Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Donnal1964 on January 22, 2026, 01:51:46 PM
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Well I'm hoping after a really bad time during most of 2025 I may be turning a corner. November and December were totally clear. January started off with just brown discharge and some what I call tiny veins of red in my normal discharge, usually coming later in the day and only lasting a short time. Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this? I have been checked by the doctor and she is more than happy with everything but curious if other woman have similar things
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Yep. My periods waxed and waned for several years. At the end of each monthly period I would have 2 free days followed by a brown staining. Normal 4 me so I never worried. I would also have itching, high up probably due to dryness at the end of it.
Some months I would bleed 'as normal', then miss several months without anything. Even after my menopause arrived, I would get symptoms "Oh No! Not after all this time" like a period was about to begin. It never did, it was simply hormones dipping.
R U aware of vaginal atrophy which can present with slight blood staining? Do read our threads about this condition: make notes ;).
After 12-14 months without a bleed we can begin to think that we are into menopause but it can vary as each 1 of us is different. Keeping a mood/food/symptom diary might help keep an eye on your newly emerging patterns.
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If your cervical screening is up to date and you have been checked out I wouldn't worry about it.
Menstrual irregularity is a hallmark of perimenopause but as suggested above can also be due to vaginal atrophy, which is highly treatable.
However rather than just focusing on whether you need to wear a panty liner or not, menopause is a time to really think about the future health of your bones, heart, blood vessels and brain etc and whether you want to replace the lost ovarian hormones.
Whilst HRT is a personal choice, having a longevity protocol is important for all of us, and arguably more so for those going forward without systemic estrogen.