Long weird period - Help!
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi ladies. I'm wondering if this sounds familiar to anyone else. I'm 46 and having my first weird period. I've always been pretty regular, although I was a late bloomer and didn't get my first period until I was 18.
Over the last year or so my cycles have shortened from 28-30 days to 25-26 days. They also have shortened in length from 7 days to 5-6. I had 4 shorter cycles in the last year or so, Sept last year 19 days, this past January 18 days, July 17 days and last month was 20 days. I haven't skipped a period or had any really heavy ones but day 2 may have gotten just a little bit heavier than before, nothing really to write home about. I don't suffer from bad cramps. I always considered myself fairly lucky.
Now this month!
I started spotting on Nov 1st (day 21 of my cycle) Red blood, only when I wiped and a couple of drops a day, sometimes just a light spotting on a panty liner. I had an apt with my GP on Nov 7th so I planned to mention it. I spotted for 6 days then woke on Nov 7th with mild cramps ans voila, my period. Day 1 was light, as often is. I told my doctor who ordered a pap smear to be safe but said it was probably hormones and my age.
I wake on day 2 to very light bleeding, it tapered off as the day wore on. I didn't need more than a normal pad, day 2 is generally a 3 or 4 'Long' pad day. Day 3 woke up, passed a rather large clot and some more flow, then again it tapered off to a 'dribble' - Same on day 4. I woke up on day 5 and virtually nothing, I was making a cup of tea in the afternoon when I coughed and passed another clot, smaller this time but after my flow was more steady for 2 days, still not heavy but steady. Since then it's been light, stop and start, some times like spotting again, some times just super light. It only seems to 'come out' when I am walking about. This is day 14 and it's still going... I woke with some mild cramps but flow is still light.
I panicked on Thursday and ran to the doctor again. I saw a different GP, she asked me a bunch of questions, I showed her my period app with all my cycle details. Top of the list she said is perimenopause. I need to have the pap to make sure it's ok, she said if it's clean im in peri. My last one was clean, only have had the one before, in 2012. I know that's bad but I have had Crohns since I was 12 and tests are something I'm sick and tired of tbh! Plus I only ever has the one partner, my husband, who passed away last year. I've been a little preoccupied 
(No Crohns flare since 05, I'm good there)
This Wednesday is in fact 18 months since he died. Yes, I'm stressed and worried. I already have chronic illness PTSD, and panic attacks. I started a new job a couple months ago, it's working from home which is great but it's been a big change in my lifestyle. I have a Christmas party to attend in London at the beginning of Dec, I haven't been anywhere alone in years! I have been freaking out about that and was obsessing over my period before all this too, I even googled ways to delay your period as I didn't want to be 'on' for the party. My body is having a laugh!!! My friend says I've done this to myself!
Sorry for the long post. I feel like I'm losing my mind. Is this ever going to stop? The doctor said if the pap is clean then she will prescribe me some progesterone to regulate the bleeding but can I still have the pap on Thursday if I'm still bleeding lightly? My anxiety is whispering nasty fearful thoughts in my ear. I keep telling myself the big C wouldn't just show up with symptoms like this suddenly and all the other things, my age the changes to my cycle the past year or 2, all point to it being peri and hormones... my anxiety doesn't listen. My husband caught a cold and 3 weeks later was gone... sepsis and un-diagnosed lung cancer, he had no symptoms
Thanks to anyone who reads my short novel
Gill
0 likes, 9 replies
dawn70425 Gillfc
Posted
Hiya there, you poor thing, you seem to be going through the wars, sorry I’m not a great deal of hope for you, but it does sound like the peri to me, but I’m sure you will find out soon...
I have altercive colitas do I know what you mean about test all the time😩..
I’m 53 and my husband died of bowl cancer, 12 years ago, and he to didn’t have any symptoms, and by the time they fount it, it was to late, so I do feel for you, but time can be a great healer...
