Hiya! Im Claire, and Im 42, and I have big suspicions that I've started my change. I realise its quite early, but for the lat few years, I've had some pretty ominous symptoms. It started with a few years of *really* heavy & painful and more frequent periods every 20 days, Im used to pain (I have arthritis) but these would have me in tears, with hubby rubbing my back, and I was begging to see a consultant to have a full hysterectomy as it was having such a massive impact on my life and I just couldnt understand why back then (of course I was told no and I was being silly), then they suddenly became very light, much to my delight, to the point I was only using maybe 3-4 tampons for the whole thing. I also had an increase in migraine attacks from one that happened just before each period, to 1 a week (my GP prescribes Triptans) I've also been getting hot flushes & Insomnia. Recently though, my periods have become very erratic, and a few months ago, I was due and had nothing more than a few spots, and then nothing, I finally started out of the blue about 2 weeks late, I had 2 fairly normal but light periods, and now Im sat here again, 2 weeks late again, last week I had really bad 'womb pain' yet nothing more than a few bits of brown 'old blood' then nothing again, the pain has gone, so has the spotting. My migraines have also calmed down again (thankfully!)
Background wise I have apparently got several lifestyle 'risk factors' in that I had both of my boys young, pregnant at 16 with #1 and again at 21 with son #2. due to severe complications at that birth, I have been sterilised (cauterised and clipped tubes) when I was 24. I am also on the pudgy side, but health wise im in pretty good shape. None of my friends are going through it so its hard to talk to anyone at the moment as they cant relate, My GP is essentially waving me off as im 42 and to "come back when you havent had a period for a year"
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