Age And Frequent Periods
Period frequency, how many days it lasts, and how much you bleed are all influenced by your bodys hormone levels. These levels fluctuate throughout your life.
During your teen years, cycles are often irregular because of all the hormone changes that are taking place.
Your cycles may normalize in your 20s or 30s only to once again become irregular in your 40s and early 50s as you make the transition to menopause.
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Youve Recently Taken Emergency Contraception
If youve taken an emergency contraceptive and found that you bled shortly after, its because the hormone levels in Plan B, for example, are similar but higher than the ones released in your body when you use birth control, resulting in spotting. Dr. Lincoln describes it as short-term and not harmful to your body.
Period Twice In One Month
A womans body goes through a series of changes every month in preparation for a possible pregnancy. This process is called the menstrual cycle. About once every month, the uterus prepares itself for a fertilized egg by growing a new lining also known as endometrium. Hormonal changes prepare the uterus for pregnancy simultaneously. In the event that there is no fertilized egg to initiate pregnancy, the uterus lining sheds off. This is termed as the menstrual period that occurs in women from teenage to menopause at about 50 years of age. However, there are times when women can get their period twice in one month. Read on to find out more about this phenomenon.
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Is It Ok To Get My Period Twice In One Month
Is it bad if I get my period twice in one month? Why does this happen? Shoshanna*
It’s often normal during the teen years to have irregular periods. When a girl’s period is irregular, it might come more than once a month or only come every few months. Some girls find they get their period more than once some months, then they might not have another for several months. This is the body’s natural way of adjusting to the changes that come with growing up.
Your cycle should settle down within a couple of years of getting your first period. A period-tracking app on your phone is a great way to see if you period is still adjusting. The more often you use it, the better it is at finding a pattern in your periods. If your periods are heavy, often come more than once a month, or if you’ve had sex, check in with your doctor or or visit a local health clinic. Some clotting problems, hormone problems, and sexually transmitted infections can cause girls to bleed more.
A checkup can help find out if you need any medicine or treatment such as iron supplements to prevent anemia or antibiotics for an infection. Best of all, getting checked out can put your mind at ease and give you a chance to learn more about your body.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
Can This Condition Be Treated
The treatment for heavy bleeding and shorter menstrual cycles will depend on the cause. Again, if shorter cycles are regular for you or youre a teen whos just started menstruating, the treatment may not be necessary at all. Iron supplements can manage the symptoms of anemia as well. And if some other condition triggers heavier and more frequent bleeding, such as thyroid issues, fibroids, hormonal imbalance, etc., the doctor will prescribe adequate treatment for that condition in particular.
Stress can only make things worse, so if you notice spotting in between periods or get a period too fast than whats normal for you, do your best not to panic. Schedule an appointment with your doctor, and theyll be able to identify the cause of a shorter cycle and provide you with the proper treatment. If youre looking for a professional and experienced gynecologist whom you can fully trust and feel comfortable with, dont hesitate to reach out to Dr. Krinsky at Gynecology and Womens Wellness.
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Can You Get Two Periods In A Month
Yes, there is a possibility of getting periods twice a month if you have a shorter cycle. Other reasons for getting the period twice a month are hyperthyroidism, stress, illness or medication, birth control, excessive weight loss or weight gain, uterine cysts or fibroids, reactions to birth control methods, excessive exercise, sexually transmitted disease and the onset of menopause. If your menstrual cycle becomes shorter suddenly then you need to consult your doctor. . Also Read Why Involving Men in Menstruation is The Need of The Hour
Other conditions can also be mistaken for a menstrual cycle. In case you are pregnant, you may experience spotting in the first trimester. In spotting, there will not be enough bleeding. The blood during spotting is usually darker that period blood. Heavy bleeding is caused by a miscarriage and it can be mistaken for menstrual cycle.
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I Am 44 And I Got My Period Twice In One Month Why
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What Are Irregular Periods
You have irregular periods if the length of your menstrual cycle keeps changing.
Your periods may come early or late.
The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, although it’s normal for it to be a bit shorter or longer than this.
After puberty, many women develop a regular cycle with a similar length of time between periods. But it’s not uncommon for it to vary by a few days each time.
How Does A Doctor Determine The Causes Of Period Twice A Month
From head to toe, important regions that your doctor evaluates for determining the causes are:
A. Hypothalamus and Pituitary in the brain. These determine the levels of hormones to be secreted by the ovaries which then act upon the uterus. These hormonal levels are affected by genetics, stress, medication, and the presence of any tumour in these organs.
B. Thyroid gland is responsible for metabolism and changes in this can affect cycle regularity.
C. Ovaries Presence of any disease in the ovaries could cause irregular periods. The causes could be endometriosis, presence of ovarian cysts, polycystic ovaries etc.
