Hello,
My first time posting though been an on/off lurker for a while.
I'm 43. Towards the end of my 30s, my bleeding days reduced from average 5/6 days to 2/3 days with odd 4th day thrown in. Usually the first day would be regular flow and maxing out pads/tampons and second day lighter than that but enough for Sanitary wear and 3rd and 4th day if one spotting and finishing up.
My first question is, is a reduction in bleeding days a sign even if flow seems regular amount? I did briefly mention it back then to a Dr but she was dismissive, almost annoyed and said it was normal and made me feel silly for mentioning. I've not discussed my reproduction system with my doctors since and this was in my late 30s. I wasn't getting any other occurances that I could think off at the time in terms of signs.
When I hit my 40th and literally when I hit it, things changed. A sudden switch. I became fed up, unmotivated, lost interest, down in dumps, felt things were pointless especially because I was no longer feeling joy/satisfaction in doing stuff no more and not getting dopamine hits from anything. I also developed insomnia and hair thinning. I have thick hair and suddenly was seeing my scalp on the sides/temples and can see the top of my scalp through my hair. I've never been a great sleeper, especially around periods/ovulation but this became worse. I can wake up anything between 3 and 8 times to toilet in an average 6 and half hour sleep. (I have always had an overactive bladder though but the wake ups are more than it used to be) Plus smaller wakings not getting out of bed. I had a blood test done in 2022 when it all started. All normal. (Not hormones test) I also had a sleep apnea test. This was normal. I tried a bunch of supplements (still am) and vitamins/herbal remedies and magnesium glycinate and other magnesium. None made any difference to hair or sleep. I've spent a fortune. I am reactive to pharmaceuticals and been avoiding them but was prescribed mirtazapine last yr when I went back for my insomnia though still not took it yet. I get bad side effects or unstable on these sort of meds so get anxious taking them.
I also started getting dry downstairs but only noticed around period or ovulation mostly. I don't recall this being much an issue previously but I resorted to buying a gel off amazon In 2023 because I will wake up scratching mutiple times a night. I'm not sure if this could be a peri sign because it is only mostly around periods/ovulation?
I also started getting night sweats in last few years but again mostly around my period. I also don't recall getting night sweats previously but had always got warmer around my period though. Last winter, I slept with window open every single night. No heating on at all in bedroom. I really feel the cold so unusual but the sweats were only a few nights a month around period. It makes me question if I'm peri since it's not all month round.
A few other little things such as dryer skin. I never had to moisturise but have had to daily after every shower in last 4 years.
I'm also getting more palpitations and racy heart.
My periods though reduced in bleeding days since my late 30s was pretty much the same throughout the last 3 yrs despite other changes happening. Regular time every month without fail. Regular bleed first day and part or all of second day. However, my last period was a little out the ordinary. It came around its scheduled time. I had mild cramping (I rarely get period pain previously in my 20s and 30s going months and months without getting it but have been getting it a bit more last few years though still occasionally but when I get it it is very intense) when I went toilet that morning there was red blood so put a Sanitary towel on. But it was just spotting all day red. No point in a Sanitary pad in the end as a panty liner would have been fine. Not my usual first day of period. Second day I woke up to intense period pain. Down my leg too. I went to work and was close to asking to go home after 15 minutes arriving which is not like me to even consider asking to go home. I took pain relief but couldn't start work for first 30 minutes from the pain. I checked my Sanitary towel 3 or 4 hours later and it wasn't maxed out at all. About 30% with blood. Put another on and checked it 5 hours later and same thing. For all the pain I had, I was expecting a heavier period. It was same for rest of day but every time I wiped there was more red blood even with tiny little clots but yet not so much on pad or maxing it out. I could easily have got away with one pad for whole day. The 3rd day I'm usually finishing up but woke up to cramps again enough to take pain relief and same situation as day 2. Just 30% of pad with red blood yet still good amount on wiping. Bright red blood. I'd say day 2 and 3 was a mix of light flow to spotting on and off throughout day.
I'm questioning so much if I'm peri or not and if worth speaking to a Dr. I'm worried about if I will be took seriously.
Based on what I've put does it sound possible? Because with night sweats and dryness being mostly around periods and ovulation it does make me question. As if it was at other times too it would be a no brainer.