I’m 4 yrs in to the menopause, and not had a period since March this year, I’m hoping I don’t get any more, and they say if you get one year without a period then your out the other end..
But Iv heard loads of woman going through the peri in early 40 so please don’t blame yourself for things happening to you, and I know how you feel when your mind thinks that you may have some thing wrong with you, as that’s the norm, how minds play these alful games with us, that the menopause for you....
Keep you chin up chic.. and keep taking on here, as will help you to know your not on your own, it’s helped me being able to talk on here and know other ladies out there are just the same as me...
My heart goes out to you, and feel free to talk as much as you wish, we are all here to listen ..
Big hug to you, please let us know how you are going 🤗xx
Gillfc dawn70425
Posted
Thank you so much Dawn, so sorry to hear of your loss too...
I'm trying hard not to get carried away with the fearful thoughts, trying to trust what my doctor said. It's just so hard, I'm all alone with only people online to talk to, what I'd give for a hug from my husband!
My Doctor asked if I had any other symptoms of menopause, I didn't know how to answer. I have an anxiety disorder and get all kinds of symptoms that could be hormonal! Lightheaded, tingles, sweats and chills, mood swings the works. Just after I hit 40 I researched a lot about Peri as my anxiety symptoms went haywire then, and were always worse mid cycle and when my period was due. I went through a time where my anxiety went through the roof mid period and as soon as it finished the anxiety vanished!
I was doing much better the last few months, this 'period' has sent me into a tailspin, but I guess I have several reasons for it happening
dawn70425 Gillfc
Posted
Rrrr bless you... wish I could sit with you and talk face to face as I do understand... I live on my own, my two daughters have grown up now and live there life’s, and unless some one is going through this crap, no one can understand how you feeling...
Docs tend to look for hot sweats as one of the main caurse that your going through menopause (peri) but I think because you are young they think it can’t happen, but it does, when I was 49 had the hot sweats, really bad, and when I ask the doc if possible I’m going through peri he said then, we don’t normly test woman till they in there 50... 🤔 omg I wernt that far off lol, I only just had a blood test 2mths ago, and they said defo in menopause after 4years, think I already New that..
I can’t take HRT due to blood clots so Iv had to just get on with it best I can, but if you find out that your defo in peri it would be worth asking about HRT if that’s what you want, as heard that it does give you your life back, so they say...
One day like me, you will look in that mirror again and see the old you, because at the moment I’m not sure who that person is any more, as I was sooo out going, with friends every weekend and so on, now Iv not been out in two years as I don’t like the look of me any more, just don’t seem to have the energy any more to want to do any thing, and depression as well, but Iv got that under control at the moment, just need to sort the rest of my body lol...
See if you can have a blood test as this will be the quickest way to know if your going through the menopause, then you can face it the best you can, with help or without, what ever best for you ...
Good luck chic.. please, please keep talking on here, you will always gets some one to talk to you, let us know how you are..
Big hug 🤗xx
Gillfc dawn70425
Posted
Thanks so much Dawn! Like I said I wasn't sure about the sweating/hot flushes I often have that many symptoms going on I don't know if I'm coming or going. I did wake up sweaty a few times the last couple weeks but idk if that was cos the heating had come on, or what. I looked at my app on my phone and had marked I had hot flashes the day before my period the other month and completely forgotten!
Last Monday I walked to Aldi and walked home with the shopping, it was chilly so I had my coat on but when I got home I was soaked to the skin from sweat! I never even thought twice but that is something that happened a lot last winter too. I think it's possible I have been slowly slipping more into peri the last couple years but my grief has consumed my every thought that I didn't really notice too much when I had symptoms, or I quickly forgot!
The doc did mention a blood test but she said it would be hard to know at the early stage as hormones go up and down too much.
dawn70425 Gillfc
Posted
Not quite sure Gillfc..
But won’t harm you to just have a blood test, if you don’t mind having them, then if no luck, you can always check at a later date,
I use to be on the depo injection, and they still did blood test, why oh why, as that gives you a false reading lol...
