Period after almost 11 months

[GetOffMyDoorJack]

Ugh, I thought I was close to the finishing line of a year since my last period and done. I've been having symptoms for a couple of days but hello today, here it is once again. I'm bleeding sporadically, heavy for a short burst then nothing for hours. Cramps not so bad probably due to pain killers I'm taking for something else but definitely there. Anxiety ridden awakeness. And I've just had a huge period poo which is something I had certainly put to the back of my consciousness. So, what happens now? Do I have to reset the clock and go another year before I cross the menopause line? Is this just my body readjusting? Or (god help me) am I back to having periods again? Any advice very much appreciated.

I had something very similar happen, but then I never had another period after that. As for when you officially enter menopause, yep, sorry, you have to restart the one year clock.

I had a spurious one at 7 months, never happened again.

Yup, had one at month 11, restarted the clock. None after.

I'd forgotten how shitty they are. I've got a headache, my legs ache and I feel generally rotten. How did we go through this every month for years and just get on with life?

I had a very light period then it was 10 months until I had another very light bleed then nothing after that.

The chances are this will be your last one.

In some ways, why does it matter when you cross a pretty arbitrary timescale line or can officially say you’re no longer peri but have had the menopause? You know you’re never going to be having regular periods again. You know that the chances are there will be no more, or possibly one or two more at most. No doubt, that some women do go the full year without and think they are post peri, but then do have another one anyway. The body itself doesn’t know the human created clock of 1 year….it really can only be a rough guide that applies to the vast majority of women.

I guess it means you need to keep going with contraception. Are you on HRT? Are you wanting to move to continuous and that’s why you were waiting for the year to pass? Many GPs will give you continuous if you’ve been on HRT for a year, and especially if your periods have been as I frequent as yours. What is the particular reason that makes you feel you want to know so much and pass the year mark, or is it just about feeling ‘done’?

Hi @WombatChocolate , yes it's about HRT as I've been talking to my GP about it recently. I was wondering if I would have to wait before it will be a consideration. But that aside, it is good to know that this is probably a one off and not them starting up again, I really don't won't want to go through monthly periods again!

On the plus side you can be very happy that you didn't actually go over the twelve months!

After twelve months without a period you have to get it checked with an ultrasound - pain-free but stressful!