Post menopause periods!
Posted , 16 users are following.
great forum & I've found some good insights! Thanks everyone. Let me put my situation out there to see if anyone can relate. I'm 55, per hormone blood work I'm in menopause. That being said, I went thru short period of menopausal symptoms, survived but then out of the blue had a period & then spotting here n there. The periods, which were regular heavy flow for 2 days followed by 5 or so days till finished, WERE regular periods. Appetite increased & bloated. SO, my Dr does endometrial biopsy (ouch!) which was OK, no cancer. I've had 2 ultrasounds to finally find that I had a 1 inch polyp which I'm having removed April 13. However, during all this testing & Appts, I had a period July 2014, Nov 2014, Feb 2015 and guess what? Started full blown period yesterday, Apr 3!! What's so confusing & frustrating to me is my Dr confirms for me that removing the polyp WILL stop my "periods" ?? Although, he say, you're really not having periods, just abnormal bleeding. I beg to differ as I know my body and it's having a PERIOD! What is going on? I'm seeing "oestrogen surges"? What r these? AND I've started getting itchy spots (red) under my chin and all over my neck, comes & goes. Is this hormonal? I dont think it's a food allergy. Ahhh what's happening? I don't agree with the dr as I know this is a period yet my blood work says I'm menopausal....so??? Anybody have any answers? Removal of the polyp is unquestionable and I can see it being cause of spotting, but is it REALLY the cause of an occasional 7 day period? Or is it hormonal? I really don't want to go on any hormonal therapy meds....desperately looking for feedback :o)
4 likes, 47 replies
reindeer karen_76350
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RageinEden karen_76350
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I've just found this -
This morning I took a telephone call from my GP receptionist saying they needed to see me re my high blood pressure and my post menopausal bleeding following on from my hospital apt last month. My what? I am known white coat hypertensive who regularly has the machine reading fail on me. As for the post menopause that is NOT what was said to me at the hospital. I also said at the hospital that I have had a period - a real one - a few weeks ago along with all the attendant symptoms and had gone only 8 months since the last one. I am known to have seasonal cyclical disorder diagnosed privately in London at the start of IVF. I have rung the hospital I was seen at. The letter has been read out to me (although I did request a copy at the consultation). Medic did not have my notes and has stated that I have been post menopausal since 2010 - when I was 44/45 - and undergoing IVF cycles. During the time I was going through this the endocrine people told me they weren't paying much attention to my levels as (a) I was being pumped full of hormones and (b) I had high FSH anyway due to my pituitary problem - which is why I was seeing them. At my last apt 6/12 ago I was told I was going into the menopause. Now Harley Street ONLY treated us because (a) we have been utterly failed by the local services and they were disgusted and (b) my levels were sufficient to allow them to do so. We were told that if my test results went to such levels that it was foolish to continue they would be strict about pulling the plug. Now some medic who spent 10 mins with me with no notes is saying this? NO mention either of what he said about my having chronic fatigue syndrome or asking for an onward referral to another clinic. When I was underging IVF the consultant at the local hospital said that they really weren't placing much store by the bloods they were doing really as my hormones would be all over the place and they were treating me for a pituitary problem which causes high FSH anyway. Seriously I am now in bits.....
Anne_Withany karen_76350
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Hope everything is working out. I had a biopsy 3 months ago. No cancer but found my hormone levels were in menopause but my estrogen was at regular levels, therefore in menopause (can't get pregnant) but still having regular periods, never stopped, even for 1 month and will be 55 in January 2016. I have been waiting for a call regarding a colonoscopy appt for 9 months now as 3 years ago I had some removed. It is frustrating. Believe me if I could get pregnant I would be by now. I too am confused. I have liver issues too tho which has caused under right rib tenderness, random itching if I don't eat properly and some nausea. I am a healthy weight and have lots of energy, I am just waiting for my periods to stop. I am on no medications, but taking b vitamins and other supplements..just riding the tide so to speak. Have you learned an thing else?
rhapsody66 karen_76350
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Haha, can relate. 6 weeks ago my doc, who is also an ob/ gyn told me I'd never ovulate or have another period. Ever. FSH 85, oestrogens and progesterone almost zero.
I'm 51 so should be ok but couldn't stop crying as I've been too ill long term to have a baby.
