Need guidance before gp appointment 🙂

[Emma7875]

Hi all.
Long time poster and lurker ☺️
I've made an appointment this morning to see my gp(no appointments for 2 weeks)as I've been on period for 13 days now!. It's not heavy but its there. Normally they last between 5-7 days. I'm 44 and just wondered if this could have anything to do with menopause. In my head, I know a period this long is not not right. Because I have to wait so long for an appointment, should i call 111?
I don't know if I'm overreacting or not.
Any ideas you lovely lot.

TBH it will be perimenopause (more than likely.) Longer periods are very common.

I'm not sure a GP appt is needed yet. They do advise keeping track of your cycles for 6 months to see what's going on (so your GP is unlikely to do anything now anyway.)

You'd only need an appt if you were losing a huge amount of blood and then they would probably prescribe tranexamic acid (which you can buy at Boots etc anyway) or ask you to consider the Mirena coil if heavy bleeding was happening often.

It's definitely not a 111 issue.

I don't think you will have any enlightenment from seeing your GP as they are likely to say see how it goes and come back if you're flooding etc.

It’s not something I would call 111 for tbh. My previously very, very regular periods went crazy during peri - two in a month, missing a month, bleeding for a couple of week-when I was then prescribed POP I bled continuously for 5 months! (Gynae kept telling me to give it chance to settle and I needed to take it for 6 months. By the end of 5 I was so anaemic I just stopped taking them).

Excessive bleeding and long periods are fairly common during perimenopause. Many women experience an increased flow and extended perimenopause periods before entering menopause.

Thankyou ladies. You've put my mind at ease. I do flap a bit lol xx

I disagree slightly with the previous posters. As you are 44 it's highly likely to be perimenopause and you absolutely do not have to put up with it, nor should your GP (unless they are shit) ignore it.

The average age of menopause in the UK is 51 and perimenopause can begin up to 10 years before. You may be amazed how many niggles you are living with can be a result of perimenopause. I got heavier periods but the thing that (at 43) took me to the doc was night sweats.

As I was under 45 (45 and over peri is diagnosed on symptoms alone) they did loads of tests to make sure it was nothing sinister and then together we thought we'd try HRT. I went for oestrogen gel (topical) and utrogestan (progesterone) which keeps the lining of the womb thin (good for lighter periods). Both are body identical and within a very short time I was feeling better but then needed adjustments for more.

Symptoms I went on it for:
Night sweats
Hair falling out
Tiredness

Symptoms I had and did not realise were peri and it helps:
Heavy periods
Tinnitus
Aching joints
Dental pain
Skin wrinkles and dryness
Weak nails
Huge irritation with others (I now laugh a lot more)
Insomnia
Anxiety
Low mood
Neck pain (spent oodles on physio, now have not been for over a year!)

So yes! Consider going to the GP. Get prepared. Do your research (try Balance app) and/or the Latte Lounge and ask to see someone trained in the menopause.
Good luck!

The only reason though for seeing the GP is for treatment, with HRT @SophiaLarsen

@Emma7875 Didn't mention any peri symptoms- just heavy periods and wondered if she need call 111.

Not disagreeing with you but just wondering if she has any other symptoms!

@JinglingSpringbells I didn't mention heavy periods honey. I just said it had been 13 days now. Its been light for the last 6 days. :)

Well that's even less of an issue! These things come and go. You might have normal periods now for years before another blip.