I have always had very regular periods every 28 days. For the past 2 months, however, I've only had 21 days between each period. This has never happened to me before. I'll be 42 years old next month. Is this my first sign that perimenopause is starting? Is there any reason to be concerned that my periods have started coming every 3 weeks instead of every 4 weeks?

Welcome to P-S MollyM!

Hard to say about peri, but at around 42 (I'll be 47 in Oct), mine started being 21 days apart. Since last Fall, they're between 24 & 27 with 2 thrown in at 33 & 39. Who knows anymore!! I really think it was sort of a beginning for me. If there are no other problems, I wouldn't worry about it. However, you should never ignore symptoms ... let the docs decide if all is ok.

I've read that one of the first tell-tale signs of peri is that your periods start coming closer together. The hormones that fuel the beginning of your cycle, when the uterine lining is building up, start sloughing off and ovulation occurs earlier. Then after a period of that your periods grow farther apart and you start missing periods and they become completely chaotic because you're not ovulating every month, if at all.

The common wisdom among doctors seems to be that closer-together periods are nothing to worry about unless they're 14 days or less apart. You need to get that checked out because it might--distant might--be a sign of unopposed estrogen which can lead to uterine cancer. For about 4 months this year I had periods coming every 14 days. After traipsing around to a whole bunch of different doctors and undergoing all sorts of tests they all told me I was perfectly fine and it was just peri and nothing to worry about.

I don't blame you for being worried. Whenever your periods start acting funky you say "Hey, wait! What's going on?"

Molly I see your a newbie, this is very normal and so far I haven't skip a period. I don't see why you are worrying at all, I have been dealing with this for years now. Just got my period today a week early. Had a couple of months this year where they went 40 days apart. But for the most part they have been getting closer together.

Oh yes, I remember when my period came every 21 days. I was in my 40's. I hated having PMS every three weeks!

Cesca

I was ALWAYS regular--every 26-28 days, then suddenly a spate of 30 days, then 20 days, then 36 days (and I counted and checked and worried cause I had a new guy, protected but you never know!)
I spent about a year with the up and down number of days (the guy dissappeared, so I didn't have to worry about THAT anymore). I didn't really notice a decrease in the number of days between, just that they weren't to be counted upon anymore.
Then I started seeing a new guy and had NO periods for three months! Can you imagine the kits and tests I did? SURE, he said he had a vasectomy
Anyway, we have now been together for 2 years, I believe the vas story, and I have had 2 periods and three (separated) spotting days in that time. My doc thought I was nuts, or paranoid. My Honey had his semen tested for "live ones"
It's all me, and just me going through my process.
Apparently we are all different, and our bodies act differently. There is no set schedule, no set regime. No one can tell us if this is a symptom, or if we are through, because the symptoms are different for everyone and the time frames are each our own
I just keep checking that I am OK, discuss my symptoms with my Doc and deal with each new symptom as a new adventure.

Honey has been GREAT, buying me a personal fan, rubbing my feet, leaving me alone (but showing up with un-asked-for tea and snackies) and never questioning my mood swings, just cuddling, supporting or disappearing, as the mood suggests.

I just wish the heat would let up so I can turn off the air cond. and open the windows!

I am 39. Before peri, my cycles averaged 26 days and were irregular, meaning 26 days was average but it could range longer or shorter than that. In the last few years, they have gotten closer together, with the average being 23 days, and they are more regular.

My periods themselves are lasting a bit longer. Used to be they were 4 or 5 days. I never had one last longer than 5 days. Then a couple of years ago I had one last 7 days, then a few that lasted 6 days. This year I've had several that lasted 6 days and one that was 8 days.

I do believe these changes are the beginning of peri. It will be interesting to see how the patterns change! Personally, I hope meno happens soon and doesn't last too long. I still feel too young to be starting this process!

I'm also 39. I noticed a change in my cycle in Feb, used to be 30 days, then dropped to 25 days, longer, then shorter, with bleeding time doing the same thing. This time was expecting to start on Friday, but didn't start until Sunday (not really late, I know). Sunday morning woke up feeling anxious and wondering, hubby had vas decades ago, but they say anything is possible, right? Then it came and everything fine. Waiting to go back to Dr, she suspects fibroids and don't know what she wants to do about it. But feeling really anxious and cramping and backache today. Wish this would be done and over, but also waiting to get test results back to see if Dr. wants to put me on hormones, Xanex, or just shoot me in the head.

I had several months of 3 1/2 weeks apart, and this time it was 5 weeks. But nothing has ever been regular or normal for me. Since I almost always go 7 days each time, I like the 5 week intervals much better. I just wish it would go away, so I won't have to deal with it anymore.