Is this perimenopause?

[Anonymous]

TMI and something I can’t ask anyone in real life. I’m 47 and just started a period 17 days after my last one. Is this the start of menopause? I’ve always been regular (25-26 days apart) and I haven’t had any other menopause symptoms. Any similar experiences? I’ll go to my gyn but honestly horrified by the prospect of 2 periods/month.

[Anonymous]

Yes, and yes. Please do yourself a favor and read Jen Gunter's the Menopause Manifesto. And see your GYN.

[Anonymous]

You are unlikely to stay on the 17 day cycle but periods do get more irregular in peri. Take a list of symptoms to your gyn and get some help.

[Anonymous]

yes just had a second period this month after 23 days. Also anemic and have horrible painful endo.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it absolutely could be. Talk to your gyn about what to expect and what your options are: there's a host of fun stuff that goes with perimenopause

And start talking to your friends about it. It's something my gyn urged and it does help a lot, especially figuring out the symptoms.

[Anonymous]

It could be - it doesn't mean you are going to keep having periods that frequently. It could go back to normal for a while, then get longer for a month, then get short again. You will never be able to know.

[Anonymous]

Welcome. My usual cycles are now 23 days but had two 12 day cycles over the past month. Yes, there were 4 days in between.

[Anonymous]

Yup

[Anonymous]

Wait till you have waited 6 weeks for the next one, which starts unexpectedly and profusely at work. Buy pantiliners and pregnancy tests. You might want them. I was so happy to get those negative results.

[Anonymous]

Who knows.

My cycles were regular but getting a bit heavier before I got a Mirena.

Ever since I had it removed my cycles have been long and short (between 21-35 days). They were much heavier when it was first removed. They are not as heavy now but still heavier than before the IUD.

I don’t really know what to blame it on. I’m 41. Could be all sorts of things. I try not to get too upset about it. It is what it is.

[Anonymous]

How long from when they periods get closer together do they go longer apart? I heard closer together is early peri and further apart is later peri.

[Anonymous]

Farther apart in general is probably late peri. But hey, I had a period then nothing for 10 months. Then a couple more. I was 57-1/2 one year after the last period. The loonytunes emotional swings were 4 or 5 years earlier.

[Anonymous]

Yes. It probably is.

May you never be visited by the evil hot flash fairy.

[Anonymous]

God bless you yes it is. Talk to your GYN about what's coming. Mood swings, depression, the works. Don't buy any sweaters and maybe invest in a window A/C unit for your bedroom. I'm kidding. Sort of.

[Anonymous]

I’m 46 and had this happen in August. I saw my GYN who said with no other issues it was likely to be hormonal, but if it continued we would investigate further, but it hasn’t happened again.