HI, Im new here. I have a question. I am 37 and for the last 3-4 months my periods have only lasted 3-4 days, The first 2 days are the heaviest with more clotting then I used to get. Last month I had some bad cramping,( worse then normal cramps) but I took a motrin and it went away and never came back. With my periods getting shorter and heavier could this be pre-menopause? My mother is 55 and just finished going through menopause, I have a great aunt that went through it in her 30's. I would love to hear some advice from some other woman who have been through this. Thanks. MichMom

Are you starting peri-m? Hey, probably! Why not? the rest of us are! Yes, my periods did the same over the last 5 yrs, slowly got shorter but heavier, with major clotting, then they went from 28 days to 21 days and this month, for the first time in my life no period at all! How weird that feels, and no, I'm definitely not pregnant. However, you are 12 years younger than me, but I don't know how significant that is, as I read here of many women in their late 30s starting peri-m. Do you have any other symptoms off the list? I'm starting to think this is very much a self-diagnosis thing, taking note of what we are experiencing/feeling and what other women are saying about their experiences. Maybe see the doc for a check up if you're worried, I suppose there could be some sort of medical reason for your change in periods? But don't trust blood tests for hormone levels, they don't work! Mine all said my hormones were "normal" but I'm definitely right into peri-m, even tho my doc doesn't seem to get it! Just keep reading the forums here and look for some common ground with other women around your age. Cheers.

Sounds like peri to me MichMom.....and it sounds almost exactly like my periods too....my 1st 2 days are heavy with LOTS of clotting,then it usually stops altogether,then starts up again,very light though for a couple days.

MichMom- I'm 33... so I can relate. My mother is 58 and just getting done with meno.... my fathers sister and mother were a little older than I am but say that it could've started around my age because it wasn't considered back then... meaning, you were either not having periods and hot flashes or you weren't. My periods were just weird... I would go 43-50 days some months and they would last 10-12 days sometimes but never heavy. I think everyone is different. My hormone tests show nothing abnormal, however my dr.s will say "it could be". I know my body and I have 34 out of 38 symptoms. Have you checked the symptoms part of this site? Also, hotflashes are a dead giveaway. I thought I was having anxiety attacks and come to find out... I was having a pre hot flash moment. I do have a lot of anxiety, as do many many women on these message boards. I didn't have much of anything except occassional depression and crankiness before I started all of this 6- 8 months ago. It's horrible, but this is where I go for understanding, education and compassion. People say "you're too young" well, I feel really old because of this and although I am WAY done having kids, I feel down about it sometimes. I feel like people don't believe me and it bothered me a lot for awhile, now I just have a hot flash in front of them and then they start believing. Who cares what they think? I know me and my body. Also, keep a journal of symptomatic things and periods. I think that is what made me finally come here and then I just went from there. This is a great place. Take care. The cramping could be a cyst. My ovaries have started developing tiny ones each month... about the time all this started. They go away and come back. The birth control pill they put me on (hormones only) has stopped them for now. That might be the way to go... if in doubt... see your Dr.... but don't expect to have your homones come back abnormal yet if you're just starting... it can take a long time. Take care.... do you have kids? I have two boys, 6 & 4- what a wild ride( I stay home) they have started getting used to the hot flashes already!

Hey....I am 43 and started the whole peri thing exactly 10 years ago......heavier periods, 28 days down to 21 days, breast tenderness, hot flashes...and so forth...now I have just experienced no period for 3 months, then 2 very light periods that lasted 5 days that were 13 days apart......we'll see what happens next!!! Hang in there.....Libraluck

I'm 47 and will be 48 years old in April 2005. My periods were always every 28 - 30 days. The first day was mild, the second day the heaviest (no clotting), third day would stop, 4th day lighter, 5th day totally fading away. That was my normal cycle since I was 12 years old. I have never had a cramp in my pelvic region, I am the lucky one who gets lower back aches and calf aches.

Today my periods will start from day 23 - 28 days. The first day is heavier, the second day is heavy with light clotting (first time in my life during my period), the third day is now like the 5th day use to be, and the 4th and 5th day literally almost gone! Now if this can continue and then eventually disapear.......I will be very happy! Oh.....I did have a couple of periods during 2004 that required me to wear a pad in case I over flowed...(and I change my tampon often). Now that was a new one for me! I started to think that if I had a light period one month, then the next month might be heavier because I did not shed enough from the previous month. My sister had a flooding problem and then used natural progestrone cream.....that straightened her flooding right up!

Terry

Hi Terry

Sounds to me like you're right there in "peri heaven". Welcome to this not-so-exclusive-club, where most of us feel like life has dealt us a very unfair hand. The wacko periods are just a part of it. Hopefully, if you're lucky, that will be your worst symptom. My best advice would be to come to these boards daily. There are so many wonderful, caring and sharing women here. They helped me through some deep, dark and frightening moments. Alice is an angel for creating this site. There is such a wealth of knowlege here and once informed, you find that you can be very rational about this transition. Meno mania can be overcome. Let's hear it for the girls!!!!!