Anonymous wrote:My wife is so damn stubborn with her health and refuses to be proactive about anything. Today, she woke up with heavy vaginal bleeding (unexpected cycle). Her pants were soiled, just to give you an idea of how much it was. She does not remember her last cycle, but seems quite certain this would be earlier for her. She said she thinks her last cycle was 1-2 weeks ago. Last cycle she also said her menstruation was acharacteristically very light. Other than today's unexpected heavy flow, there is no pain or other issues.

Is a delayed flow possible? She is almost 40, so is probably in or near perimenopause. I told her to call the doctor, but she refuses. Is a one time irregular menstruation an immediate concern at her stage in life, or should we see if it happens again?

How would you like it if your wife discussed your medical problems? Why not trust your wife to handle. There is nothing for you to do.

Could be fibroids too.

My periods were ridiculously heavy from 40 to 48. Sometimes I could not leave the house. I ended up on tranexamic acid. If she had a light period last month, it makes sense this one would be heavy. No doctor was concerned about my heavy bleeding at my age.

You’re a good husband. A lot of us women don’t give it a second thought unless really off. Periods will become pretty irregular in peri but she may a little young for that.

OP thank you fir this thread.

First for caring about your wife but also many women don’t know what’s happening this is helpful

Don't forget, if she's 40, she's probably had 300, 350 periods in her life. Women get used to bleeding every month!!

Unexpected vaginal bleeding is ... normal. I mean, weird, annoying, abnormal, and decidedly normal. Her bleeding two weeks ago could have been ovulation bleeding. Or a cyst that burst or she could be in perimenopause. Or she could be having an early early pregnancy loss.

Did you have sex last night? It also could be a scratch or something and LOOK like a lot of blood when half of it is actually semen.

But if she isn't tracking dates of periods she really doesn't know. If I don't track I lose track very quickly.

She's only 40. I'm in my 50s, not in menopause. She might have years more of menstruation. Or maybe not!

It's not that hard to bleed through to your pants.

Anyway, probably if she called her gyn, her gyn would tell her to track her period for six months. This sounds like inter menstrual bleeding (bleeding in between periods). This can be normal or it can be pre cancer or cancer. But the first thing you do is look to see if it is a pattern.

I just went through this.

If it is a pattern, she should probably get a pelvic/abdominal ultrasound on right after her period stops for the cycle (to look to see how thick her endometrium is, whether they see polyps, etc), like around days 7 to 10, and possibly an endometrial biopsy.

So if she wants to take our advice, tell her to chart her symptoms (mark when her periods are and when any other bleeding episodes happen on a calendar). And to make an appointment with her ob gyn for six months from now (those can be hard to make last minute).

Then let her gyn handle it.

Just to warn you OP: during perimenopause in my 40’s the bathroom would often look like a crime scene. It happens.

Assuming your wife gets regular check-ups with her gyno and pcp (with normal blood work), I wouldn’t worry.

It sounds like a possible early miscarriage or just irregular periods.

In my early 40s I started to bleed through my pants into the car seat etc. Things go a bit whacko. She definitely should see a GYN

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t bother a doctor for a one time thing either. Heavy = fully soaking a large pad in <2 hrs. , that’s way more that bleeding through the underwear.

Ok thanks. Obviously I don’t know anything about this stuff. A one off as not being too worrisome just yet has put my mind at some ease. Thanks, stranger!

dp. If her next period is irregular, she should see her gyn. Note the dates of her cycle and encourage her to track her cycle.

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn’t bother a doctor for a one time thing either. Heavy = fully soaking a large pad in <2 hrs. , that’s way more that bleeding through the underwear.

Ok thanks. Obviously I don’t know anything about this stuff. A one off as not being too worrisome just yet has put my mind at some ease. Thanks, stranger!

PP. but kudos to you for worrying about your wife’s health.

I wouldn’t bother a doctor for a one time thing either. Heavy = fully soaking a large pad in <2 hrs. , that’s way more that bleeding through the underwear.

My wife is so damn stubborn with her health and refuses to be proactive about anything. Today, she woke up with heavy vaginal bleeding (unexpected cycle). Her pants were soiled, just to give you an idea of how much it was. She does not remember her last cycle, but seems quite certain this would be earlier for her. She said she thinks her last cycle was 1-2 weeks ago. Last cycle she also said her menstruation was acharacteristically very light. Other than today's unexpected heavy flow, there is no pain or other issues.

Is a delayed flow possible? She is almost 40, so is probably in or near perimenopause. I told her to call the doctor, but she refuses. Is a one time irregular menstruation an immediate concern at her stage in life, or should we see if it happens again?