Unusual Bleeding - Perimenopause?

[ConfusedMiddleAger83]

Sorry in advance if TMI…. I am 48 and up till now have had regular periods, albeit quite variable, anywhere between 23-30 days is normal for me. I have a few potentially peri menopausal symptoms - sore joints, weight gain round the middle, a bit of brain fog - could be but also not sure.

This week I have had bleeding however only 15 days after my last period started. Not spotting - a full on period with the moon cup I use full in 4-6 hours (which is standard for me in the heaviest bits of my period). It’s been going on 3 days now. It doesn’t seem quite usual though… very pink/red blood and only blood, not the clear fluid I usually also get… it has slowed down now but still pink/red blood when I wipe (sorry!). I had lots of cramping the first couple of days so think definitely coming from the uterus rather than e.g. cervical erosion.

Could this be a symptom of the peri menopause or something else? I sort of expected periods to space out and be irregular, not come every 2 weeks! I don’t feel I can call the GP when I’m 48 and it’s only been 3 days, just looking to understand if this is a ‘normal’ symptom. I feel so unprepared for all of this!

Yes - I've had several weird ones then months with nothing.

One of my peri symptoms has been cycle going from 28 days to 14 days. Mum was the same.

I could have written your post, I'm 47 and exactly the same, always 25-28 days and now just random periods every 2-3 weeks.

Strange bleeding and way more clotty, my cramps are also not before the bleeding so gave me a head up, but now cramps start after the bleeding so I've taken to checking and carrying pads and spare stuff with me as it's taken me by surprise.

I'm also exhausted from it, so going to get iron checked and going to use non cyclic HRT and see if I can grab a break fro a while and stop them maybe for 6 to 12 months.

My always clockwork regular periods went absolutely batshit due to Peri, and I was 8 years younger than you are. I had a period that lasted over two months. It's definitely Peri.

Yep.

Yep, my periods got closer together and I became anaemic. I had a Mirena coil to solve both problems.

Thank you all, good to know it’s not at all unusual although I really hope they don’t continue every 2 weeks. I have been going swimming to try to do something about the weight gain and it has put a spanner in the works.

Every 2 weeks could be due to not ovulating...no progesterone kicked into life as no egg.....womb lining breaks down as not stabilised.

If it continues cyclical HRT (2 weeks on/off progesterone) will help - or something like mirena. But also, if last longer than 3 months, check in with your GP.