Period takes forever to get started

[Tinyalice]

Hi. I’m back after a long time feeling pretty okay.
For the last probably 6 months or so my periods have become very different. They will start with spotting or very light bleeding that comes and goes for 4 or 5 days, stop for a day and then start an actual follow for the normal 7 days. With one of those days being super heavy. Since these periods take forever to start up properly, it seems that I only have about 2 weeks in between. I am almost 44 and I know that means things can start changing, but I can’t help myself from worrying and googling and wondering why things are so off. Of course my mind goes to cancer every time☹️

[Leslie735]

Hi. I’m back after a long time feeling pretty okay.
For the last probably 6 months or so my periods have become very different. They will start with spotting or very light bleeding that comes and goes for 4 or 5 days, stop for a day and then start an actual follow for the normal 7 days. With one of those days being super heavy. Since these periods take forever to start up properly, it seems that I only have about 2 weeks in between. I am almost 44 and I know that means things can start changing, but I can’t help myself from worrying and googling and wondering why things are so off. Of course my mind goes to cancer every time☹️

Funny you post this, I'm having the exact same issue this period. For one, it caught me off guard, I chart and track my cycles and I didn't catch ovulation so I wasn't expecting it. It started off with brown spotting then a little red, picked up a little then backed back off for a couple days, then WHAM heavy flow! I've also had some randomly that never pick up it just stays that spotty type. But its sporadic when that happens, like 2 a year. I'm 34 so I don't think I'm starting the change quite yet. My Mom was in her 50s.

[Carys]

I am nearing 51 and have been in perimeno for around about 7 years - but who is counting ey. Arrghhh. During those years I have logged the erratic changes. Everyone is different, subtly, in how they come through the cycle changes but I can tell you now that any bleeding pattern imaginable is possible. I've written this on here so many times; but slow starting, stop start, spotting before and after, long bleeds (my longest 21 days), short bleeds, changes in symptoms leading up the period, long cycles (my longest 56), short cycles (my shortest 18)....you name it and any combination. Mine started with two years of shorter cycles, 20 -25 days generally, with stop/start bleeding during the or 9 days the period would go on for. However, every month was slightly different, and no two have ever been the same since. Have I personally had light bleeding before the period proper starts? Yes, many times. Someone once told me that this slow starting period is due to progesterone dropping off very slowly at the start of the period, rather too slowly, but I don't know if that is right or wrong. However, as you know they do say to get any changes in bleeding pattern assessed by your GP, but I'd not mind betting that from your description the GP would certainly go straight to hormone imbalance. Thats what perimeno is, the rising and falling (often unpredictably) of the hormones that regulate the bleeding pattern in every way imaginable. If you were to be on a menopause/peri forum you would find yourself quite alone if you weren't experiencing the sorts of changes you refer to. There is a really good facebook group, where you can do a search for your current issues, called 'early menopause and perimenopause support'. I won't go into how my periods are now, as its not relevant to you, but at 44 it is highly possible that changes are occuring - 50/51 is the mean age for being in menopause (12 months without a period) and perimenopause can take a year, a few years or 10 years. I do think you should run it past your GP, but honestly, I really wouldn't be jumping to 'cancer' !!!!