gohio

Hello everyone, I am new to this site, and was reading the posts regarding the menopause phase, I think I am there, I turned 50 in August, and suddenly my cycle is anything but normal, for the last 8 weeks I have had light spotting, then bleeding for a couple days,back to spotting, and now a period that has no end in sight with back pain, all this sounds like the stuff alot of women are going through, everyone says I need to see the OBGYN to rule out anything serious. How long does the endless flow last, and is HRT the only way to have a "normal life again. Any help would be appreciated.

CHANDLERS WISH

Firstly, welcome to the Forum.

Sometimes we have a vast amount of posters so your thread gets lost in the back somewhere..

If you do not get any ideas in the next day, then type something else, here underneath to bring it back up again.

I am sure that other's have experienced different things with Menopause, here.

I think most state, light bleeding though, back pain well can't help that menopause or not, it's a little added bonus with that time of the month.

Anything that is way different to the usual, never presume, always go to the Doctors, your friend is correct ,you don't know that that is the reason, it could be something else that needs urgent attention.

Good luck and think about going.

CW

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Weezer

Most doctors tell us that we need to make it through 12 months without having a period before we actually reach menopause. With that said if you are just now starting the irregular period thing, unfortunately you could be in for the long haul since it can take several years to get to that one year of nothing.
Everyone is right that you really should see your doctor and let him/her know what's going on. Its better to check into things early just in case something else is wrong.
While there, ask about Ablation. That is what I had done after dealing with erratic and hateful periods for a couple of years. It's made a big difference in my quality of life again.
So do get yourself an appointment and let the doctor check you out.

WildChild

At 51 I've recently had something similar. My doctor said it was stress, that I've had a lot highly stressful of life changes in the past 12 to 6 months and that it had created a hormone imbalance. I too had the spotting, started bleeding with intercourse, then it would stop, then the never ending bleeding. An ultrasound found that my endrometrial lining had built up so thick it nearly filled my uterus. She prescribed a type of progesterine, to be taken for 10 days. The story was that my bleeding would stop until a couple days after the meds stopped and then I would have a really heavy period. It didn't work quite as predicted, I continued to bleed through the 10 days on the progesterine and then had the mother of all periods! It was like post delivery bleeding. I've been clean since then. Am doing two more cycles of the progesterine to be sure I'm "clean" and then have to get ultra sounded again. So far it seems to be doing the job. One problem is it makes me really weepy and sensitive - not at all my usual cheerful self.

It might be worth checking out. Beats constant unpredictable spotting and surprises during sex! So far my biggest symptom of menopause seems to be increased horniness. Didn't think was possible for me to be hornier that I was already but there you go!

peppermint88

Hello, I am going thru something similar and have been on progesterone for almost 28 days (heavy bleeding)...after 2 days the progesterone stopped my bleeding (that had been 30 days going) and the doc said to continue it for a month to get me on a cycle.

After 14 days on the progesterone I started spotting faint pink and then 2 days later like a full period and a week later, still bleeding, heavy at times, light at times and awful round-the-clock cramps!

Was this similar to your experience? I am getting off the progesterone in 3 days and then not back on until the 1st of Jan 2009 for 10 days.

Is it your experience that I will regulate after all this bleeding and cramping? The Gyn doc says this is typical perimenopausal behaviour, same age 50, and should regulate (I also have a tiny fibroid, 2 cm, but she says that is not the cause of the excessive bleeding - estrogen dominance and low levels of progesterone are) I had blood tests done.

Thanks!

peppermint88

p.s. I, too am weepy and sensitive. I MUST stay away from the Hallmark TV Channel - my family won't let me near it haha

WildChild

The progesterine didn't do the job and I couldn't handle the hyper emotionalism. I've got enough stress as it is without adding the drugs on top. I told the doc my insurance is ending and have to get this done and over with. Had a D&C and Ablation a month ago, they do put you under for that and the anethesia was the worst part (threw up all day) Recovery seems to have been about 2 weeks to get to full activity although I was working the two days after.
So far so good once the initial recovery bleeding was over. I've always been 'juicy' and that is usually clear, since the ablation it's been kind of tan colored sometimes, suspect minir bleeding is doing that. The doc says either no more bleeding or very light periods are what I can expect. The December issue of More magazine has a great article on the over use of hysterectomies in the US and alternatives, including ablation, you might want to get a copy and read the article. Two of my sisters have had this a couple years ago and are really positive about it.

peppermint88

I read up on the endometrial ablation that says it can be done on an outpatient basis. Sounded like the most minimally invasive procedure because it goes thru the vaginal area into the uterus and uses saline solution heated and then cooled to ablate the lining.

Said most patients go home the same day and recovery time is less. Well, I'm hoping if I hang in there the progesterone will eventually kick in since it did the first 2 weeks - I know I must be estrogen dominant right now!

It's a roller coaster ride for sure and I'd like to get off now!

peppermint88

Thanks Wildchild, for adding the extra information.

Has anyone on here dealt with heavy bleeding and cramping for weeks on end and then finally the progesterone has kicked in after 2-3 cycles of being on the hormone? (My Gyn doc says it's early in the 'hormone' phase of what I'm going thru and the progesterone should help in 2-3 cycles)

I'd like to know how things have played out for others so I can maybe know what to expect and what my options are.

WildChild

Get that issue of More and read up on this stuff, it was interesting