Ladies 40yrs+ : Perimenopause and a lot of clear mucus

[NattyOne]

Hello! I'm 43 and fairly sure I've been in peri a little while now. Any help/own experiences from us 40yrs+ ladies would be great. I'm now on Day 30 of my cycle (I usually have a 22-26 day cycle, with the odd 20-21 day cycle). BUT this month has been weird. Day 9 I had the usual clear ovulation mucus, although not a lot. Days between as usual with very normal secretions. Then Day 19 I had another sudden surge of it, and have had some (egg-white, ovulation type) clear mucus on every day since. And still no period. There is a very slim chance I could be pregnant, I know, but I really suspect it is more a perimenopause issue. (When I was last pregnant (10 years ago) I never had lots of clear mucus like this, in fact no clear mucus at all when I took the pregnancy tests).

I have read that in perimenopause this can happen (a 2nd surge of mucus about a week later) if you don't actually ovulate after the first surge of mucus. THEN the body makes a second go of it, and eventually you do get your period, but it is quite delayed... But what worries me is that I'm still getting the clear mucus every day. And worried that if this goes on too long my period will be very heavy (they usually are heavy anyway). Apart from that I feel fine!! No suspect spotting, etc.etc.etc.

Hope that someone else has had this too??

Many thanks, NattyOne.

[susan1963]

hiya hun, im 49 and i have these bouts of thick sticky egg white looking mucus for about a year, i get it mid cycle, then again a few days before i start and then again a day or so after ive finished the doc told me that its pretty usual for this to happen during pre menopausal, im still regular to the day but quite heavy, not to mention the other awfall symptoms of anxiety, stress ect ... ive been like this for about 5 years now and cant wait for it all to end take care x

[boobs1967]

Hi ladies
I am 45 and i am in peri menopause and believe me i am struggling a bit with symptoms. I get sticky discharge used to be around 14 or 15 day of ovulation but since my periods have started going irregular i get it a lot of the time, i was always 28 day cycle but last few months my periods have been a week late or 3 days early and have noticed i am heavier. My moods have changed lots of anger spells, irrational thinking, dizzyness, anxiety feel like my insides are having a tremor and feel sick and the hot flashes have started. First hot flash i had i felt awful irrational thoughts shaking crying went to see my gp explained it all to her and i burst into tears as the irrational thoughts were scareing me so she has perscribed me Fluoxetine which i have not started yet but i think i will eventually go on them to give myslef a break. At the moment i am taking a multi vitamin, extra vitamin b complex, evening primrose oil, omega vitamin, and a calcium magnessium and zinc all in one vitamin also i take sage leaf vitamins for the sweating and it seems to be working i dont sweat much. Once i finish my multi vitamin i am going to give Menopace a try as my local chemist have said they sell a lot of it the anti depressants are my last resort i am trying everything herbal before i take the path of SSRI's. Not everyone will suffer these symptoms as i have been told by i seem to be one of the unlucky ones. Regarding the discharge as long as it is clear or a slight yellow color it is fine if you notice any blood in it then see your gp. My discharge has become a bit troublesome but there is nothing i can do about it it is part of the change. I hope this information has been of use to you. Having already got anxiety problems and having to go through the change suffering anxiety with that is hard work but i will fight. Stay strong xxxx

[NattyOne]

Thank you so much! I'm glad I'm not the only one. I know I'm not, but it's reassuring to hear that others are having similar problems. I still haven't had my period, but I'll give it another week before making an appt. with the GP. And I suppose I better do a home preg. test b4hand, as they are bound to ask... But I would be almost in disbelief if it were positive. It just feels like my body is constantly trying to ovulate... A novelty for a few days, but this has gone on far too long for comfort, and has now become a worry.

Any more experiences, etc.?? I'd be grateful to know, especially getting so much/too much ovulation-type mucus and NOT being pregnant.

Many thanks, NattyOne.

[mandshere2000]

Hi everyone
Really glad you brought this subject up natty
I'm 48 and my periods are pretty regular, but was a week early in July and have started in last few months being anything up to week late but I thought this was stilled classed as a normal mentrual cycle......I was also told by a GP that I could not be going through anything to do with the menopause because my periods are classed as regular
Have since changed GPs and I'm due to have a blood test tomoro regarding my hormones my moods panic anxiety and outbursts of anger have been getting worse for months now and before I would suffer with PMS up to ten days before a period now its while I'm on a period and even after my period so no break really, my periods are so heavy with lots of clots and normally last for 6 days.....my period last month abruptly stopped on day 4 no tailing off just flooding one day and nothing the next
Also does any one get this I'm feeling so confused and distant from everything which can be really frightening and which I believe to be depersonalisation
Sorry for such a long post but feels so good to offload and know I'm not on my own
Manda

