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[Sophiaflorance]

Hi I am 55 in a couple of weeks and only started skipping periods at 53 years of age. My last period was December 2018 and then I suddenly started bleeding again last week. I know I have to be a year of no bleeding to be considered menopausal and I was so nearly there. So do I reset the clock even though I am quite old to still be having ‘periods'?
I went to the doctors who did seem a bit concerned and I had a vaginal ultrasound and scan yesterday which appear normal with no endometrial thickening. I had experienced some slimy mucus/discharge and incredibly sore nipples over the last couple of months so am now wondering was is it an oestrogen surge. Has anybody else my age had something similarly? Am I late peri menopausal still? Should I try and lower my oestrogen? Will I get anything similar next month? The month after?
I am not on the pill - do not have any hormone replacements or anything like that so completely natural and haven't really had any hot flashes or other symptoms apart from painful sex and pmt type moods. Any advice greatly appreciated. Many Thanks

[choc57]

Hi Sophia I had this happen to me. My periods started changing at age 51 and were all over the place until I was 55. I had a period in the August of 2012 then nothing more until the following April when I was 56 when I had a period followed 28 days later by another one and since then nothing and I'm now 62. So I'd gone 8 months with nothing at all only to have two more together which I thought was weird and possibly an oestrogen surge or my body's final attempt at another pregnancy! I went on hrt in Jan 2014 just for a year so I can't be sure that I wouldn't have had another period but I came off in Feb 2015 and have had no bleeding since. I did have hot flushes and they were really bad starting in 2011 and lasting until about 6 months ago and my mood was bad too. However I have to say that finally I'm feeling like me again. I'm glad now that I didn't go back on hrt which I was seriously considering about a year ago because of the hot flushes as everything has now settled down. If your doctor has reassured you that all is fine I wouldn't worry x

[sheila99]

The doctrine that all women are menopausal at 54 is a fallacy. I was fairly regular when I started hrt aged 57. Your body will stop when it's ready, not when the text book tells it to. And in peri abnormal is absolutely normal, I don't think there is any reason to worry.

[CLKD]

Reset the clock  .  My periods waxed and waned for years with long gaps then would be 'regular' for months.  Then they stopped ...... I didn't stop carrying protection for 5 years though 

[Kathleen]

Hello Sophiaflorance and welcome to the forum.

It seems to me that there are as many types of menopause as there are trees lol. I was one of those ladies who had regular periods up to the age of 54 but then they just stopped and never appeared again. It takes all sorts lol.

I am intrigued by your comment about trying to lower your oestrogen . You say  you are not on the pill or using HRT so I wonder if you  have  found another way to increase or decrease your levels?

Wishing you well and keep posting.

K.

[Hurdity]

Hi Sophiaflorance

  from me too!

Don't wish away your oestrogen - make the most of it while you still have it! The rest of us are trying to replace it (well some of us anyway!). You do not need to have any extra hormones if you still have your own. It is the two years following the last period when levels really crash overall ( with a bit of fluctuation here and there) so at that point if you develop adverse symptoms you might want to think about HRT - but in the meantime - enjoy those hormones

As long as doc has investigated due to your age and all is OK then your hormones are still active - the symptoms you had were a good sign that it was your own cycle...

Hurdity x

[Sophiaflorance]

Thank you so much for your answers and the welcome 

I think I was just confused as I thought my period in Dec 18 (and that was already after a 7 month gap) was my last one. I was shocked to get another heavy one 10 months later and being nearly 55 too. But it seems from others that this is quite normal.

I am overweight which from what I have read can prolong oestrogen so I had wondered about trying to lower the levels ( by diet really ) and then maybe get to my year of no periods and then into the menopause. This is mainly because I didn't know anybody who was naturally still ovulating and bleeding at 55. My friends all seemed to follow the pattern of 49/50 and then no more.

Every time I bleed it brings new worries - is it a “normal bleed” is it an “abnormal” bleed.
The doctors although of course doing their job can scare you immediately with talk of 2 week cancer pathways. I guess I just want to stop the bleeding and get on with the menopause properly.

Much love and thanks 🙏🏻 x

[Hurdity]

Hi again Sophiaflorance

Yes there are others on here who have had a later menopause - in fact was a thread on here started by Machair...

I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that if you are overweight (by that I mean BMI above normal range and the extra weight being fat not muscle) then the best thing you can do for your future health as you approach menopause and beyond is to start on a path to try to reduce this little by little, and increase exercise - if you are able to - I know can be easier said than done but if you are able to make tiny changes....bit by bit.... Do make sure you have had thyroid tests if your weight gain is fairly recent - as some women develop underactive thryoid at this stage, which can cause weight gain. Being overweight and especially if obese is a strong risk factor for several cancers, including breast and womb.

Re reducing oestrogen and excess weight - yes you are right - that when we are post-menopause our fat cells produce oestrogen so a way to reduce these levels is to lose weight - so if this is what you mean by diet then yes! As far as I know though, this won't have any effect on ovulation and menopause as this is under control of the ovaries and brain - once your ovarian reserve has declined and you gradually cease to ovulate then you won't produce oestrogen by that route - but still produce some from fat cells.

I can understand your worry at your age ie whether the bleed is normal or not but the good thing is, due to your age the docs are checking just in case, so i would welcome the two week pathway as it means nothing sinister should slip through the net. Carry on being vigilant but try not to worry!

Hurdity x