[Blueberrybook]

Has anyone else experienced worse PMS as you get older? I am 40 years old now, and I have horrible PMS. I am not on the pill or any sort of birth control. It seems like I am so much moodier and on edge than I used to be with PMS when I was younger. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, and sorry if this is TMI, is it normal for periods to be more clotty too? IDK, I always have normal Pap smears and normal well woman exams, so I don’t think anything is fundamentally wrong with me. I want to kick myself though because I had a well woman exam today, and I forgot to bring it up with the doctor. Of course, when you’re all uncomfortable with the speculum down there, it’s easy to forget. I am lucky I remembered to ask her to write out the order for the bone density scan since I have osteopenia, and I have not had a bone density scan in some years.

Being a woman is so much fun

[healingme4me]

I noticed that there haven't been any replies, yet. I saw your post but didn't want to jump in and come accross all perky with a nope not for me reply. But I guess it's better than not replying at all, eh? :\

If anything I still notice feeling exhausted around my monthly cycle. Maybe it's like that for you? Fatigue can do a number on my emotions. And I do get bloated and aggravated with body image with bloating. Yet these are things that I'd been working on since about a decade ago when I was still married and going through a hellacious time with him. So maybe that's more why now I'm not fazed by emotions during my cycle and more in tune er um mindful of fatigue levels and how that can turn me off kilter/off balance?

[alp94]

Originally Posted by cln1812

Has anyone else experienced worse PMS as you get older? I am 40 years old now, and I have horrible PMS. I am not on the pill or any sort of birth control. It seems like I am so much moodier and on edge than I used to be with PMS when I was younger. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, and sorry if this is TMI, is it normal for periods to be more clotty too? IDK, I always have normal Pap smears and normal well woman exams, so I don’t think anything is fundamentally wrong with me. I want to kick myself though because I had a well woman exam today, and I forgot to bring it up with the doctor. Of course, when you’re all uncomfortable with the speculum down there, it’s easy to forget. I am lucky I remembered to ask her to write out the order for the bone density scan since I have osteopenia, and I have not had a bone density scan in some years.

Being a woman is so much fun

Oh yessss...as I age I have horrific abnormal periods and the symptoms are extremely painful. I have four sisters but the only one who inherited our mothers female issues. I had to get a vaginal ultrasound to check the thickening of my uterus lining years ago. But my OBGYN found I had uterine fibroids protruding from my lining. Anyway, I was encouraged to get a hysterectomy but I opted out. I am 51 years young and still going through all of the PMS. I am hoping to start menopause to cause the fibroids to shrink. But I don't know when that will be. I have been on the pill to control the clots and to minimize my periods for the last 10 years. Maybe you should ask your doctor about the severity of your issues and a form of remedy? Anyway thanks for sharing your concerns...it is not easy to talk about female issues abut it is comforting to know that your not alone.

[possum220]

Things can change. If there was anything wrong your doc should have seen something. Keep an eye on things and if they start to worry you make another appointment. Too many clots can make anemia an issue but also may have an underlying cause.

[Blueberrybook]

I don't think anything in particular is wrong with me especially as one of my sisters has this exact same issue. I was just wondering if other women have experienced this? I have yearly well-woman exams and pap smears every 3 years, though now my PCP will do the well woman/pap exam and I have no need of a gynecologist unless I have a concern. I did have a bit of low iron in my last bloodwork but wasn't anemic, just told to eat more leafy green vegetables.

I was talking to my mother yesterday...she told me she didn't fully go into menopause until last year! She is 59 years old! (I'm 40; she had me very young.) I have often heard whatever was the case for your mother is likely to be the case for you...just great! My mom seemed to have a very long perimenopause too; I need to ask her about it again.

[technigal]

I have found everything to be worse now then when I was younger. My periods are very heavy, 4-6 nighttime pads/day. I am waiting to have an IUD put in on Wednesday but I wonder if the GYN is going to suggest we do something else at this point. I am 49.

[*Laurie*]

No. My periods were long and heavy when I was younger, although I never really had much PMS, except some fatigue. In my late-40's/early 50's my periods were lighter and shorter. No PMS to speak of. I went through menopause 2 years ago at age 53. No big deal; my periods just stopped. I have had occasional post-menopausal bleeding (light), had a biopsy last summer and nothing significant except a small fibroid. Frankly, I wanted a hysterectomy but my gyn (who I trust) said Nah....not unless the bleeding gets heavy and uncomfortable.

[cptsdwhoa]

Originally Posted by cln1812

Has anyone else experienced worse PMS as you get older? I am 40 years old now, and I have horrible PMS. I am not on the pill or any sort of birth control. It seems like I am so much moodier and on edge than I used to be with PMS when I was younger. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, and sorry if this is TMI, is it normal for periods to be more clotty too? IDK, I always have normal Pap smears and normal well woman exams, so I don’t think anything is fundamentally wrong with me. I want to kick myself though because I had a well woman exam today, and I forgot to bring it up with the doctor. Of course, when you’re all uncomfortable with the speculum down there, it’s easy to forget. I am lucky I remembered to ask her to write out the order for the bone density scan since I have osteopenia, and I have not had a bone density scan in some years.

