|
Post by romily on Jun 7, 2023 2:50:50 GMT -5
It's the combined pill so has both hormones - my sister has been put on the mini pill for peri menopause symptoms but have both hormones in the combined pill. And never had any problems, and I'm nearly 51 in autumn - holy shit how did that happen!
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 7, 2023 6:13:36 GMT -5
yes, 40 seemed to creep up on me, and then 50 is right around the corner!
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 7, 2023 7:14:19 GMT -5
Turning 50 last year felt weird - now I just ignore it.
|
|
|
Post by snowwhite on Jun 8, 2023 7:14:01 GMT -5
I seem to be in my (now)* regular summer shutdown - current cycle started on 1st March and nothing since. Last year, after a similar break I had one heck of a period in September (never mind a menstrual cup, a bucket chain would have been more the thing), and a few more November, December etc (I wrote the dates down). The weird thing is every so often I'll be feeling for all the world like I'm pre-menstrual and feel I really should make sure I don't go away without some supplies just in case.
It really is a bit odd, but it could be so much worse, I'm not complaining.
*first happened 2020
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 8, 2023 7:59:44 GMT -5
I take my menstrual cup with me now, pretty much any time I'm away from the house for more than 8 hrs. I just don't trust the flow at all.
my thumbs are itchy. super itchy, right where I would have blisters from my kayaking trip. I don't have blisters, because I wore gloves, and anyway, I got home from that a week ago. But I can't think of anything else that I got just on that bit of my thumbs and NOWHERE ELSE on my hands.
could this be a symptom? I've decided it is.
I'm having another period, despite finishing a normal-ish one 2 wks ago. Yesterday, about 12 hrs after it started, I was quite PMSy, and very down. So I got very little done, because I just had no desire to do anything, and then I felt depressed for getting nothing done.
ate a large bowl of excessively buttery/cheesey/salty popcorn while watching old episodes of Gardeners World, which seemed to help. despite being a reminder of stuff I didn't do in the garden earlier this year. feeling more myself today.
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 9, 2023 1:48:33 GMT -5
Stopped the pi;; yesterday for the 7 day break so am expecting the worst. Hoping that when I restart it next week and no additional stress like traveling things will reset and the bleeding will stop..... Fingers crossed.
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 9, 2023 13:21:36 GMT -5
Yeah, if you can, definitely keep a record of the bleeds to show the doctor. It may or may not be important, but it's helpful to have it on paper.
|
|
|
Post by princessofpenguins on Jun 10, 2023 14:38:39 GMT -5
I couldn't have a proper celebration of my 50th because of fucking corona.
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 10, 2023 16:58:09 GMT -5
I don't think I want one. organising things is a nightmare.
I've decided that itchy thumbs is a symptom. Doesn't make them feel better, but stops me going mad trying to work out why they're itchy.
|
|
|
Post by princessofpenguins on Jun 11, 2023 13:57:35 GMT -5
All I wanted was a nice dinner out LOL... but WTF itchy thumbs?
It's been well over a year since my last period and lately I've been getting badly stiff joints, which is leading to injuries. I really need to deal with this...
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 12, 2023 5:14:22 GMT -5
Well, now on pill break and I swear I haven't had that heavy a period since I was a teenager. It's ridiculous!
I really need to get more informed about this menopause stuff.
|
|
|
Post by ozziegiraffe on Jun 12, 2023 7:04:05 GMT -5
Very heavy bleeding is apparently common for women who haven’t had children. I discovered that the hard way.
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 12, 2023 8:19:28 GMT -5
But I'm on the damn pill! Never had any breakthrough bleeding at all until a month ago, and now its suddenly non stop, and on the break from the actual pill heavier than ever in my life!
What worries me to be honest is the sudden change (from literally never ever having breakthrough bleeding to suddenly having bleeding - not spotting! - every day) a month ago. All whist still on the combined pill. I googled like crazy but haven't found anything that explains this change whilst you are still on the pill. That's why I'm worrying, and of course my family history with cancer.
I will speak to GP on the 20th, and if he can't arrange for a physical examination with the nurse will push for a referral and go private - I want somebody to take this serious and take a look and take a smear test (mine was 2 years ago and normal) to rule out the worst case scenario. And then discuss way forward with hormones - stop the pill and maybe do some other hormone replacement - will need to be discussed.
Reason - the 2 times in my life I stopped the pill I fell into a very deep depression - to the point they wanted to put me on anti depressants once - that was gone as soon as I started the pill again. I'm just now starting to stabilize with my mental health and really do not want to risk taking the hormones out of the equation.
It's all a catch 22 as I feel fine, but am not really happy with constantly bleeding for 5 weeks now, with a super heavy bleeding on the days I don't take the pill.
|
|
|
Post by sophie on Jun 12, 2023 16:36:52 GMT -5
Heavy bleeding could be the result of endometriosis… I had horrible bleeding for sometimes weeks on end… before I finally had a hysterectomy in my mid 50s
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 13, 2023 5:43:45 GMT -5
But I have zero pain - doesn't endometriosis come with lots of pain (a colleague of mine in my 20s had it and had to be signed off work every month). It's all just baffling - at least I found some super duper big tampons that mean I can sleep through the night without causing a mess.