Yes when there some thing eles in the back of your mind, you tend to miss some of the signs, or push them to one side, last winter I couldn’t where a coat, just walked around in t-shirt and bottoms, where every one eles had hats and scarf on 🤔 people were looking at me gone out, but at the peak of the hot sweats, it was alful, sweat just running down my face, soooo embarrassing wen people luk at you...
but as hard as it is, you will get through it, I know at the moment you think you won’t, as life is crap, but one day YOU will look back on this stage of life, and be glad your moving forward again, and it will happen, as it does to all of us... it’s hard without your husband by your side, time will heal that, but we don’t ever forget them...
go back and talk with your doc for some help, as you sound like you do, and we all do from time to time, it doesn’t mean you have failed at all, it will just help you cope with all this mess going on in your life, untill your strong enough to see life through, and the menopause is soooo crap for a lot of woman out there, unless your very lucky and don’t get any symptoms at all, but does sound like you are...
Even if it’s your periods causing some of the stuff u are feeling, go and get that help, please don’t sit on your own, when there is help out there for you..
So sorry I’m hearing you going through this stuff, Iv been on my own for 12 years now ( how time flys) and don’t think I will ever live with any one eles...
Keep your head up, your time will come, when every thing isn’t so bad.. love and big hug to you 🤗xx
Gillfc dawn70425
Posted
Thanks again Dawn, I'll go back and see them again this week or next. It doesn't help that my GP has just left this week but generally they all know me there anyway. I am no stranger to needles, believe me and have to have blood tests every 12 weeks anyway, to monitor me because of the Crohns and meds (I take immunosuppresants) I'm a bit 'complicated' as I have an ileostomy too (I had my colon out when I was 25) I just had blood tests last week and all is well, not anaemic so that is good. Funny but today feels like a 'normal' period flow again, not heavy but not stop start like the last few days. I feels like it's stuttering and can't make it's mind up!! I just want it to stop
The doctor DID reassure me and said I was going to be OK, normally I believe that, idk where my head is! Pretty sure you know exactly what I mean!
(hugs back) I really appreciate you talking to me xx
dawn70425 Gillfc
Posted
Yes chic I understand you, I have to have 3mth blood test with my colitas and meds.. they wanted to take part of my bowl away, but won’t let them, told them I will just put up with it, as much as I can keep going, every few years I have camera in my bowl checking for cancer, but all ok at the moment... so yes I understand you all the way ...
Keep talking, we are all here for you .. hug 🤗xx
Gillfc
Posted
Still bleeding but I'm thinking what may have happened is the spotting I started on Nov 1st was my period, very light. As that was day 21 of my cycle. I think I may have bled the whole 20 days, varying in lightness. Octobers Cycle was 20 days! On day 20 this month I started to bleed more 'normally' and have the last 2 days too, yesterday was definitely a normal day 3! This does feel like a normal period for me. This is so confusing lol I'm hoping that is the case, and if so there may be light at the end of the tunnel in a couple of days!!! Pleaseeeee
Gillfc
Posted
Well, day 19 of bleeding, or day 25 if you count the spotting. After 5 days of what felt like a normal period it's gotten lighter again, this is 'day 6'
I had to cancel my pap on Thursday because of the bleeding. I'm so anxious. I see replies to other posts but not many here and that makes me think it's because nobody relates and this has to because something bad is wrong
(I know that doesn't mean there is) The anxiety is horrible.
Why did it have to go from having a normal, regular period last month to this madness? I have things to do! I have a party in London next Saturday and I'm having visions of the movie 'Carrie' (I'm not even bleeding heavy but still... ) Make it stop please, for the love of mike. I want me back, or I want to at least not care and not panic every time I feel flow pass. I'm driving myself round the bend!
I'm feeling very irritable, rant-y and full of self pity today. Good grief, who thought getting older would be so traumatising.