𩞠Why Your Period Is Suddenly a Total Mystery
From flooding to vanishing actsâperimenopause rewrites the rules
You used to know exactly when your period would show up. Like clockworkâgive or take a day or two. But now? Itâs a complete wild card. Some months itâs light, other months itâs a flood. Then it disappears for weeks⊠only to crash in like a tsunami.
If this sounds familiar, youâre likely in perimenopauseâthe hormonal transition that can turn your once-predictable cycle into a total mystery.
Letâs break down whatâs going on and what you can do about it.
đ Whatâs Happening to Your Hormones?
Perimenopause usually begins in your 40s (sometimes earlier) and can last several years before menopause hits. During this time, your ovaries start to wind down, but they donât do it gracefully. Instead, they fluctuateâwildly.
Hereâs what that means:
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Estrogen can spike and crash unpredictably, leading to heavy or skipped periods
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Progesterone slowly declines, making periods longer, heavier, or more clot-filled
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Anovulatory cycles (where you donât ovulate) become more common, disrupting the regular rhythm
Your bodyâs hormone orchestra is no longer in sync, and it shows up in your cycle first.
đš Period Changes to Expect
You might notice:
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𩞠Shorter or longer cycles (e.g., every 21 days, then 45 days)
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đ Heavier bleeding, clotting, or flooding
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â Skipped or âghostâ periods (especially in later perimenopause)
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đ§š Mid-cycle spotting or cramping
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đ„ Worsening PMS or mood swings
Itâs not all in your head, and it doesnât mean something is wrong. It means your body is transitioning.
đ©ș When to Talk to Your Doctor
Irregular periods are normal during perimenopause, but some symptoms deserve attention:
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Bleeding that soaks through a pad in under an hour
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Bleeding that lasts more than 10 days
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Bleeding after sex or between periods
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Sudden pelvic pain or pressure
Always check in if your intuition says, âThis isnât right.â
â What You Can Do
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Track your cycleâeven if itâs all over the place.
Apps like Clue or MyFlo can help you spot patterns over time. -
Balance your hormones with support.
Diet, stress management, and sometimes hormone therapy can help reduce symptoms. -
Stock up on period care for anything.
Keep both light liners and super tampons on handâyou never know what youâll get. -
Nourish your body with iron-rich foods.
Heavy bleeding can deplete your iron levels and leave you exhausted.
đŹ Final Thought
Youâre not broken. Youâre not alone. Youâre not âlosing it.â
Your cycle is simply reflecting the deeper hormonal shifts happening inside your body. It may be confusing nowâbut itâs temporary. And knowledge is your power.
Youâve charted this cycle before. Now, youâre just learning a new map.
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