What Menopause Bleeding Means

Menopausal women have to go through a lot. At this stage in your life – not to mention the stages leading up to it, like pre menopause and perimenopause – you have to deal with physical and emotional devastation. You get hot flashes, which can strike at any time and make you miserable wherever you are. If the insomnia does not drive you crazy, then the joy of waking up, soaked to the bone thanks to night sweats, certainly will.

Mood swings take you on a looping, speeding roller coaster of topsy turvy emotions. You may have to deal with depression, your hormones are rampaging, and you are exhausted. You are apt to lose your sex drive right along with your energy. As if all of that is not enough, you also have to deal with menopause bleeding. This alone can have an affect on all the other symptoms of menopause – a negative one.

Heavy bleeding is one of the most common symptoms of both pre menopause and perimenopause. To that end, those are the stages leading up to menopause itself. Some people think they are the same stage, some people define them as separate stages. That really does not matter. The important point is that you can expect to bleed during the span of time leading up to menopause.

Now then, menopausal bleeding can be caused by many things. Most bleeding during this time of your life, even when it is heavy, is completely normal. You see, your hormones are in a wild state of flux and transition. The amount of estrogen your body produces is steadily declining. This leads to erratic menstruation, and the chance of skipping periods, which should be a good thing. Unfortunately, it is not. As prone as you are to skipping periods, you are just as prone to suffering from heavy bleeding when you do menstruate again. In fact, you may bleed heavily for far longer than you are used to having periods.

Of course, heavy menopausal bleeding is not the only type there is. Spotting is also a symptom. A lot of women get scared by this, especially when it occurs during a point where they think they are menopausal. For instance, they may have been without a period for many months, then suddenly start spotting. They instantly assume that something is wrong. What you have to understand, however, is that you are not actually menopausal unless you have gone for twelve months without a single spot of blood. Anything less, and you are technically still pre menopausal.

All the same, post menopausal bleeding happens as well. That is disheartening, because many women get through menopause by thinking to themselves that all they have to do is reach post menopause and all these awful symptoms will go away. Spotting after menopause is particularly scary. The good news is, it is generally a normal occurrence. It is a result of your hormones finally starting to settle.

However, there are times when heavy menopausal bleeding and post menopause spotting can be indicative of more serious problems. Understand, first and foremost, that it is normal for the majority of women. Still, it can indicate benign tumors and certain types of cancer, so if the bleeding going on for a long time, you need to see your doctor immediately.