Being a woman is so much fun

I'm just so glad it's not just me. I'm turning thirty this year and I've definitely noticed a difference. PMS is more painful than it used to be. My mood symptoms fluctuate and change with each cycle. I'm never really sure lately what I'm going to get with PMS and my cycle. I'm wanting to be tested for endometriosis. However, if nothing comes up there I can only assume it's just natural changes.

I wouldn't be surprised if the issue for me is just that my cycle hits me hard. I believe that's just how it is for some of the women in my family (at least on my mom's side). My grandmother had cancer of the womb when she was younger. Also, I believe my aunt seriously has PMDD.

[June55]

I’m in my thirties. Pain and fainting and moody still. So basically no end to pms. Even taking the pill I find some months my mood can drop like crazy.

I hope you find some answers and relief.

[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by June55

I’m in my thirties. Pain and fainting and moody still. So basically no end to pms. Even taking the pill I find some months my mood can drop like crazy.

I hope you find some answers and relief.

Fainting? I don't think that's a normal part of PMS.

[June55]

Doctors always said fainting was from the pain

[cptsdwhoa]

Originally Posted by June55

I’m in my thirties. Pain and fainting and moody still. So basically no end to pms. Even taking the pill I find some months my mood can drop like crazy.

I hope you find some answers and relief.

Whoa! Fainting? Have you seen a doctor about that? I wonder if that's normal?

I'm also curious because I've had pain so bad that I had to force myself to sleep it off or wanted to pass out.

[cptsdwhoa]

Originally Posted by June55

Doctors always said fainting was from the pain

Oh! I just saw your reply. Hmm that does make sense.

[Raging Quiet]

Originally Posted by cln1812

Has anyone else experienced worse PMS as you get older? I am 40 years old now, and I have horrible PMS. I am not on the pill or any sort of birth control. It seems like I am so much moodier and on edge than I used to be with PMS when I was younger. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also, and sorry if this is TMI, is it normal for periods to be more clotty too? IDK, I always have normal Pap smears and normal well woman exams, so I don’t think anything is fundamentally wrong with me. I want to kick myself though because I had a well woman exam today, and I forgot to bring it up with the doctor. Of course, when you’re all uncomfortable with the speculum down there, it’s easy to forget. I am lucky I remembered to ask her to write out the order for the bone density scan since I have osteopenia, and I have not had a bone density scan in some years.

Being a woman is so much fun

Yes, my PMS has gotten worse to. My bleeds have gotten lighter to.

[possum220]

Originally Posted by June55

Doctors always said fainting was from the pain

Hope you were given something to ease the pain.

[cptsdwhoa]

Originally Posted by Raging Quiet

Yes, my PMS has gotten worse to. My bleeds have gotten lighter to.

Me too! I've noticed lighter bleeds over the last few months as well. Also, I've had shorter cycles.

[Amethyst_Stargazer]

I hope things get better for you. Will the doctors give you anything for your symptom?

[BreakForTheLight]

Thankfully my periods and PMS have also gotten milder as I got older. Definitely shorter, and usually the worst pain only comes in waves of maybe one or two hours. Although last month was pretty bad - a whole day of bad cramps to the point of just lying in my bed all day and wanting to cry.

But what I've noticed in the last six months or so is that my ovulation has turned into period light I never even used to feel it at all but now I get pain, bleeding and nausea definitely feel crappy for a day or two, maybe three. Maybe also increased sense of smell (which is no fun when you're already nauseous!)

[guilloche]

I'm in my early 40s... I don't notice much in the way of PMS, but my periods are seriously *awful*. They've never been fun, but I can't remember them being this bad.

I get about a day or so, early on, with extremely heavy bleeding. And the only way I can function with the cramps is to take alternating doses of ibuprofen (4 at a time, 3x/day) and tylenol. I was taking even more ibuprofen, but I had some issues and my current doctor told me it was too much, to only take it 3x/day if I need 4 pills at a time, and to use the tylenol in between.

I try to do stretches, self-massage, sometimes heat... those are all OK and helpful. But, I still feel like I'm dying. And, I'm at the point where I don't want to make any kind of plans to do things in the future, but "what if I get my period that week?" - which sounds lame, but it's really disruptive.

[cptsdwhoa]

Originally Posted by guilloche

I'm in my early 40s... I don't notice much in the way of PMS, but my periods are seriously *awful*. They've never been fun, but I can't remember them being this bad.

I get about a day or so, early on, with extremely heavy bleeding. And the only way I can function with the cramps is to take alternating doses of ibuprofen (4 at a time, 3x/day) and tylenol. I was taking even more ibuprofen, but I had some issues and my current doctor told me it was too much, to only take it 3x/day if I need 4 pills at a time, and to use the tylenol in between.

I try to do stretches, self-massage, sometimes heat... those are all OK and helpful. But, I still feel like I'm dying. And, I'm at the point where I don't want to make any kind of plans to do things in the future, but "what if I get my period that week?" - which sounds lame, but it's really disruptive.

Ugh! I can only imagine! I've certainly had periods so bad that I wished I could just take out my entire womb for those 5-7 days lol.