ie have you had other symptoms you’d usually get? As it could be bleeding between periods?

You could be me this month, except I'm 43. Period arrived 9 days early and was super heavy. I am normally very in time with my body and can tell when I'm about to get AF, but this caught me fully by surprise. Also been secretly hoping for one last DC.

I'm hoping it's just an anomaly and normal service will resume next month

Yes I had no symptoms that I usually get just before my period. It came out of nowhere and so early! I think for the first time in my life!

It’s definitely a period as it’s heavy - small clots, deep red, etc.

You can still get pregnant in perimenopause. Less likely but very possible.

Also wondering the same thing. I’m 40 and last month my period came on day 18, and has just come again on day 14 😦

I'm 42 and I had 4 days of spotting starting on day 14; now I'm on day 42 so I think the spotting was my period being two and a half weeks early.

It’s so odd - does anyone know why periods happen so early when you’re peri? Is it a hormone thing?

I just in the loft to find some shoes, and saw old the old baby things and nearly burst into tears. So silly. I really should give them away so I stop being tortured by it. Not being ready to say goodbye to my fertility was not how I expected to be in my 40s! I thought I’d feel free! Instead I feel sad and at a loss and unsure of what next.

I think it's probably natural enough to grieve a little for what's going, even if you didn't expect to. It's a big change, and bound to bring emotional upheaval, even outside of the hormonally induced stuff.

I'm working on thinking of it as a fresh start, free of all the shite that influences you at reproductive age. I just wish it would actually happen now that it seems to have started - I'd like it to just switch off, rather than spend the next decade gradually petering out.

I must admit, though, I've toyed with the fantasy that I might be pregnant rather than the opposite. It would be completely impractical for us and a big no-no due to medication I'm on, but I can't say I wouldn't like one last go at a snuggly snuffley newborn.

I'm so happy to have found this thread. I am on day 16 of my cycle and started spotting last night. It's a bit heavier today. I have been having a much heavier flow the last few months. I've always been very regular so this has been a bit concerning.

If your having irregular periods you should really see a doctor so they can check you over and will blood tests , cervix examined etc .

I'd start tracking periods and symptoms to see over time.

I started to get peri symptoms such as this in late 30s and they ramped up by the time I was 42.

Unfortunately really got going during covid so I didn't see the Gp till I'd had a good two years of awfulness and was on my knees. It's takes almost 10 months to slowly move up the patches to a point where I feel it's really working.

You ma not get symptoms though. Eat clean as you can and exercise and you may be ok.

Stress definitely impacted it, usually a month or so later.

I had a big external stress that was v shocking and the symptoms ramped up badly a couple of months later.

Another new symptom - which I have no idea is a symptom or not - is that lately I wake up in the morning and my armpits smell of sweat! That is brand new for me. My deodorant used to work 24 hours and I was never particularly sweat smell-ish anyway (!). A friend who is on HRT said that’s one of the ways she knew she was peri.

Is that a thing?!

I'm 48 and I've found that the possible peri symptoms come and go. I was 40 when I first had an unusual period and thought "is this peri?". 8 years on and my periods are still here and are still usually regular, so I'm definitely not menopausal yet. But I have the odd unusual period (eg the one before last, which came early and was longer and lighter than usual).

It doesn't bother me too much. I just accept as it comes!

Yes OP to the sweating thing! It happened to me a few years ago and I spent a bit of time investigating new deodorants. But again, like the period symptoms, it happened for a little while and then went away again. So it's not that you'll be like this forever (in my experience anyway).

I've definitely started to smell a bit more, and differently. I've just had a couple of nights of waking up sweaty, but weirdly, it seems to coincide with better sleep, so I'm enjoying it! Like with kids or cats, when they're having a really good sleep and they get a bit clammy with it.

Still no period here, I'm on day 49 (or 29 adjusted, if I count days 20-24 spotting as an actual period). If it doesn't start by the weekend, I'm going to have to pee on a stick to reassure myself.

Have you spoken to the doctors about what your experiencing? It’s better to get checked out , you are just assuming it’s Peri , where it could be a vitamin deficiency, stress or something more serious.

Sounds serious

Could be peri or just a weird month. They can happen from time to time. Remember how everyone’s periods went weird when we were in lockdown - any unusual life things going on? Or (gently) is there any chance you could have conceived this month?
It’s all a bit disconcerting so speak to your GP if it’s worrying you.

I’m 46 and had a strange one last month too. My period was quite late (usually regular apart from occasionally when it’s been about 38 days) but I wouldn’t call it a proper period at all as it was just light spotting on & off for a few days. I still had my usual symptoms though of breast pain and stomach cramps.
So no idea whether it’s peri or what?

Did you get to the bottom of this OP? Hope all is well x