Long Period? or worse?

[Chelle_T]

I'm new here.  I have a silly question about peri-menopause symptoms.  I've looked thru other posts, but not found what I'm looking for yet.  I am impressed with the caring responses.

So...My questions:
1) is it normal to have a very very long period after a month "off"?
2) is peri-menopausal... is it normal to have the color & consistency of bleeding change?
3) how long, if this keeps bleeding... how long before it's time to call a gyno doctor? I've heard 3 weeks.  I'm just at 14 days, if you don't count the light pink that first looked like blood came from urine incontinence.

History (if you care to read):
I had had some irregular timing of periods a few years ago (stress at work..), but then it evened itself back out. Pretty regular over past year.  Lighter than I used to be, but who's complaining?? So, since I was back to pretty regular, I wasn't faithful about marking down when they would start.  I know that Mid Sept was my last normal cycle that I can remember.  I didn't mark anything down for Oct this year, but don't know if it was due to high stress at work, that I just forgot to write down, or if I really didn't have one in October.??

Now November...  First couple weeks, had a bad cold.  Coughing fits come with urinary incontinence. So, I was wearing pads... I was getting very very light pink, at first I thought it was blood in urine, but no.. checked and definitely from vaginal discharge.  Nothing white or clumpy like a yeast infection, but definite irritation around urethra or vaginal opening. And pink very thin mucos only coming from vaginal.  On my Nov 17th checkup with Dr's assistant, she didn't seem worried about it, when I said I hadn't had period yet, but have very light bleeding with coughing. I think we both decided that maybe my period was getting ready to start (spotting).  However, my pre-period spotting is usually very thick and dark, almost brownish.  This was light pink very thin..  Then 18th.. yes, got more blood symptoms, so I thought period is starting.  But the blood is very bright. Much more like fresh blood than uterus lining being shed blood (at least my "normal").  

Now, Dec 1st, and it hasn't stopped yet.  Some days I bleed more than others (nothing heavy at all)... some days I think I'm almost done with it all.. then I have a coughing fit at night, and presto... seems like period starting again.  Today was the first time pad looked a little darker blood. Wiping and other times, it looks very bright to me. Since I'm now two weeks bleeding, didn't know how long to wait to see if it will stop.  I guess I'm thinking, since I'm not having any big blood clots/flows, that it's taking it's own sweet time coming out, and that the total blood shed is about the same. (?)

[old_before_my_time]

Fibroids are very common in women in their 30's and 40's and can cause heavy and prolonged bleeding especially during perimenopause when ovulations are sporadic. But fibroids are almost always benign. Less than 1% are cancerous. Polyps can also cause heavy bleeding. If they are the culprit, they are easily "snipped off" sort of like a skin tag (although obviously more invasive since they are on an internal organ).

I don't know the "rule of thumb" as far as number of days of bleeding. I know perimenopausal women who have bled for over a month and did not have anything wrong.  I have read if you are passing large clots or saturating a pad or tampon in less than an hour for at least 2 hours straight then you should see your doctor.

The main concern with all the bleeding is iron deficiency anemia which would cause symptoms of fatigue, weakness, and possibly shortness of breath. You may need an iron supplement to replace the iron you are losing. Taking it with vitamin C will enhance absorption. If you do end up seeing your doctor, you may want to have your iron levels checked.

[Chelle_T]

Thank you.  I guess my main question is how long before I need to see a doctor?  Is there a set amount of time (2x longer than normal period? 3X?)
Just now, last night/today it has changed to more of a normal period flow.  Darker, thicker, heavier.... plus yesterday I had slight cramping.

My worry was/is that the bleeding before yesterday was from lesion or fibroid? (uterine or cervical cancer concern).  I do not have family history of these types of cancer.

Just trying to see if there is a normal time I should be concerned.  A month?

[old_before_my_time]

Anything goes during peri-menopause - longer cycles, shorter cycles, heavier bleeding, lighter bleeding, fewer days of bleeding, more days of bleeding. So I would not worry at this point.