What happened to your periods in perimenopause?

[Cld9]

I’m a few years into perimenopause (42).
About two years ago my cycle went from 25/26 days to 21/22 days with some months being really heavy and some months being very light. I got the Mirena coil put in and that helped lighten the flow but it never fully settled for me…bad luck. Now 2.5 years later my cycle is starting to go a bit whacky again. I’m just feeling very over the whole thing now.

I’m just wondering what other peoples experience with their periods was? Thanks

A friend of mine started getting her periods back after around three years with the Mirena and she went and got it replaced and her periods stopped again so might be worth asking your doctor if that’s an option for you.

Thank you, thats good to know. I'll ask for a review I think and suggest it.

I’m 43. Mine have gone from 28-32 day cycles to every 3 weeks, the first few days are spotting then a couple of days of bleeding.
Theyre more painful though

Every two weeks, so I was either bleeding or had raging pmt. Thanks god for hrt.

I'm the same. Lighter periods, shorter cycle. Less pain. I'm just grateful for that at the moment as I assume it could change.

54 and periods still ongoing. Had the flooding in late 40s/early 50s. Not seriously painful but more uncomfortable than before. Now (yuck) like sticky meconium. Sort of very dark. Unpredictable. Always take a tampon with me as I’ve been caught out so many times. 😳☹️

Yes, I'm grateful they're lighter as certainly wouldn't want very heavy periods that last over a week- I had that in my teens and have no desire to go back to that!

Regularly irregular.
Horrifically heavy with huge clots and very very painful.
Im on HRT patches, aged 55 and sick to the back teeth.
Wont have a coil because of the lack of pain relief, smear tests are excruciating and pain relief is not provided, considered necessary or even talked about. “A bit uncomfortable “ fuck right off, I’m crawling the fucking wall. So insertion of a coil is out of the question.

Menopause specialist nurse could be less fucked about my description of how heavy and painful my periods are. Twice I’ve seen her and described my periods (she asked) and neither time did she pick up on possible red flag clues, anaemia or iron deficiency as a possibility that treatment could change my quality of life and is fairly simple to treat.
It’s dire, absolutely dire the lack of fucks therefore helpful guidance and advice from so called Healthcare professionals around women’s health. It’s criminal and yes it makes me furious.

My periods stopped aged 41. Never came back and I've never had any symptoms.
If it makes you feel any better, I have MS lol.

Age 46 here.

In the last year my periods have gone from every 26-28 days to every 19 days, like bang on 19 days each month.

I have light spotting for a day or two, day 3 is like someone has turned a tap on, day 4 light spotting, then done… until 19 days later.

I’m on no medication and have not taken any form of hormonal contraceptives in at least 7 years. No major symptoms (yet) that have me wanting HRT.

Mine were fine until late forties, then got heavier - definitely needed tampon and pad, and sometimes that wasn’t enough. Last ever period was like Niagara Falls!

They went lighter and shorter after my first child (mid 30s)
age 40 and after 2nd child - even shorter

then a few years later went seriously erratic - 120 days between periods / 55days / 80day etc but still light.

then I started hrt cream and they seem to come closer together - 25 / 40 / 60 for examsple
But super light. Period pants will do. In fact might get away without those sometimes!

youngest child is now 9 and oldest 14.

48 and for me they are all over the place - average cycle length has fallen, but the length of each cycle has become erratic, sometimes I seem to skip a month entire snd have a double length cycle. So a cycle can be 3 weeks to 8 weeks.

Also variation from extremely heavy (flooding, clots) to so light they are barely there.

Keeps me on my toes I guess!

Interesting to read. I’m 45, maybe the past 5 years my cycle has shortened from 29-30 days to 23-24 days. 2 days of spotting, then one heavy day, 2 medium days, 1-2 very light days.

Recently I’ve started Mounjaro and lost 3 stone and this month my cycle was 31 days!

The doctor has just prescribed iron tablets for me, although I have no idea if that’s from the shorter cycles which must mean more blood loss overall or something else. I don’t take hormonal contraception or HRT.

After decades of a regular 28 cycle of varying heaviness, i’m 47 and mine are currently every 2-3 weeks. And heavy, yay!

I started them aged 11; I really feel like my uterus needs to pack it in and retire gracefully now 😂

I've been on HRT for 5 years (I'm 51), and have been having fairly regular bleeds (periods?) after the progesterone phase for most of that time. If anything, I'd say they've mostly got lighter. I haven't had anything for about 3 months now, so I'm wondering if this could be it. Ironically, I was dating someone until 3 months ago, and my periods were coinciding with the weekends we met up. Now no period worry, but we split up! 🙄

After years of heavy periods causing severe anaemia starting in my mid forties , I was actually thrilled when chemotherapy which I finished in Feb , stopped my periods dead .. at 53 I assumed they were gone for good .. until they came back 8 weeks ago , first one lasted two weeks and rendered me housebound it was that bad . The current one is on day eight .. still soaking through 3 nighttime towels every hour . Hb now at 8, serum iron 6 , ferritin 2 and not one of my medical professionals gives a damn … I feel like I’m dying .. during chemo.. I had healthy iron levels for the first time in my entire adult life .. Right now its worse than all my breast cancer treatment

Mine have become more painful, much more painful. I’m 52 and they are still every 28 days. I can’t wait for them to stop

@Rockschooldropout that is dreadful - is there no one you can see to try and persuade them to help? Sometimes a nurse can help advocate for you? You must be feeling awful

What can only describe as a massacre every month (or whenever twatting, Bastard thing shows up)

I’ve got an oncology appointment on Monday , im
going to plead with her to refer me for an infusion ..
I finally spoke to my gp yesterday .. who apart from referring me for a scan .. didn’t suggest much (I can’t have tranexamic acid) I’m still bleeding heavily as I type . But the thought of sitting for 24 hours in an and e bleeding all over the floor doesn’t appeal to me!!

@Rockschooldropoutfingers crossed for your oncology appointment on Monday. I agree you’re probably more comfortable at home till then. I really hope they can do something to help you.

My periods gradually got shorter but heavier and then disappeared completely for six months. Now I’ve had two months of light bleeding for 2-3 days a month.

Nothing so far. 31-33 day cycle, been like that for years. Bit lighter and shorter than they used to be. I'm 45.

Finding this a really interesting thread :)

I turn 49 in 20 days time and, have have been perimenopausal I would think about 3/4 years although have never had a blood test to prove this - just based on hormonal symptoms initially and latterly the last 18 months or so my usual 28 day cycle has either been a 21 or 35 day cycle instead.

Given, unfortunately, I’m childless, and have never had a pregnancy, since I commenced periods when I was 12, I’ve never had any break from them, and I do wonder at times whether this is significant biologically when your system is slowing up to stopping. Additionally, interestingly online, there is very little information around this.

Well, guess what?!? I’m now on Day 49 (!!!!) and no period as yet! Each time I go to the bathroom I wonder “Will I discover I’ve come on this time?” I haven’t had s8x so I’m definitely not pregnant before anyone asks as although I’m in a relationship we don’t have it (but that’s another Mumsnet thread for the near future lol!!).

I will update if I do come on, but emotionally if this is ‘it’, I’m not sure how I’ll take it given never having children etc (and that not being my choice - another Mumsnet thread for the future maybe lol!).

Sooo, those that are out the other side, who thinks I might now have joined your club?? xx