Anyway, 2 or 3 weeks ago I got the egg like discharge, slight left ovary pain. Thought nup, must be a strange discharge.
Was strong and feisty all week, but didn't think about periods, but my uterus and breasts felt heavy.
Brushed it off. Went to dentist, preoccupied, and that night there it is.
Been going for 3 days now. Normal period, normal pain.
How many women does he write off who could feasibly have babies?
My eggs maybe too old but who knows?
Shows blood tests are pretty useless too!
Cheers.
elizabeth16051 karen_76350
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Hi - help
I am 54. This coming April I will be two years with no period. In December i started feeling bloated and like i was gearing up for my period! I went to the dr last week and he wants me to get an ultrasound. He said I may have dropped an egg. My breasts are sore, I'm bloated, and i feel sad. I do have fibroids which he felt and he said they were larger than last time. Today i have spotting...I'm wondering it it is hormones out of whack as i would think if it were something worse, my body wouldn't feel like it is going into a menstrual cycle....I go back to the dr beginning of Feb...thoughts? Thanks in advance.
melanie1818 elizabeth16051
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Hi Elizabeth. I posted above and just wanted to check in with you to see where things are with you now. I always like to be prepared before I tackle a medical problem. I'm five years into menopause and got a period yesterday. It's just like it was before, cramps like heck, heavy flow, etc. I had signs of impending period about a week and a half prior to starting. I never imagined I would get a period again. I hope everything turned out okay for you.
kari2468 elizabeth16051
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Hi Elizabeth, I could have written an identical post to yours 5 weeks ago - age, 2 years no periods, fibroids etc etc - you are me! I've now had my TVU, uterine biopsy, all normal. There was a cyst on my ovary (a simple cyst), which apparently means one of my ovaries has come back from the dead and started producing eggs but my hormones aren't doing there job sufficiently to complete the process. My body feels like it is still readjusting and now the sore nipples and 'heaviness' are back again so I think another period is imminent. So annoying when you think you've moved on from all that. My gynecologist was incredibly laid back and reassuring, basically saying 'you are only 54 (bless him), these events are incredibly common'. So hopefully I can pass on the reassurance rather than all the websites that put the fear of god into you! It would be nice to hear how you get on after your investigations.
elizabeth16051 kari2468
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Hi Kari sorry I am new to this site and I didn't see that you had responded. I did finally get my andI had a biopsy and got the results back all is well! and today I go for the ultrasound results but I am confident that all is okay and it was just my period. But I knew I was gearing up for my period and my doctor said breast soreness can be caused by changing diet which I was thinking I know how I feel and when my period is coming after all ive had it for decades. I'll post an update after today's appt. Thanks so much for your info, much appreciated 😎😎
jilld7 elizabeth16051
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Just wondering if anyone else had any sort of diet changes, or supplement changes, before experiencing postmenopausal bleeding.
elizabeth16051 jilld7
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Hi Jill,
No i haven't really changed my diet, for the most part my exercise and diet routine is pretty steady. I don't have a thyroid as i had thyroid cancer back in 2009, so no more real thyroid hormone, just synthroid. But, when i was gearing up for my period and my breasts were sore, etc the Dr was saying it could be diet related, he didn't think I would get my period, but I did. I didn't take his comment to mean that if i changed my diet, it could bring on my period. I took it to mean changing my diet may cause breast soreness, but maybe he meant it could bring the period back, I don't know, but either way, my diet and exercise is steady, no drastic changes. You are in the same boat as me, almost two years, and then it came back. I am so glad I found all of you out here, it has been so supportive! Take care, Elizabeth.
melanie1818 karen_76350
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Hello all. It has been 5 years & 1 month since my menopause began (1 year after my last period), so technically 6 years after my last period. I'm going to be 62 this spring & sailing through life perfectly happy. Then, BAM! Yesterday I wake up to some pink on the toilet tissue. The flow continued throughout the day and got heavier.I know my body & know this is a real period, not some other type of bleeding because I had sore nipples for about 7-10 days prior. I have severe cramps & heavy flow with clots---just like before. I'm scheduled to go to my family doctor tomorrow. I'm sure she'll refer me to a gynecologist. I don't know what to expect, but am sure some tests will follow. I've enjoyed reading all your posts. I just pray this is a one-time freak event and once this period ends, it is gone for good!
