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[Catlover67]

Hello, I'm new 

I will try to keep this as brief as possible, but won't be easy! I'm 58 and have still not reached menopause. I have a long history of fibroids dating back to 2013 which have caused horrendous heavy bleeding in the past and for which I've had 3 lots of surgery (most recently 2022) but they grew back every time! They are mostly submuscousal fibroids that grow under the womb lining, so I understand they can't be completely removed, just trimmed down. Hysterectomy has been discussed briefly several times but as I "must be close to menopause when fibroids shrink" it was decided not worth it. I'm still here!!!!

My periods got much lighter after my last surgery 3.5 years ago but still happening, albeit eraticly, and with lots of random spotting inbetween. I was sent for an ultrasound in late 2023 as I was having light periods/spotting less than 3 weeks apart - all normal apart from the usual fibroids. Settled down for a while after that and seemed to be spacing out, giving me hope the end was in sight! Then last November I had a light period that wouldn't stop and after 4 weeks needed tablets to stop it. I was also given another ultrasound - again all normal apart from fibroids. I was frustrated that I was still in peri and my GP had no answers so sent me to see a gynecologist. I didn't get to see him until March, by which time the bleeding had settled down again and I'd actually skipped a period for the first time ever! He gave me the impression not being menopausal at my age was very rare and that I must be very close. He said that if I had any more significant bleeding, I must come back and he'd do a biopsy, which worried me. After that I had a very light period in April then no more bleeding of any kind until early July when I had a tiny bit of brown spotting. Every since then, I've had slight mostly brown spotting every two weeks lasting no more than a couple of days each time, and my peri symptoms, that have always been minor, have ramped right up and are becoming unmanageable. I seem to have every single one now!

I have avoided HRT to date as I'm worried about the estrogen affecting my fibroids and no doctor has been able to reassure me that it won't. However, I can't take the symptoms anymore. I have an appointment with a different GP shortly who apparently has a special interest in menopause, so will see what she says. Meanwhile, I woke up 2 nights ago to mild cramping and a small gush of fresh blood (last bit of brown spotting was a week ago). It soon turned brown and seems to have more or less stopped now, touch wood, but bloody hell!!!!

Has anyone had similar? Am I really that freakish still being peri at 58?? Could the fibroids be delaying things, causing me to keep on bleeding? (Google suggests not). Kind of regretting not having a hysterectomy all those years ago frankly!

Sorry this has got long but I'm really desperate!

Thank you in advance.

🙏

[CLKD]

Morning.   


I believe that hormonal upheaval will trigger fibroids to bleed.  I am sure that some1 with knowledge will be along.

Hysterectomy is major surgery.  When U go to your next appt take a list of questions with you so that you don't forget anything.  It may be that you R in perimenopause - keeping a diary will help chart progress.  Brown is usually old blood because the hormones are quite firm enough to finish the period: I had it for years at the end of each bleed.

None of us is freakish!  No question is silly.  Browse round.  Make notes. 

[Clovie]

Hi there

I feel your pain, I have no experience with fibroids so I can't comment on those but I am 61 and still perimenopausal. 
It does sound like you are close to finishing your periods though from what you said?
hopefully soon for you, given that fibroids as you say tend to shrink after menopause.

Your doctors sound better than mine, at least that accept that you are still menstruating, albeit later than most women!!
Me, my doctors for a few years now have refused to accept due to my age, that I could possibly still be having periods, back when I was your age, and now, even though I had a scan 2 years ago showing I had the 'womb of a menstruating woman' thin lining and no abnormalities. Still wouldn't accept i was having periods.
So now I'm being treated as a post menopausal woman even though I'm not, my periods have never stopped, and that makes me really quite angry.    Being sent for scans for 'abnormal post menopausal bleeding' 
My periods are still regular, cyclic, getting lighter and closer together my PMS is getting worse so I'm hoping they might stop soon

Anyway, just wanted to sympathise about late menopause.
There's a thread on here called 'Late Menopause over 55' where ladies like us can discuss things. 

Here's hoping your menopause comes soon, and that your fibroids settle down.

[sheila99]

There's a thread on late menopause you may find interesting, you're certainly not alone. Fibroids don't determine when you're menopausal but they can cause problems if you're on hrt as you already know. I would push as hard as you can for a hysterectomy now as when you're menopausal their solution will be that you stop hrt and that may significantly impact your wellbeing. They only shrink post menopausallly because you have so little oestrogen so you may find the fibroids aren't a problem but every other meno symptoms is.

[Catlover67]

Thank you for the replies so far. I will defo check out the over 55 thread and let you know what the GP says this time (so much conflicting info out there!)

[CLKD]

MayB because medics don't understand peri/menopause! 

