Please help, I'm scared

[Lucylu1984]

Hi all.
I'm in a bit of a state. Last few cycles I've had a tiny bit of spotting (light brown/light pink) around ovulation.
This month it seems to be more. I'm nearly 41 and not on any birthday control. It feels like my period is trying to start despite it only finishing 11 days ago (I think I've just finished ovulating).
I've got a GP call tomorrow night but I'm terrified.

Most likely hormonal
I started bleeding a week before my period every month from the month I turned 40
Went back on the pill to stop it

Thank you for replying x
I'm sorry you had to go through it too. It's scary when everything starts to change and I've awful health anxiety at the best of times. It does feel like a few months after turning 40, everything went haywire.
Did you have any tests done? Or just tried the pill straight away?

I had a colposcope
It's stopped since I started taking the pill

That's good to know, thank you x I'm glad it was sorted for you!

Welcome to the menopause club! Obviously go to your GP, but I am 43 and have very similar symptoms to you. Have had various test, all pointing to it being very normal menopause!

I'm not even 41 just yet 🥴 Thought I had a bit more time before any changes occurred!
I bought cheap ovulation tests just to see if it's hormonal and it started bang on my peak ovulation day, trailed off for a day or two then came back a bit more.
I sleep terribly around ovulation too, anxious, irritable etc. Never bleed after sex, regular periods (albeit shorter and heavier as of late). Just annoyed by this spotting!

Sounds normal

@Thewrongdoor that's good to know, does it happen to you too?

I’d guess perimenopause. I stopped my cycles at 46 and had erratic bleeding (more, frequent, random) for a few years before that. I would guess nothing ominous but speak to a GP for reassurance.

I got the same too, bit older but I had a baby late so think my perimenopause was late. Had lots of cycles with pale pink bleed around ovulation time. Doctors did investigate with scan etc and all fine..what made big difference for me was taking out the copper coil!

@BunsenBurnerBaby @Frumpylab Thank you for your replies, I'll see what the GP says on the call tomorrow (it's all I could get at short notice).
I can't really ask mum about it all as she had my sister at 39 which probably changed everything for her.

I’ve had this since I was mid thirties on and off. If I exercised during ovulation I would sometimes bleed a bit. Doctors couldn’t find anything wrong. Since early 40s I’ve had a bit of blood mid cycle regardless of exercise. Because my periods are regular I just put it down to hormones etc. at 43 I got pregnant quite easily so it obviously wasn’t affecting my fertility! Now my periods have returned post baby I haven’t had any mid cycle bleeding yet but it’s early days. Try not to worry, it sounds pretty common.

@Bluesky85 thanks so much for taking the time to reply. It's never red, only brown x

Menopause. But good to get checked out. Mine went from being heavy and lasting 7 days every 28 days to flooding lasting 10-12 days every 3 weeks. With spotting in between. Had Mirena coil fitted best thing I did.

good luck.

That sounds awful, I'm glad you got it sorted. I thought I'd be a bit young to be in peri, but apparently not!

Honestly try not to worry. My friend had to have an ablation as her periods went crazy when she hit 45.

You may need a hysteroscopy (sp) I was having them regularly at one point as the bleeding was off the scale. And I always have a general. Best sleep ever. Silver linings and all that!

I'm 41 and have similar symptoms but at a different time in my cycle. My periods are still regular but are coming every 24 days instead of 28 ish. I have a normal period for 3-4 days, then a few days after, I start spotting brown for up to a week. I've had two TV ultrasounds, smear, colscopy and bloods and all are normal so far, apart from a small intramural fibroid (2cm) which hasn't grown in the last year and they don't think it's big enough to be causing these symptoms. Doctor said it's likely shifting hormones and has recommended the marina could but I'm undecided because I'm fed up of being messed with. Let us know how you get on but try not to worry, it's honestly not that uncommon at this age.

Brown, you say? Sounds even more like the start of perimenopause (which can go on for 10 plus years, they say).

@Bluesky85 yes, and most v light brown, like if you dripped tea on tissue! It happens over 3/4 days. I get nothing but normal CM leading up to it. Thank you for reassurance 🙏

Thanks for all the info, really appreciate it. My mum said it's likely to be peri too. I just really didn't have a clue about any of this until 6 months ago. I've been reading into it all as much as possible lately and lots of things have fallen into place. X

It can be hormonal BUT I had this and at my next smear (I was on annual smears) I had grade 3 abnormal cells. Lletz procedure to remove and no further spotting.

You’re doing the right thing seeing the GP who will find the cause and sort it.

I'm 43 and I've recently started getting this as well and I'm on the implant. I'd say it's an age thing. Not once has it crossed my mind that it may be something. My periods aren't on time anymore either.
I think it's nearly time for the meno!

Unfortunately I started perimenopause around age 38 and I thought I was too young as well... I wish I'd been born a man sometimes 🤣😂

Oh me too! Especially as I've one child who is 14 now and never wanted more! I'm done with it all, ages ago!

Just a little update.
I had a telephone call with a really lovely (female!) GP this evening.
I told her about the spotting and the other peri symptoms I've been having after she asked me what else I'd experienced other than spotting
She said 'ah-ha!' like it all made sense.
From the get go she said that women can experience peri symptoms 10-15 YEARS BEFORE MENOPAUSE HITS! Which is insane.
She said she wasn't worried as I've never bled after sex but I should book in for a smear anyway because they're important.
She even invited me in for a more in depth chat a week today.
Hope this helps someone restore their faith in GPs.