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 13, 2023 12:24:46 GMT -5
It is really confusing, and I hope your doctor has good ears.
|
|
|
Post by sophie on Jun 13, 2023 15:02:35 GMT -5
I had some pain (more like discomfort) but it was the non stop bleeding which was the issue. My iron levels took a hit and I was on iron supplements for quite a while (and the only one I liked was Floradix which didn’t cause constipation).
|
|
|
Post by kneazle on Jun 13, 2023 17:38:35 GMT -5
Very heavy bleeding is apparently common for women who haven’t had children. I discovered that the hard way. Me too - I got an IUD fitted and it's been amazing - get the odd very light period now. A lot of birth control options I can't take due to my clot risk.
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 14, 2023 2:34:26 GMT -5
Well, the thing is I take the pill only to keep my hormones leveled as I aAs I fell into a massive depression the 2 times I tried to sop it in the past – and that was when I was at a good point in my life, not just slowly coming out of a big mental health crisis. It’s not that I need it for contraception – I don’t even know what sex is anymore… Starting pill again tomorrow evening, period has leveled out a bit, so let’s see if it will go back to normal, and if the GP has anything useful to say when I speak to him next Thursday. Will definitely push for a nurse appointment, and if nothing goes to get a referral to go private to see a Ob/gyn. I really just want to rule out that something dangerous (aka cancer – with my family history now the big scary one) is going on.
|
|
|
Post by ozziegiraffe on Jun 14, 2023 4:52:15 GMT -5
Definitely try to see an ob/ gyn specialist. In our town we have a specialist clinic for women going through menopause. In my day, all their services were free, and they were wonderful. After the severe pain and heavy bleeding, I was first prescribed progesterone in the interim, and then had a d&c, which cleared everything up. About a decade later, I noticed bleeding, same gynaecologist did another d&c and discovered abnormal cells. I became part of a clinical trial using the IUD mirena, which keeps everything normal
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 14, 2023 9:52:06 GMT -5
i had abnormal cells on my cervix in my mid 30s - had a loop treatment to crape them off and smeartest was ok since. But yes, in moments like this i hate the UK system, plus the fact it is so broken - in Germany I would have been able to make an appointment with my ob/gyn directly without waiting for a referreal and would not have been freaking out for weeks but would be in treatment by now.
|
|
|
Post by lillielangtry on Jun 17, 2023 6:29:08 GMT -5
Very heavy bleeding is apparently common for women who haven’t had children. I discovered that the hard way. Me too - I got an IUD fitted and it's been amazing - get the odd very light period now. A lot of birth control options I can't take due to my clot risk. Kneazle, can I ask, that sounds like a coil with hormones? You were allowed that after the clot? I ask because I have a copper coil, which is known for making periods heavier, but it was pretty much my only option after breast cancer, which means I can't have anything with oestrogen.
|
|
|
Post by scicaro on Jun 18, 2023 10:55:55 GMT -5
The coil with hormones has progesterone is that also banned for you?
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 19, 2023 2:31:14 GMT -5
Well, good news for a change, after my ill break I started the pill again on Thursday, and after a day bleeding is completely gone – back like how it used to be. Seriously relieved – especially as my phone appointment with GP tomorrow got cancelled.
Won’t do anything else for now but monitor – I still think this stupid potassium supplement that k=knocked me out so badly (fainting, sick and so on) might have been the cause as the bleeding started the day after. It doesn’t really make sense but it’s the only correlation I can come up with.
Right now just relieved that things are back to normal now, should there be any spotting or breakthrough bleeding I will investigate further but for now I am just relieved.
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 19, 2023 5:40:05 GMT -5
Good to hear you're having some normal again. I think that's one of the more annoying aspects of this stage, the unpredicability of anything.
I thought it was ok to take the pill non-stop, that the 'period' break was a hangover from social attitudes when it was first developed? It's been a while since I read up on it.
|
|
|
Post by romily on Jun 19, 2023 9:32:44 GMT -5
I have taken the pill for up to 3 months without a break - Dr said it's no problem - but after a few months I get some breakthrough bleeding (always have) so usually I only take it for 2 months or so before having a break. Seems that tolerance is lower now that I am older!
|
|
|
Post by lillielangtry on Jun 19, 2023 12:43:39 GMT -5
The coil with hormones has progesterone is that also banned for you? er... good question, I'm actually not sure. I am satisfied with my copper coil for now anyway. It is just frustrating that options are so limited for some women. And that just continues with HRT, which I won't be allowed either - at least not in the usual sense. Some doctors think that a small amount of topical oestrogen for vaginal dryness is not dangerous.
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 19, 2023 12:49:18 GMT -5
I have read that too, that the topical stuff doesn't go through the body in the same way as a patch or other intake forms, so isn't a danger for cancers.
|
|
|
Post by fishface on Jun 26, 2023 3:51:48 GMT -5
In one week I've been asked both if I could be pregnant AND where I am on my menopause journey.
Fuck travelling on that wee journey. I might not check in for that flight if it's an option.
|
|
|
Post by sprite on Jun 26, 2023 16:01:42 GMT -5
I mean, it is possible to do both. Not recommended, but possible.
|
|