[Clovie]

MayB because medics don't understand peri/menopause!

Agreed. GPs, I fully believe don't know as much as they 'd like us to think they do. Anything beyond the text-book norm they can get a bit lost, but they can't go off script.
(Lots of respect here for Drs, by the way, my son is training to be one, but I do stand by my opinion)

[CLKD]

I wish that medics would be more inclined to listen to their patients and make it a learning curve!

[sadielouise78]

Hey, I hear you with the fibroid issue. I'm 50, my doctor refers to me as post-menopausal having not had a period for a year. I was on HRT and I was bleeding heavily for over a month. Doctor sent me for a scan, with internal and external, to check the lining of my womb but they found a fibroid 6cm x 6cm x 7cm. Back in 2019 ut was 2.5cm so has HRT made it bigger?? Since then I've had a hysteroscopy to check the lining and tomorrow I'm back at the doctors to discuss HRT again. Its confusing and hard work.

[Catlover67]

Hey, I hear you with the fibroid issue. I'm 50, my doctor refers to me as post-menopausal having not had a period for a year. I was on HRT and I was bleeding heavily for over a month. Doctor sent me for a scan, with internal and external, to check the lining of my womb but they found a fibroid 6cm x 6cm x 7cm. Back in 2019 ut was 2.5cm so has HRT made it bigger?? Since then I've had a hysteroscopy to check the lining and tomorrow I'm back at the doctors to discuss HRT again. Its confusing and hard work.

Thanks for replying. Unlike you, my bleeding has never stopped, longest gap I've had is 10 weeks. However, I'm now wondering if I could be post menopausal and the bleeding is now from the fibroids. The reason I say this is that previously when my fibroids grew back after surgery  the bleeding was HORRIFIC whereas this time it's just light spotting. Will mention to GP this morning who probably won't know. Really confused about HRT as I am worried about it making the fibroids worse, although they seem to still grow regardless! Good luck with your appointment too x

[CLKD]

If U are using HRT I don't think that we can judge where we are in the menopause journey.  Had U stopped the regime to encourage a bleed sadielouise78?  Whilst we are told to allow 12 months B4 we can hope that we are into menopause Mother Nature sometimes throws in the curved ball due to ovaries still working in the background 

Hysterectomy is a major operation - mayB catlover67 ask for a referral to a Gynaecologist to discuss fibroids management against hysterectomy?

Let us know how you get on?  Take a list of concerns.

[Catlover67]

To update, have now seen the GP who was rather concerned I'm 58 & still bleeding. She shared the gynecologist's view that to not be menopausal at my age was not normal! Has referred me for another ultrasound plus bloods to check hormones on 2ww before deciding next steps.

[Clovie]

To update, have now seen the GP who was rather concerned I'm 58 & still bleeding. She shared the gynecologist's view that to not be menopausal at my age was not normal! Has referred me for another ultrasound plus bloods to check hormones on 2ww before deciding next steps.

Huh. Same as my GP and my gynae.
Even though I'd just had a scan aged 59 with no abnormalities seen, thin lining etc and told that, sonographer's exact words I had 'a womb of a menstruating woman'  I presume down to size shape condition.

'Abnormal?' Don't they realise how it makes us feel saying things like that? Well me anyway. I'm not sure about your reaction. It's not like we can do anything about having a period!
My GP actually said you must have womb cancer.
2 years on I'm still having regular cyclic periods with PMT and joint pain before them, as I always did. (They ARE getting lighter and closer together but the PMS is getting worse!)  Yet I am being treated as a post menopasusal woman with post menopausal bleeding. It makes me mad.

I too have to have a scan or they will stop my HRT.
I feel trapped.

I hope you get sorted Catlover (I'm insisting on having a scan just after my period otherwise the lining will show up thicker just before a period and that will give them false more worrying results!) I hope you can come on here and update us all.
Good luck, no the BEST of luck! rooting for you! 

[CLKD]

Again a GP who has little knowledge of menopause = last bleed.

What do they consider 'not normal'?  This is 'normal for you' and several other ladies who have late menstruation.

'usual' would be a better word me thinks 

Both your GPs should be referring U to a dedicated menopause clinic, not a gynaecologist! 

[Catlover67]

I'm not too worried as I've had two ultrasounds in the last two years (most recent one was 8 months ago) which were completely normal apart from multiple fibroids. I also had biopsies after each fibroid removal. I have endured 12 years of erratic bleeding and spotting due to the fibroids so this is nothing new, but at least the bleeding isn't as heavy as it used to be. She asked about my family history - no idea about my mum as she got alzheimers before I could ask but my sister is nearly 56 and, although nearly there, she still hasn't quite reached the magic 1 year with no bleeding. She's had ultrasounds too and she doesn't even have fibroids!