elizabeth16051 melanie1818
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Hi Melanie I hope all went ok for you and it is just your period. I got mine and had cancer biopsy and it came back ckean. Today I will go for ultrasound results and will post update. Please let me know how you are doing. So I workout and eat smoothies and consider myself pretty active. A friend told me that she know at least four people that this same thing happened to. Apparently they call it reversed aging I said I'll take that LOL. Keep me updated and I'll do the same. I'm so happy my Google search landed me here at this post. Take care 😎
elizabeth16051
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melanie1818 elizabeth16051
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Hi Elizabeth. So glad to hear your results were good. Although, I'm pretty sure you probably knew that even before the test. I decided to hold off on my tests for now. I know what I had was a period after having them my whole life! There were too many tell-tell signs leading up the the actual period that were just like it was when my periods were regular. I realize five years sans periods is a long time but I'll see what happens next month before I react. I think some of these doctors over-react ordering all these tests. I'm without insurance right now so, $$$ spent on a fluke is something I'm will to gamble on.
tami50332 elizabeth16051
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Hi I'm responding to your post because I gasp when I read yours but all responses have been helpful! I'll be 59 Feb 12th and like enjoying life but I hadn't had a cycle for maybe 2 yrs. I say maybe because I have an adult autistic son so sometimes I lose track of time. Well not being able to sleep from night sweats and being irritable I decide to go to my GYN for HRT. Well like you, Dec 2017, 4 wks before my Dr appt BAMMM my cycle come on! For maybe 3-4 wks before that I had very full and tender breast like I had when I had a cycle! I spotted for 2 days then had what I would say was a regular period and then it went off. 7 days total! I called my doctor and set up a ultrasound. I had my ultrasound and she found a very small fibroid(first one ever) and a CYST. Then she I shouldn't have a fibroid because I'm menopausal and there should be no fibroid because I don't have estrogen! Ok I'm confused! Well now she want to do a biopsy! I don't want a biopsy because this was a regular cycle. I'm so glad I found this post!
tami50332 melanie1818
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tami50332 elizabeth16051
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melanie1818 tami50332
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Let me know how your biopsy goes. I realize that doctors become alarmed and want to order all these tests, but most of us patients know what is happening is we're having a "real" period, especially for us that have the symptoms leading up to the bleeding. FYI, I just realized that I am not experiencing hot flashes. Can't recall how long it's been, but during the pre-period phase and now a week after it stopped, I haven't had a hot flash. Seems to me that it has to be related to hormones. AND, the doctors say that once we enter menopause, things like this just don't happen. Hmmmm
melanie1818 tami50332
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The doctor should have ordered blood work. My doctor ordered blood work, an ultrasound, and a biopsy. I'm going to wait and see how things go for the next month or two. I may at least do the blood work. I'll be the estrogen levels are pre-menopause! Good luck.
jilld7 tami50332
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Thanks!
melanie1818
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I see it's been about a month. I had blood work and everything came back normal except for my thyroid. I will followup with my family doctor on this issue. I was going to have the ultrasound, but something got screwed up with my insurance, and they wanted a payment of $134.00 before the test. I said, no thank you and left. As far as the biopsy, I decided against. In the past month after my 'period', my body seems to be like it was before. Those dang hot flashes are coming back and it's been over a month since the period episode. Whoever said, once menopause starts, our bodies will never have a surge of hormone activity ever again. Doctor's aren't perfect and neither are our bodies.
elizabeth16051 melanie1818
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Hi Melanie,
This site is cumbersome for me, and I forget to go out here, sorry for my delay in writing back...UGH is right, I started getting hot flashes again...And I sort of feel like I am gearing up to get my period again. When I was going through this a few people told me they know others in the same boat and there is a thing such as reversed ageing, well of course, I said I'll take that! lol. I still haven'g googled it to see if such a thing exists...I do have a cyst on my ovary and a couple of years ago i had one on the same ovary, but the dr said it may or may not be the same one, apparently they can dissolve, etc. I have to go for another ultrasound in 3 months. And by the way, one of my friends told me her sister thought she was done with her period and at 55 she got pregnant. And the child was born ok and is now an adult. Talk to you soon. Elizabeth
elizabeth16051 tami50332
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elizabeth16051 tami50332
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