Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Bradenton69 on December 07, 2020, 12:20:13 PM
-
Hi there
I have searched and searched but was wondering if anyone had any other insight or comments/experience on this?
I had my last period about 14 months ago. About 12 months ago the sweats started getting better and the mood started lifting and my sleep started improving at long last. Then bang!! Period or bleeding started. Not a lot and mostly when i went to the toilet and lasted about 4 days (which was the norm time for my periods back in the day). After they stopped the sweats have came back, not as bad but back and the nippiness has returned with bit of tears and low mood.
My GP has referred me for further checks but with Covid who knows when I will see someone or get a scan.
Is this normal or for a better word common?
-
Any bleeding more than a year after your last period should be investigated so your GP is right to refer you. Did it feel like a period? Given your symptoms improved then worsened it was probably your own hormones but best to be sure. Ovaries do seem to try and function a bit after menopause though I'm not sure how common it is. Hope you can get in before lockdown 3 after Xmas :(
-
thank you.
It wasnt like a period but the other symptoms (sore boobs) were like a period.
-
Brasenton69, I'm sorry to hear that you started bleeding after 14 months. I, myself, haven't had a period since January this year and I'm slightly worried that this might happen to me. It must be frustrating for you, especially when you started feeling better and probably thought it was over and done with. Were you on HRT if you don't mind me asking?
-
Hi Bradenton69, it's always advisable to check any bleeding postmenopause, but it sounds like a period to me. The 12 months without a period rule is an average number.
-
'The WHO 1996 guidelines and a 2001 Stages of Reproductive Ageing Workshop (STRAW) both call menopause the final menstrual period. The question is, how does a woman, or her physician, know when a particular flow is final?
The answer comes from large prospective studies indicating that 12 months must pass for 90% of women to be confident they’ve had their final flow. For women older than 50 at the onset of amenorrhoea, there’s a 95% chance that the flow is final—the younger the woman who has been without a period for 12 months, the greater the likelihood of further flow. Therefore, increasingly menopause is being defined (in women over 40, without hysterectomy) as beginning after 1 year without flow. It’s helpful to know that further flow is likely not caused by pathology if sore breasts, bloating, or premenstrual symptoms precede it.'
https://bcmj.org/articles/clearing-confusion-about-perimenopause#:~:text=Confusion%20about%20perimenopause%20can%20be%20cleared%20by%20defining,controversy%20over%20reproductive%20hormonal%20changes%20in%20midlife%20women.
-
Blimey, I had no idea as many as 10% (or even 5%) would bleed again after a year.
I wonder how long it will take them work out that some women are not meno at 55. If you have any stats I would be interested to see them.
-
*It’s helpful to know that further flow is likely not caused by pathology if sore breasts, bloating, or premenstrual symptoms precede it.*
When I saw the gynaecologist recently about my hyperplasia (still trying to confirm that it's not atypical) she was very interested in the fact that I have sore breasts before my bleeds, want to buy quantities of chocolate (don't usually have it in the house) and feel sleepy. The HRT has been wonderful in many respects, and I am staying on Oestrogel and having a Mirena fitted, but I could do without the bleeds (periods, I still call them, because that's exactly what they feel like).
-
What did she say about sore breasts before the bleed? I've always had it. I don't feel sleepy though except when I'm on utrogeston as well as my own progesterone when I'm wiped out. Is it an excuse to eat chocolate?? :)
-
She wrote down the bit about the sore breasts and nodded approvingly. Not much more was said as it was just before the hysteroscopy and she was probably reserving judgment.
Do you even have to ask about the chocolate ;D
-
Just bought a very chocolaty yule log - maybe I should start on that ;D ;D
-
Sore breasts pre-bleed is normal. Surely :-\. I never knew when I was ovulating. But I knew that I felt ill in the 10-14 days prior to a period starting. Very sick, very suddenly; light headed feelings; very thirsty - I would eat celery that was stored in water in the fridge, simply to get the liquid; I've always eaten chocolate, nowt new there ::). In my 30s I would have to dash to the loo 10 mins. B4 a bleed, even if a period wasn't due. "the runs"!
Oh! and crying. Again, the night B4 a bleed even if a period wasn't due, I would sob for hours. Sure enough, next morning >:(
NAPS advised me to eat every 3 hours, 24/7. To stop low blood sugar causing that sudden feeling of sickness. Slow release foods, i.e. porridge, bananas, fruits and nuts. Saved my Life.
Menopause is literally, the last monthly period. Mine waxed and waned for a few years, fortunately the dreadful pain and clots stopped by then. Once I realised that I hadn't seen a period for months I relaxed, didn't stop carrying protection for 5 years though :D
-
I've got cream sheila99 ;).
-
Might not be any cake left... :) Oink.
-
Just bought a very chocolaty yule log - maybe I should start on that ;D ;D
It's medicinal.
-
Sore breasts pre-bleed is normal. Surely :-\.
I was responding to Uptick's post: my post-menopausal bleeds are perhaps less a cause of concern to the consultant I saw because they are responding to the HRT as 'periods' with the premenstrual symptoms associated with those, rather than there being something more sinister causing the bleeds.
I hope, anyway.
-
Blimey, I had no idea as many as 10% (or even 5%) would bleed again after a year.
I wonder how long it will take them work out that some women are not meno at 55. If you have any stats I would be interested to see them.
They call it late onset menopause and it's more common than one might think.
