You’re Super Stressed Out
Stress can affect your menstrual cycle in pretty much every way possible. It can sometimes lead your period to stop altogether. But other times, it can make your period longer or heavier or lead to mid-cycle bleeding. If you’ve noticed any changes in your period during a breakup, the death of a loved one, or another stressful event, talking to a mental health professional may be helpful.
Reasons Your Period Is Late
During your usual morning routine, you open your cabinet, spot a box of tampons in the back, and you suddenly realize youre late. When was my last period? you think as you try to remember the last time you needed to reach for that box. Panic then takes over as your mind shoots straight to pregnancy.
While being pregnant is a possible reason for a missed period, there may be factors related to your health or lifestyle that are causing the delay, notes Shelley White-Corey, clinical assistant professor at the Texas A& M Health Science Center College of Nursing and a womens health nurse practitioner.
Breastfeeding
Your period may not make an appearance after your baby is born, but dont be alarmed! If you are breastfeeding your little one, a lack of periods is completely normal. Referred to as lactational amenorrhea, this is a phase that disrupts the rhythm of your menstrual cycle. After a few months, your monthly period should be right back on track.
Weight loss or weight gain
Whether youre overweight or underweight, any change in pounds can affect your monthly cycle. Common health problems linked to weight and irregular menstruation include eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, and uncontrolled diabetes. If you suspect this might be an issue for you, see your health care provider right away.
Increased exercise
Stress
Sleep schedule changes
Medication
Thyroid dysfunction
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Perimenopause
Suzannah Smith
What Causes A Period
A period happens because of changes in in the body. Hormones are chemical messengers. The ovaries release the female hormones and . These hormones cause the lining of the uterus to build up. The built-up lining is ready for a fertilized egg to attach to and start developing. If there is no fertilized egg, the lining breaks down and bleeds. Then the same process happens all over again.
It usually takes about a month for the lining to build up, then break down. That is why most girls and women get their periods around once a month.
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Stress Is Getting To You
Work has been totally nuts or your class load has you pulling all-nighters. “I describe it to women as whatever stress you’re under, your body decided it was not a good time to get pregnant. It’s your body’s way of protecting you,” says Dr. Goist. But as long as you can get your stress under control and it’s an isolated thing, it’s no big deal if you miss a period or it’s super late one time.
You’re Too Into Your Exercise Routine
Hitting the gym even though you’re exhausted from your workout the day before? Jokingly say you live at the gym, but it’s actually kinda true? Over-exercising , as well as rapid weight loss or suffering from an eating disorder, can all cause your period to disappear, particularly if your BMI drops below 19 or 18, says Dr. Dweck. Thankfully, “simply cutting down on exercise or gaining a couple pounds will get your BMI up a bit, and you’ll get your period,” she says. What you don’t want to do is go without a period for more than a year , which can put you at risk for bone loss and osteoporosis.
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Types Of Absent Menstruation
The two types of amenorrhea are referred to as primary and secondary.
Primary amenorrhea is when a teenage girl has reached or passed the age of 16 and still hasnt had her first period. Most girls begin menstruating between ages 9 and 18, but 12 is the average age.
Secondary amenorrhea is when a woman has stopped menstruating for at least three months. This is the more common form of amenorrhea.
In most cases, both types can be treated effectively.
Primary and secondary amenorrhea can occur for numerous reasons. Some causes are natural, while others are medical conditions that need to be treated.
Treatment For Absent Menstruation
Treatment for amenorrhea varies depending on the underlying cause. Hormonal imbalances can be treated with supplemental or synthetic hormones, which can help normalize hormone levels.
Your doctor may also want to remove ovarian cysts, scar tissue, or uterine lesions that are causing you to miss your menstrual periods.
Your doctor may also recommend making simple lifestyle changes if your weight or exercise routine is contributing to your condition. Ask your doctor to refer you to a nutritionist or dietitian, if necessary.