[NattyOne]

Thanks Manda. Glad your new GP takes you seriously. Some are very dismissive of us 40+ ladies, and some are very good. Even at 39yrs one Nurse Practitioner said I could already be in perimenopause, with my then irregular cycles, and sent me for the hormone blood tests (nothing much showed up), and then after two months the periods went back to normal... Some medics are more up-to-date and 'with it' than others. Good luck! The feeling distant thing I can associate with, and getting odd spells of dizziness. But for me I think it's to do with blood loss, as it occurs when bleeding is at it's worse. I can feel spaced out and really disinterested in things. Always been a bit like this with periods since forever. But worse as I get older.

Any more experiences of too much clear stretchy mucus stuff. I've still got it, and still no period (Day 32); and I've been a 24 day, give or take a day, girl in the last six months. Did a home preg. test - negative - as suspected. Waste of money, but I'm confused with all this.

[NattyOne]

Still no period and I'm now on Day 44. Went to the GP and she sent me for blood tests (Day 37) - pregnancy, FBC, ferritin, and thyroid. She suspects it is the start of the perimenopause - erratic cycle lengths, etc. But wanted to completely rule out pregnancy. Results are back, and she is phoning me tomorrow for a 'routine telephone appt.' talk. Secretary said the bloods were 'normal'. I did another urine home preg. test - again NEGATIVE, which I completely expected. I guess the period will just be a flood when it does come eventually - oh joy. Or maybe I am just one of that 5% who hit menopause abruptly and no longer have periods. I doubt it though. I'm still getting the clear stretchy mucus EVERY DAY. Am I just trying to ovulate, but have run out of eggs?!

To compound all this I have a breast clinic appt. next Tuesday for a hard lump, which the GP alarming said felt 'fixed'... I thought it moved a little though. I have a history of cysts and fibroadenomas (seem to end up at the clinic every year having a mammogram and then an ultrasound); and a family history of breast cancer. I really hope it's just a cyst. It wasn't there early September, and then it seemed to 'spring up' after I had a week of soreness and discomfort in that area. But it is small - no bigger than one of those erasers on the end of a pencil.

If it doesn't rain, it pours.... And my palpitations have upped their game this week - most likely due to the breast lump worries. Oh, it stinks being 40+ sometimes! But could be much worse I know.

NattyOne.

[mandshere2000]

Hi natty
Sorry to hear you are going through such a bad time at moment, and hope the breast lump turns out to be a cyst.... but can understand your worry
Few years ago my periods went really erratic missing ones or going like you 40 odd days over, but this was more than likely down to my thyroid( have under active) according to the GP......you say yours was tested and came back ok, sometimes it can be borderline and

some GPs don't treat, I would ask your GP if this is the case with your results
Just reading from one of your posts about your periods being heavy and you
feeling spaced out and disinterested, exactly how I'm feeling at the moment
day 4 of period and been very heavy from minute I started, like you my periods
are getting heavier clots also (do you get clots) and the feelings of spaced out worse
and big drops in mood
Have everything crossed for you regarding the breast lump, try and stay positive
Manda

---------- Post added at 22:48 ---------- Previous post was at 22:46 ----------

Sorry natty don't know where the smiley face came from should
just be the hugs at beginning of message

[NattyOne]

Many thanks Manda,
Interesting about the thyroid. Will check that out. I've had that with the iron count in the past. One GP will say it's fine, when another (more clued up) GP will say it's borderline or a bit low for your age, etc.
Yes, I get clots too, but I have had those since I was a teenager, so I'm pretty used to them.
Supposed I'd better get used to these 40+ changes . I just didn't expect them quite so soon at 43; but I gather it's quite common... Trying not to worry about the breast clinic appt. It just sends my palps. into overdrive!

Take care, NattyOne.

[NattyOne]

Still no period - Day 51. Have now had hormone blood tests for: Estradiol (estrogen), FSH, and LH. Waiting to hear from the GP now... These will indicate whether or not I'm in or nearing menopause Apparently my FBC blood count was fine, but my ferritin (the iron stores) is very low (score 5), so I'm now on iron tablets to improve that. Have had this twice before in the last ten years (scores of 9, and 11, respectively). Maybe such low ferritin has stopped the periods?? But this didn't happen to me before, and I've never heard of it doing this?? (Did 'Dr Google' it - silly I know, but no USEFUL answers there either, needless to say).

I was at the breast clinic today, and thankfully had an ultrasound at the same time, which showed two very small cysts - so enormous relief there .

Best wishes to all, NattyOne.