Eloise (age 52) suffered from heavy periods. “I had a towel on the sofa, just in case”

Of course, Eloise, who is currently 52 years old, was aware that menopause was on its way. Menopause was not a much-talked-about topic, but she knew that noticeable symptoms usually appear around age 45. She did not really think about how menopause would affect her though. Changes in menstrual flow and length are quite common during menopause. However, heavy bleeding was something Eloise was not prepared for: “I never expected ‘go with the flow’ to take on a whole new meaning.” 

Irregular cycle

At the age of 46, Eloise noticed a change in her menstrual cycle. “It started with a shorter menstrual cycle and having periods every three weeks. This phase lasted about four years. I wasn’t too bothered by this, to be honest. Then, after four years, my cycle became more irregular. Sometimes I missed my periods for two months, and sometimes I had them every two weeks. Not knowing what to expect was more difficult.” 

Heavy bleeding

As most women will know there's nothing more annoying than being caught out by your period. But this wasn’t Eloise’s biggest problem. “I was about 50 when my bleeding pattern changed. I would go without a period for several months and then I’d get a really heavy period. There were days where I would soak through tampons every hour,” she says. 

“This was really challenging, particularly in work situations. I work for the City Council and my work involves a lot of talking to people, giving presentations and things like that. Suddenly I had to squeeze in toilet breaks. Something as simple as grocery shopping became quite a task. It may sound strange, but I always had a towel on the sofa, just in case.” 

Time to get checked

After a year, Eloise decided to see her GP. “I knew that menopause was probably the reason for my heavy periods. But I have to admit I was a bit worried. My GP referred me to a gynaecologist, and I went to the hospital to get some checks done.” Blood was taken and an ultrasound. “The ultrasound was done to rule out fibroids or polyps in my uterus, and any malignant diseases. After a few nerve-racking days, I found out everything was fine.”  

Menopause and menstruation

The gynaecologist confirmed what Eloise suspected: “Menopause was indeed to blame for my symptoms. The gynaecologist explained that changes in hormone levels can cause irregular or heavy periods. Hormone therapy or an IUD could help with my symptoms, she said, but seeing I had no other hormone-related symptoms I decided to wait and see. After all, I was 50 already.” 

No more periods

After six months, Eloise’s periods shortened to only three or four days and became a bit lighter as well. Five months later, she stopped having periods altogether. “After seeing the gynaecologist, I decided to wait and see for six months. I suppose I felt that menopause was not far away.” 

Were you relieved that you were past the age of having periods? “I had mixed emotions,” says Eloise. “It was that bittersweet feeling of saying goodbye, and at the same time, feeling a sense of relief at no longer having deal with periods every month. Especially those horrible heavy periods! I was finally able to leave the house without worrying about blood stains and soaking through pads.” 

Want to know more about the menstrual cycle and menopause? What is happening in your body? 

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