These specialists can teach you how to manage your weight and physical activity in a healthy way.
Schedule an appointment with your doctor so they can determine the cause of your amenorrhea. Make sure you stick with your treatment plan and attend all follow-up appointments.
Always contact your doctor if your condition doesnt improve with medical treatments or lifestyle modifications.
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When Do Most Girls Get Their Period
Most girls get their first period when they’re around 12. But getting it any time between age 10 and 15 is OK. Every girl’s body has its own schedule.
There isn’t one right age for a girl to get her period. But there are some clues that it will start soon:
- Most of the time, a girl gets her period about 2 years after her breasts start to develop.
- Another sign is vaginal discharge fluid that a girl might see or feel on her underwear. This discharge usually begins about 6 months to a year before a girl gets her first period.
You Might Start Skipping It Here And There
Dont freak out if your period goes entirely MIA one month. A skipped period is the first sign of deteriorating egg quality, says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su. Some months, the eggs just don’t reach a point where they release, and so a period gets missed. Remember: Youre not in menopause until you go a full year without a period, so skipping a month doesnt necessarily mean you can toss all your pads and tampons.
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What Are Possible Complications From A Long Period
Delaying a diagnosis could result in a more invasive procedure or intensive treatment for the underlying cause.
Additionally, if your long period causes heavier blood loss, you could be at risk of developing anemia. This may contribute to feelings of tiredness and weakness.
Your doctor can use results from a blood test to diagnose anemia. If your iron levels are low, your doctor may recommend boosting your diet with iron-rich foods and a possible iron supplement to get your levels back to normal.
Long periods may also be painful and interfere with your well-being and quality of life. You may miss days of school or work, or withdraw from activities you enjoy because of your long period.
Two Months Without Having Period Why
In most cases, a missed period for 2 months would most likely mean you are pregnant, but that isn’t always the case. Your period being late or even missed can be due to a number of reasons. No matter what, it will inevitably make you a little nervous. This article will help you understand the different reasons that may make you miss your period. There are also some helpful tips you can try to get your cycles regulated again. You should always consult your doctor to make sure you aren’t pregnant and rule out any other serious health conditions before trying any home remedies.
How To Stop Your Period: 6 Safe Ways To Do It
There are ways of delaying your period for a few days, or even months, if you take Primosiston, the contraceptive pill or use a hormonal IUD. However, none of these options can stop a period once it has started.
Even though some women take salt water, water with vinegar, the morning-after pill, or ibuprofen, to try and stop a period that has already started, these solutions are not advised because they can be harmful to your health and cause hormonal changes, deregulating your cycles. In addition, there is no scientific evidence that these methods are effective in stopping a period.
If you want to delay your period by a week, not have your period for a month, or even stop your period completely, the best thing is for you to speak to your gynecologist so that he can advise you the best way to do so.
Even though there is no safe or effective way of stopping your period immediately or even after it has already started, there are ways of causing it to come sooner or later by a few days or months, such as:
Something Is Off With Your Thyroid
This gland in your neck regulates your metabolism, produces hormones, controls your body temp, and more. You want it to be on point. When it’s over, or underactive, it may stop ovulation, prompting an irregular period, and possibly impair fertility, according to a new study in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. If your doctor suspects this could be the cause she’ll run a simple blood test and probably prescribe a medication. “With the right treatment, your period should go back to normal within a few months,” says Dr. Goist.
You Have Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a condition caused by sexually transmitted bacteria, like that from gonorrhea and chlamydia, traveling from the cervix into the fallopian tube. PID can cause bleeding that is heavier than normal, spotting between menstrual cycles or spotting after sex.
If you have abnormal bleeding and pain, get a pelvic exam and get tested for sexually transmitted infections, says Dr. Horton. They can be treated with medication, which will stop the progression of PID too. Left untreated though, and PID can cause lasting issues with fertility.
