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[funnell]

Hello.this is my 1st post. I feel like a freak sometimes as no1
else my age(58 last month)has regular periods,or am I not alone?
Doc says its unusual. scans show my large fibroids  which ive had
at least 20 years are still in me,but i wander if they cause the
sometimes extra heavy bleeds.Terrible PMT gets so unbearable
just before each bleed,so because of that i presume im on the
way to full blown menopause as PMT is supposed to worsen.i WONT have fibroids removed as petrified of hospitals +I wont have
hrt as had non invasive breast lumps removed 7 years ago. Anyway main point is ,is monthly bleeding normal at my age. 'thanks

[CLKD]

Welcome.  Don't dismiss any treatments as many have found that some forms of HRT or other treatments become necessary, short or long term.  Read the treatment suggestions in the green banner above.  Make notes about vaginal atrophy, several threads on here. 

Have you seen a Gynaecologist recently?  Is your bleeding cyclic or when ever it likes? I had a vaginal polyp which would bleed on contact which shrunk at peri-menopause.  My periods became less and longer apart then hey ho! gone 

I had breast disease but if required I would have HRT.  Symptoms can over-take Life and why suffer.  Quality is important for me.  Also, ladies can forget any scares about HRT and breast disease!

[Hurdity]

Hi funnell

 

There are a few women on here who are experiencing late menopause - in fact a new thread was started by member Machair for women in your position here: https://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,36765.0.html. The last few posts are off-topic chat - not about menopause - but do post on there too as the other similar women would be interested in your situation as I am too....

I think it is unusual still to be having monthly periods at this age, and undoubtedly the fibroids will contribute to the heavy bleeding - although I don't think they influence ovulation. Have you been offered anything else other than removal - such as a Mirena coil - to help shrink them, as your periods are still regular? It doesn't sound like you need HRT at all if you are ovulating and bleeding monthly and have no menopausal symptoms.

In your position I would want to ensure my iron levels were adequate and also that I had regular womb scans just to make sure there are no changes that could cause problems, since you are still bleeding regularly and heavily and are in late 50's. I presume the scans which have only found fibroids were recent and perhaps you have also had biopsies etc which show that all is OK otherwise? Have you been medically advised to have them removed for your future health or was this just an option suggested which you prefer not to follow?

I've had breast lumps while fertile (not removed) - and generally lumpy breasts (used to get mastitis regularly when breast-feeding) and have been on HRT for over 10 years - it was never suggested that I could not have it and I didn't even think to ask as I knew so little about it. I've had all the mammograms when offered but nothing has happened since - touch wood - so far.

I do hope you find some relief soon!

Hurdity x

[Machair]

Hello and a very warm welcome to the forum.

Menopause can happen later for some women and when I asked the gynaecologist over on WebMd, the very respected Dr Minkin she said that it can happen as late as 58/59. Having said that she also said that the natural pattern would be periods becoming lighter and less frequent over time, and that any deviation from this should be checked out just to make sure that there was no other cause of the bleeding.

You are certainly not abnormal being older, but it does worry us a lot I know as I am 57 and my last period was April, but I am still very hormonal so am expecting another bleed.You certainly sound very hormonal with the PMT. I had this all the time until fairly recently, so it may be you are about to see a change in your periods. Are they every month with no gaps at all and are they of a normal duration? 

[funnell]

thanks so much for all the advice.from now i will regularly read ~
+post if neccessary on the site for late menopause over 55s,
which you kindly refered me to. I l just answer the questions
reg mirena coil,yes i was offered it by 1 doc,but decided not to have it.me being cowardly again. Had a course of iron tablets
prescibed as doc said i was slightly anaemic. had the scan approx 6 month ago +apart from having a tilted womb +fibroids which
i know iv had many years.il hope they shrink eventually,i wont have an op to remove them unless life or death..regular cycles 3-3+half weeks apart without fail,always been like that.
,heavy bleeds 3-6 days. il just have to put up with it i suppose.
doc wont give me mini pill or depo-probera tabs(a friend of mine age 50 has been on depo for several years+ originally because
of the probs she had with extreme heavy bleeds,shes still happily taking it,but she has it by injections)so
il c what happens but really hope all this stops before age 60.thanks for reading. 

[NightNurse]

Hi Funnell,

Hope you're finding some help here. 

Regarding the doc not giving you mini-pill.  The new Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) have just published in August this year new guidelines on Contraception for Women Aged over 40 Years.  In this it says the mini-pill, often called the progestogen-only pill (POP) may be used for contraception to the age of 55 years.  This is because at 55 years the assumption is that most of us are no longer fertile and we can discontinue the mini-pill.   The guideline tells us we can remain on POP after the age of 55 years as method for managing non-contraceptive benefits, such as managing bleeding.
The desogestrel POP may be the better choice of them as it is likely to stop you ovulating.
It also advises women about discontinuing Depo age 50 years (due to bone thinning concerns) but can stay on Depo longer than age 50 years, where there is careful consideration of the risks and benefits.

You can download the guideline from the Faculty websitehttps://www.fsrh.org/blogs/dr-katie-boog-on-contraception-for-women-aged-over-40-years/

Good luck with it all!