The Timing of the Age at Which Natural Menopause Occurs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3285482/
Should I be worried about late-onset menopause? » Professor Andreas Obermair
https://www.obermair.info/latest-news/blog/late-onset-menopause/
Age at natural menopause and risk of incident cardiovascular disease: a pooled analysis of individual patient data - The Lancet Public Health
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(19)30155-0/fulltext
-
Just read your post with interest. I had my last proper period when I was 59 or 60 - (cant remember properly :O)
All the Dr asked was when did my Ma or Grandma finish? Ma was 57 Grab was 62
That was it!
-
:thankyou:
Thanks Uptick
-
You're welcome!
-
Thank you for replying. No I’m not on HRT that’s the next step once I have the investigation work carried out at hospital in a couple of weeks. I’m sure it was a period. Bugger is for 2 months I felt great. No sweats etc then bang here we go again
-
The reason for the 12 months cut off for investigation of "post-menopausal bleeding" is a conservative one, to ensure that all women are investigated if they bleed after 12 months without a natural period, so that no potnetial cases of cancer are missed. It is not to say that having a period more than 12 months after going without one is anyway abnormal and likely to be cancer. As with everything there is a spectrum of times when women may ovulate after a long time without one and as a result of studies this has been set at 12 months.
From what I recall, the Stages of Reproductive Ageing Workshop (STRAW) referred to I think in a previous post, highlighted that in women with premature ovarian failure ie premature menopause, ovarian activity may be more likely to resume spontaneously than in older women - but the same 12 month cut-off for investigation stands.
I was responding to Uptick's post: my post-menopausal bleeds are perhaps less a cause of concern to the consultant I saw because they are responding to the HRT as 'periods' with the premenstrual symptoms associated with those, rather than there being something more sinister causing the bleeds.
I hope, anyway.
If you are on HRT then the term "post-menopausal bleeds" is actually not strictly accurate. If you are on cyclical HRT then a withdrawal bleed is normal. If you are on continuous combined HRT - this is designed as a no bleed regime but only if you are post-menopausal. Any woman who is post-menopausal and who does bleed beyond the 6 or so months settling in time after starting this type of HRT - should report this to the doctor, as well as any woman on conti HRT who has settled down and does not bleed - and then suddenly has a bleed. While likely to be due to an imbalance of progesterone/oestrogen due to the HRT, nevertheless it is as important to check as a genuine post-menopausal bleed.
It is absolutely crucial that any bleeding after 12 months without one, should be investigated in women not on HRT to rule out potential hyperplasia/cancer.
Bradenton - hopefully in your case it's a late ovulation (the lack of sweats are a bit of a give away - indoicating that maybe oestrogen was rising and you ovulated?) - all the best and let us know :)
I hope this is helpful.
Hurdity x
-
I was responding to Uptick's post: my post-menopausal bleeds are perhaps less a cause of concern to the consultant I saw because they are responding to the HRT as 'periods' with the premenstrual symptoms associated with those, rather than there being something more sinister causing the bleeds.
I hope, anyway.
If you are on HRT then the term "post-menopausal bleeds" is actually not strictly accurate. If you are on cyclical HRT then a withdrawal bleed is normal. If you are on continuous combined HRT - this is designed as a no bleed regime but only if you are post-menopausal. Any woman who is post-menopausal and who does bleed beyond the 6 or so months settling in time after starting this type of HRT - should report this to the doctor, as well as any woman on conti HRT who has settled down and does not bleed - and then suddenly has a bleed. While likely to be due to an imbalance of progesterone/oestrogen due to the HRT, nevertheless it is as important to check as a genuine post-menopausal bleed.
It is absolutely crucial that any bleeding after 12 months without one, should be investigated in women not on HRT to rule out potential hyperplasia/cancer.
Bradenton - hopefully in your case it's a late ovulation (the lack of sweats are a bit of a give away - indoicating that maybe oestrogen was rising and you ovulated?) - all the best and let us know :)
I hope this is helpful.
Hurdity x
Yes, I've been investigated over the last four months for atypical hyperplasia, though they are starting to swing towards typical hyperplasia and the consultant I saw last time was interested that my bleeds felt more like periods. My biopsies are still ambiguous enough for me to be kept on a three-monthly biopsy routine and I am having a Mirena.
-
Hi there,
Thought I would post an update and where I am at with things and again looking for advice, comments or general experience please.
I attended the hospital 2 weeks ago and they carried out an internal as first step to check lining etc. Lining was still thick but I have a 2cm cyst. Nothing unusual there as I have had issues before, also suffer(ed) from Endo and lesions so everything is pretty stuck together inc. my bowel to my womb, which leads me on to the actual test. Basically they couldn't proceed due to my cervix not playing ball and only way to do the procedure was to knock me out which they didn't want to do at this stage as they felt 80% confident all was okay? They carried out CA125 test which I used to get every 3 months years ago and I still haven't had the results. Also booked in for a ultra sound which is schedule for Tuesday coming.
To add to the mix I had another period last week or a bleed for about 2 days but very light, however tummy was mega crampy which is something I haven't been bothered with for years. So between 1st bleed and 2nd looks like approx 8 weeks.
Since the bleed stopped night sweats have been terrible as have the night time adrenaline rushes, tummy crampy and banging headaches.
Looks like I am back at square 1 ?
Anyone got any advice or words of help please :)