Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Claireylou on September 10, 2015, 06:57:47 AM
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Good morning ladies, could someone help me please?
I'm 44 and well into peri. My period last month was 4 days long, not particularly heavy or painful. It started on August 9th. It continued to taper off with very very light brown discharge until August 27th which was only there when I wiped. My next period was due around September 1st and I'm still waiting. On 8th the very light brown spotting started, again only there when I wipe. I've got no signs like the usual pms that a period is on its way. Can I also add that I feel my anxiety has really ramped up since august. I feel kind of different, like there has been a shift of some kind.
I'm sorry if that makes no sense. I'm just really confused. Is this brown spotting a period trying to get going??
Thank you for reading xx
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Hi Claireylou,
This sounds very normal for peri. Brown spotting sounds like old blood that might have been a period coming away.
Periods can become scant, heavy, long, short, longer in between, closer together and it can all change at the drop of a hat. In the absence of your usual signs that a period is on it's way it sounds like your hormones are playing up and your increased anxiety is connected.
Hopefully someone else with more knowledge will be along soon to help. Just thought I'd reply to you as I've had this and the ramped up anxiety too.
:hug:
Galadriel x
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Yes it does sound completely normal Claireylou so try not to panic.
The spotting and the feeling like your body is trying to have a period is because your hormones are being switched on and off at the wrong times - well at different times to what you are used to. I'm not sure which does what but think of it as the hormones telling your womb to begin to shed it's lining and, then, just as it is beginning to do this another hormone kicks in and says "actually, no, stop shedding" so the shedding stops and then the other hormone chips in with "Nope. Start shedding". Sounds a bit childish I know but this is how I picture it!
Periods can come close together or months apart. It is a roller coaster at this time. The only time to worry is if you have bleeding after sex - this always needs to be checked out.
Taz x
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Hi Galadriel. Thank you for replying. I think I know deep down that it's my hormones playing up. I'm just looking for reassurance I guess. It's a tricky one because every little change throws me into blind panic and with my anxiety levels ramping up I start to fret.
I really appreciate you taking time to reply, thank you xx
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Hi Claire....I don't really have any solutions for you but I know how it feels....sending a :bighug:xxx
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Hi Taz, thank you for replying. The way you have described it has helped me to understand a bit better, not childish at all. I've not had bleeding after sex. The brown spotting happened a few months ago and always contined after my period with no breaks but then I had a few normal periods so my gut feeling is screaming hormones.
It's not painful at all, just inconvenient.
Thank you for your advice, I appreciate it xx
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Thank you for your kind words TropicalVon xx
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Taz2 that's a great explanation of the hormonal feedback mechanism .
I don't understand it despite weeks of online 'learning' and it absolutely infuriates me that I can't get my meno brain round it .. :o
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I'm glad you find it helpful!
Taz x :)
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Ok so it's day 5 of this blink and you'd miss it light brown discharge. Still no sign of a normal period. Could this discharge be a period?? Sorry to ramble on but I've been flipping googling and managed to scare myself witless.
Just wanted to offload, thanks for reading xx
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Claireylou - my Gyne explained that in peri I shouldn't think in terms of 'periods' anymore.
Spotting, bleeding etc it's all shedding of lining to a greater or lesser degree and not necessarily connected to ovulation.
It's all perfectly 'normal' for peri menopause. :)
Don't look for an obvious period just deal as best you can with what happens and expect no predictability....
Don't scare yourself !!
X
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Thank you Pollie. I think it's the unpredictability of it all which scares me. I appreciate you taking the time to reply to me xx
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Hi Claireylou
I am 45 and recognise both the pattern of bleeding/spotting and frightening your self only too well - great explanations on this thread, they have helped me too.
I do try to tell myself that things are not 'working' as they once did and that's OK - but haven't quite got my head around it and still expect my body to do as it always has. x
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Thank you so much Brightlight, that means so much to me. Just to know I'm not the only one out there helps enormously xx
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Hi Sparkle, I'm sorry to hear that you've experienced the same but thank you for replying.
