Weird period, worried!

[Chica18]

Hi ladies, so I'm having a very strange period this month & I'm a little concerned. For the past few months my periods having been closer together, they have always been 31/32 days apart for as long as I can remember but now seem to be 28 days. I'm 38 so put that down to changes due to my age. Tuesday night (day 25) I noticed I was spotting brown with occasional light red. It's Saturday now & I should be coming on today but this spotting has been happening everyday since with no sign of my normal heavy red flow, it's just brown. I have been super stressed for the past month, long story but my previous post explains why. Could this be down to my age plus stress & anxiety? I'm due for a smear so need to book that, but I'm so worried as I've never had this happen before. I spend all month terrified of seeing blood that when I'm on my period it's the only time I can relax, but I'm having awful anxiety about this & just want it to start properly. Has this happened to anyone else?

Forgot to mention my ovulation was different this month too, I had pain on my left side which I get sometimes but I didn't get the usual egg white mucus. Maybe I didn't ovulate properly this month.

[.Poppy.]

I would hazard a guess that it is absolutely anxiety + age, both of which can cause weird changes to cycles. But as you're due for an appointment anyway it doesn't hurt to book that and just ask them about it. My guess is that they will tell you much the same thing but it will be more reassuring coming from your doctor.

[Carys]

I've read your previous thread, which contains MAJOR stress and anxiety. Absolutely that can affect your period - infact I'd be amazed if it was normal after reading what is happening. An early starting period that don't quite get going (the flow is very slow and light, hence it has time for the blood to oxidise before coming out) will be hormone imbalance, and even minor changes in your health mentally and physically can make bleeding irregularities happen. This is clearly the first time this has happened (the light flow), and to be honest most GP's won't be at all concerned about a one-off event. All the sex hormones, which have to be finely balanced to make regular menstural periods are affected by anxiety - for example adrenaline being made in large amounts in the body affect the amount of progesterone that can be made, once oestrogen and progesterone are out of kilter then you can get irregularities. If I were you, I'd put this down to being another symptom of your stressed state - monitor it, see if it stops and when - it could be that this is all you will have for a period this month. As your periods have been getting slightly shorter in their cycle length that might indeed be the first sign of entering perimenopause too - thats how it starts for many women with period cycle length reducing by a few days. Perimenopause can last 10 years by the way for some people. If you start keeping a period diary and recording all details there - like cycle length, heaviness, length of time blood loss occurs for and any other symptoms etc - then when you go to the GP you can talk about the changes easily.

Have I personally had this happen ? - oh yes, many many times.

[ErinKC]

I would also assume age. I'm 38 and although I had a hysterectomy last year so can no longer track my hormones, my cycle was already getting weird a few years earlier. No one tends to tell us that these changes start so early!

[glassgirlw]

I’m 42 and my cycles are down to anywhere from 21-28 days now. I was always 30-32. I think age plays a huge part.

Also - huge stressors can most definitely throw off cycles. I skipped an entire month once because I was so stressed.