Please help - Perimenopause, periods and extreme health anxiety

[CRJ77]

I really could use some wisdom and advice on this topic from those who know a lot about perimenopause, as I have extreme health anxiety around certain things (not all things!) and this has really set me off...

I am 47. No menopause symptoms yet apart from one month last year where I randomly skipped a period. Aside from that, my periods have been like absolute clockwork my entire life, approx every 25 days or so.

Last month, my period was a bit lighter/shorter than normal and less pain than normal, but basically otherwise a normal period. Then it finished and I had around a week of of nothing. Then my breasts suddenly became really sore and I was baffled by this as it normally only happens just before my period is due, not a week after, and there were no signs (in terms of discharge or anything) that I was ovulating. Anyway, my breasts hurt a lot for about three days and then suddenly I got another period (14 days after my last period started) and my breasts stopped hurting and went back to normal.

So, basically I'm now having another period. It's definitely a light period rather than random bleeding/spotting. Blood exactly the same as my normal period - dark red/light brown. Not much of it but more than spotting, nothing unusual about it.

I know this is almost certainly just normal perimenopause starting, but having been so clockwork my whole life and having the particular anxieties I do, it's freaking me out. But I'm right in thinking aren't I that the sore boobs just preceding the bleeding and then stopping as soon as the bleeding started means this is highly likely to be hormonal rather than anything sinister?

No other symptoms of anything sinister - never had any bleeding between periods, or after sex, or anything like that. No other health complaints.

My question really is when/if I need to go to the doctor about this? Everything I read suggests it's normal, but the odd thing says 'periods less than 3 weekly need investigation'. The reason I'm asking is that my health anxiety largely stems from a traumatic episode when I was much younger when I had something massively over-investigated and it would have been far better to have left it - it was nothing and would have gone away on its own if I'd just monitored it and seen what happened for a few months. Instead I had lengthy and unnecessary investigations that ended up causing me a lot of trauma.

Please let me know all thoughts/advice.

Sounds like perimenopause op, as others have suggested keep a track on periods for a few months as this is helpful for the GP.
I'm 49 and well into peri, the anxiety is horrific, constantly thinking I have some dreadful illness. I had very heavy periods and my GP suspected fibroids, referred me for pelvic US. As soon as I got the appt letter my anxiety kicked off as convinced the scan would show something bad. Thank God all normal (tho my irrational brain started 'what if she missed something?)
Health anxiety really, really sucks.

Thanks - all of these responses are v helpful. Given the years ahead, I clearly need to find a way to live with the anxiety

Yes, I agree with going to the doctor at least to discuss your options and settle your worry.
If in doubt, seek help medically, I always think.
It will be on your notes then too.

It’s exhausting isn’t it… and it’s so normal for us to fear the worst and then start experiencing every symptom going which reinforces our fear. I’ve had H/A for 10 years now, lots of therapy, holistic treatments, supplements, practicing self care and other techniques to try and keep level and grounded. We all have our own specific triggers, and you have feared that menopause might be challenging for you, so of course your body will be on high alert. Added to that is the fact that peri-menopause causes a level of anxiety in MOST women (this a physiological thing) so things might flare up for you at this time anyway, even if menopause hadn’t been one of your fears. You’re bound to consider worst case scenarios when your body changes- that anxiety is always trying to keep you safe and healthy. Claire Weeks books are really helpful, and I recently found an insta page called Honestly Holistic which is really good for general health anxiety reminders and reassurance. I won’t say that “you’ll know” when you need to see the doctor as people with HA can see that as a sign they should go and be checked asap. But I will remind you that anxiety isn’t you or your inner voice, it’s only one small
part of you (even though it shouts a lot). Remember you can tell the anxiety that you have seen the scary thing, and it can be quieter and calm now, and you will both work out a solution together a bit further down the road when you have more evidence to help you decide. Much love x x x

I could've written most of your post. I have health anxiety which has got so much worse since perimenopause.

Late last year I had 3 short cycles in a row of less than 18 days. GP not concerned but sent me for scan, all fine. It then seemed to settle down for a few months with periods getting further apart and lighter. Then, just as I was getting hopeful the end was in sight, bam another period started last week, 14 days after the last. It was quite heavy too. Have also had the sore boobs a week or so before the bleeding starts, don't recall having it before. Breasts heavy, sore & lumpy Have had breast cancer anxiety before (been to breast clinic twice) so this started me poking & prodding again. Worried I can feel a small ridge of tissue above my left nipple which is not on my right. Trying to leave it alone and see if it settles before going to the GP. I try to avoid the GP as much as possible these days. It's so hard to get an appointment anyway and being sent for tests sends me spiralling. I only had a clear mammogram 6 months ago so hoping it's nothing.

I would wait to see if it settles then see the GP if it happens again. It's almost certainly just stupid perimenopause, but you'll continue to worry if you don't get it checked.

Solidarity!

Thanks @Worridoncemore - a lot of that sounds very familiar! My problem is that going to the GP isn't always the right/best thing to do - like you, further tests send me spiralling so I try to avoid going to the doc unless I really need to.

Yep. Regarding the medical tests, I've been unlucky enough to have been the victim of some mistakes and incidental findings causing huge amounts if stress and making me very wary of seeking medical help these days Of course, if I didn't have health anxiety I wouldn't have been having the tests in the first place. Viscous circle!

Yep, I hear you @Worridoncemore - my own health anxiety has a very similar source - in my early twenties, had something over-investigated which would have resolved on its own in time but instead led to a whole barrage of tests, including extended investigation/treatment for something that could have been scary but turned out to be nothing.

Which is why I wrote the original post, really. I wanted to get a sense of what non-anxious people would do in my situation!

I had exactly this as the start to my peri symptoms, after total clockwork for thirty years. I don't think you need to worry.

Please, did this resolve? Just like my situation now

Hi - it’s clearly the beginning of menopause. I’ve been tracking my periods all year and while the gaps are mainly normal, occasionally I have a longer or shorter gap. I know it’s hormonal because the bleeding is always preceded by sore boobs which go as soon as it starts. So I’ve stopped worrying about it but am keeping a record of dates.

Yes peri sounding but if you're worried then no harm asking.
I waited a year until I was certain it was peri related. But if you think it's not then get checked.

Hi lovlies
I know this was a year ago but @SallyTee I wanted to ask when you said dizziness did you mean literally dizzy spinning or like an off balance kinda boat feeling.. I have this horrible off balance boat type feeling for a year now & I'm coming up to 44.
Also when you mentioned hrt, has it helped much & what are you taking sequential patches?
Struggle to find much about dizzy & perimenopausel symptoms xx

I’m the same age, 44 next month. Mine is the boat kind, and a dropping sensation. Perimenopause can cause vestibular migraine in anyone who has had a migraine in their past! Migraines can be chronic, this means they can last for weeks/months. It feels weird when someone says it’s a migraine and you are like- BUT IT’S CONSTANT! You can also develop PPPD from any dizziness including vestibular migraine, which is where your body and vestibular system are no longer calibrated, so your brain tells you you’re moving when you aren’t. All very frightening which makes the dizzy continue! Fun! HRT has definitely helped, so has not being scared of the dizzy. It still happens if I’m really fatigued or stressed/worried, but I know it to be afraid and it goes really quickly x

*not to be afraid!