Well, this morning it appears to have stopped. It lasted 5 days in total so I guess it was my body's attempt at a period. I don't feel like I know my body anymore :(
Thank you Sparkle xx
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When I was having normal, regular periods but experiencing lots of other symptoms, I would spend my time wishing my periods would go really wonky just so I could put all my other symptoms down to hormones if that makes sense. But now they have gone really wonky I seem to spend my time freaking out! Xx
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I feel the exact same way. My periods have been "odd" for a couple of years, I think. Odd for me is light and with a lot of mucus (yeah - yuck!). My last period I had ONE day when the flow was heavy enough to use a tampon. Then just very light flow/brown discharge. Then we have the other strange symptoms. My stomach. Cramps on and off. Breasts swollen/sore/itchy on and off. Flushed face on and off. Insomnina on and off. I don't know what to make of it most days..... :(
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It's horrible isn't it? The uncertainty of it all can be draining xx
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Also feel better knowing I am not alone, I know that but it is easy to forget. Yes, the uncertainty is draining, I just had a heavy period, that hasn't happened for a few months and now spotting for days after, this has also happened before but I still keep feeling anxious that 'something isn't right' and looking for my 'old' reference points. Maybe the brain needs to catch up with the new 'rules' ;)
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I agree. Sometimes I can feel quite confident about my changing body, but most of the time just the smallest change sets me off into a big, blind panic. Today the brown discharge has stopped but I think I've made myself sore down there from wiping all the time (sorry tmi) :-\
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It has helped me a little to use a tracker - I use one online, but you can get apps - there is a slight pattern emerging, as in a collection of 'odd' things that seem to follow each other. It might not help with anxiety as of course all that can change too, but maybe it will help just to write it down and then forget it and if you need to refer back for any reason you will have a record.
I just note when certain obvious things happen, like when periods start and stop and what the flow or spotting was like, any pain or PMT type things. I think it just helps me - I just looked back and can see this pattern has happened before, a slow to start period, then heavy (horrid) and then spotting lightly for a good few days.
Maybe you will discover that this brown discharge did in fact fall in a 'sort of' cycle time frame. x
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Thank you for the advice BrightLight. I'm going to have a look in the App Store to see if I can find one.
Thank you xx
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I use an app too. It does give you a sligth sense of "control"...
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20032003 it would be really lovely if I could claw back a tiny bit of control xx
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It has definately helped me stop analysing when I start too - I write it down, say to myself that I have made note and get back to 'watching' what is going on from a calmer, detached space. If something is ongoing and unusual enough, I will seek help - it's just a useful barometer for me to help with the stress of the uncertainty :)
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Thank you so much Brightlight. I've found an app and will start using. At least I will feel pro active xx :)
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Great :) Yes, it's a mind game, the sense of control feels good (even if it is fleeting) x
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I like how mine shows my "fertile window" and when I'm supposed to ovulate. It gives me some explanantion to feeling weird sometimes. Like today. Ive been feeling slightly crampy and have had some watery discharge. Aha.... My app suggests that I should be ovulating on Tuesday. Might explain my symptoms then!
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I know exactly how you are feeling. I have had this too- trying to start but can't. Can't say for sure it is normal but common it certainly is. My advice would be to chart things and if it feels wrong then seek advice. Bleeding following high oestrogen signs like ovulation mucus, sore breasts, PMT, is much less likely to be abnormal than random bleeding you are not expecting. I would chart everything so you have got something to show a GP if you continue to worry about it a lot.
Just had another thought as well. My hairdresser really helps me as she is also going through peri and we talk about it a lot. She has had "periods" that are only there when you wipe, some that are really just brown discharge, gaps of 9 months twice, then going back to periods again. Morning anxiety and urgent toilet trips before breakfast. Panic attacks and generally feels like a cripple every morning. Her Mum had the same and finished eventually at 56. I have no sisters, and my Mum is not well enough to know what happened to her, but she had everything removed at 42 so this site is my lifeline. I hope this helps.xxx