I am not sure whether this is an uncommon experience or not, so I
have
to ask.
I'm on the far end of the menopause curve and at well on my way to
60,
I'm still in peri. My periods first became irregular 3 years ago
when
I was 56 and were followed a few months later by an intense 6-8 weeks
of hot flashes that brought me to the verge of HRT and here to ASM
for
the first time just 3 years ago.
Since then the flashes haven't been so bad at all, coming now and
then
in series lasting a few days to a few weeks, usually more amuzing
than
annoying, and alternating with actual periods of shorter and shorter
duration, farther and farther apart. It seemed the hot flashes were
in mid cycle much as cramps had been when I was in my teens.
Just last month, after 7 months and when I thought I was home free, I
had a smudge, so I figured oh, well, and started counting again.
And then yesterday morning I began to bleed. By last evening I had
run through so many of those little between-period pads that have
been
enough now for years, that I had to go to an all night grocery to buy
serious night-time pads. I'm working on my 4th one as I write (about
18 hours since I put on the first). A bright red, fresh looking flow
with a few of the requisite dark clots -- not the dark brownish old
looking spotting color I have gotten used to over the past 4-5 years.
The flow is no more excessive than it has ever been in my life. I
don't feel like I'm pouring blood but it's not a light flow either.
Pretty much as it normally was for me, as far as I recall.
So the question is, can this suddenly be a regular, old-fashioned
period after so long? Fifty-nine-going-on-sixteen as my DH says? Or
should I be worrying and making an appointment with the doctor?
I guess I'm asking if this sounds like a symptom of something more
untoward or just another peri-menopause story. Has anyone here had
this experience? And does anyone have the number of the Guinness
people? ;-)
JustGB