How Is Menorrhagia Diagnosed
Menorrhagia is diagnosed by your doctor through a series of questions about your medical history and menstrual cycles. Usually for women with menorrhagia bleeding lasts for more than 7 days and more blood is lost .
Your doctor may ask for information about:
- Your age when you got your first period
- Length of your menstrual cycle
- Number of days your period lasts
- Number of days your period is heavy
- Quality of life during your period
- Family members with a history of heavy menstrual bleeding
- Stress you are facing
- Blood test to check thyroid, check for anemia and how the blood clots
- Pap test to check cells from cervix for changes
- Endometrial biopsy to check uterine tissue for cancer or abnormalities
- Ultrasound to check function of blood vessels, tissues and organs
Sometimes additional tests are still required to understand the cause of bleeding, including:
- Sonohysterogram to check for problems in the lining of the uterus
- Hysteroscopy to check for polyps, fibroids or other problems
- Dilation and curettage . This test can also treat the cause of the bleeding. During this test, the lining of the uterus is scraped and examined under sedation.
Skipping Or Discontinuing Birth Control
Birth control pills suppress your normal menstrual cycle with hormones that prevent ovulation. The pills usually come in a three-week supply followed by a week of placebos , and the lack of hormones during the placebo week is what makes you have a period.
When you go off of the pill, or even miss just a pill or two, your body may react like it does during the placebo week and start shedding the uterine lining. This can happen even if it hasn’t been very long since your last period. A similar process happens if you make a mistake with a birth control patch or ring.
The proper way to resume your birth control after missing one or more doses varies by type, so be sure to read the information that comes with your contraceptive or ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist what to do. And don’t forget that you may need a backup method of contraception or emergency contraception to avoid an unintended pregnancy.
What Causes Bleeding After Menopause
Bleeding after menopause is rarely cause for concern. It does need to be investigated, however, because in very few cases it will be an indicator of something more serious.
In about 90 per cent of cases, a particular cause for bleeding after menopause will not be found. This is not a cause for alarm, if there is a serious problem it will be identified through investigations. Most of the time, postmenopausal bleeding is caused by:
- inflammation and thinning of the lining of your vagina
- thinning of the lining of your uterus
- growths in the cervix or uterus which are usually not cancerous
- thickened endometrium often because of hormone replacement therapy
- abnormalities in the cervix or uterus.
These are generally not serious problems and can be cured relatively easily.
However, about 10 per cent of the time, post-menopausal bleeding is linked to cancer of the cervix or uterus and so it is very important to have it investigated.
How To Stop Having A Period Permanently
If you want to stop having a period permanently you can have a surgical procedure to have your uterus removed, known as a hysterectomy, or a procedure that removes an internal part of the uterus, known as endometrial ablation.
These procedures are permanent and so its important for you to speak to a gynecologist who can advise you on the best method:
You’re On Hormonal Birth Control
Anything that manipulates your hormones has the potential to make your periods longer, says Dr. Toth. This includes all types of hormonal birth control like the pill, patches, rings, shots, and implants. The good news is that there are lots of options with varying levels and types of hormones, so if your body doesn’t respond well to one type or dosage, there’s a good chance you can find a different one that will work.
The length of your period is just one factor your doctor will use to help you determine which type of birth control works best for you.
Weight Gain And Obesity
Weight gain and obesity can affect the frequency of your period in a couple of ways. Rapid weight gain can throw your cycle off because it affects the hypothalamus, which is a part of your brain that regulates hormones. That can lead to hormonal fluctuations that may include more- or less-frequent periods.
Obesity has a complex relationship with menstruation. High levels of fat, also called adipose tissue, can upset the balance of sex hormones and lead to excess estrogen, which can make you have short menstrual cycles and more periods. It also can cause heavier bleeding, more cramps, and more prolonged pain during your period. These problems are most pronounced when the adipose tissue is concentrated around the abdomen.
Losing weight, or maintaining a healthy weight, can help keep your menstrual cycle regular. If you need help losing weight, talk to your healthcare provider about what options you have.