D. Uterus A fibroid, adenomyosis, or any other abnormality in the structure can lead to bleeding that is more than normal.
E. Adrenals These too can lead to changes in cycle duration if they have a tumour or growth causing variation in hormonal levels.
F. Blood Bleeding disorders usually run in families and if someone has a tendency to bleed more than normal, they would be evaluated for the same.
G. Cancers Cancer of the uterus, cervix and ovary can result in more than regular cycles and this would be ruled out too.
H. Medication During the course of treatment with some particular medication too, one could have irregular cycles as a side effect.
Dr. Sangeetha Sivaraman spoke to our community about various topics related to periods and sex during our Period Coach Week. Watch her interesting talks here.
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When To See A Healthcare Provider
If you get your period more than once per month, contact your healthcare provider. You can have a weird period episode, especially since stress, diet changes, travel, or exercise can cause irregularities, but if its happening over and over, you should be seen by your doctor, Dr. Dweck explained.
A healthcare provider might also ask about whether youre also experiencing other symptoms or may run additional testingblood work, ultrasound, etc.depending on whats suspected. After that, the underlying cause will guide treatment. Examples of treatment include thyroid medication, a new birth control method, or a plan for managing PCOS.
Figuring out why youre dealing with two periods in one month isnt always so cut and dry, but knowing why you might be having this experience will help you and your healthcare provider make a plan to manage any underlying problems.
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Is Blood Loss A Concern
In some instances, a bimonthly period may produce potential complications related to excessive blood loss. The thing is, losing too much blood can cause a damaging domino effect in your body.
For example, “if a person experiences too much bleeding, it can result in a low blood count , which can be serious if not treated,” Dr. Marshall says. So, when your period comes twice a month, keep an eye out for other signs of anemia such as pale skin, weakness and fatigue.
If you suspect you have period-related anemia, speak with your doctor, who can perform bloodwork to properly assess and diagnose the condition.
In severe cases, “sometimes a blood transfusion is needed,” Dr. Marshall says. “More often, though, iron and vitamin supplementation are necessary for several months to restore the red blood cell level.” But always check with your doctor before and while taking iron supplements, as too much iron can cause other problems.
Also, keep in mind “there’s a difference between chronic abnormal bleeding and a sudden, severe case of uterine bleeding,” Dr. Verma says. The latter can be acutely dangerous.
If your menstrual cycle leads to abrupt, heavy bleeding along with chest pain, dizziness or shortness of breath, something serious might be up, and you should seek emergency care immediately to treat any possible complications from blood loss or change in blood pressure, Dr. Verma says.
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You’ve Been Traveling Recently
If you get back from vacation and find an earlier-than-expected period welcoming you home, you might be able to blame said vacation on your irregular bleeding. Depending on how far from home you went, excessive traveling can disrupt your period.
Interfering with your circadian rhythms, like changing time zones or working night shifts, can cause changes in the hormones that trigger your cycle, says Dr. Masterson.
How Is Bleeding Between Periods Treated
If you have not yet discussed your vaginal bleeding with your doctor, its important you make an appointment to do so, as vaginal bleeding cannot be treated without knowing the cause.
If your doctor has diagnosed the cause of your bleeding, you can treat the bleeding by following their advice, such as by taking a course of antibiotics if you have an infection, or by changing to a different form of contraception if the bleeding is caused by the contraception you have been taking. If the bleeding is light and isnt bothering you, and a serious cause of the bleeding has been ruled out, it may not be necessary to do anything at all.
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Treatment For Frequent Menstruation
The treatment for frequent menstruation depends on the underlying cause. If you have just started having periods or you normally have shorter menstrual cycles, you wont need any treatment. However, if your doctor is concerned that the frequency of blood loss due to your periods is causing anaemia, they may suggest taking iron supplements.
In some cases, hormonal birth control may be recommended to treat frequent menstruation.
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If I Have My Period Twice In One Month Will I Get It Next Month
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
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You’re On Or You Forgot To Take Your Birth Control
Duh, right? Missing birth control pills or forgetting your Depo-Provera shot will always cause irregular bleeding, says Dr. Richardson. Anytime you fail to take a birth control method correctly, you will bleed because you have an abrupt withdrawal of hormones. This kind of bleeding, though, is not an emergency.”
You can also experience irregular bleeding if you’re just starting to use birth control. “Birth control like the arm implant and IUD can be linked to intermenstrual bleeding or spotting, a.k.a. unscheduled bleeding or random bleeding that isn’t a true period. This is especially true the first few months after having either the implant or IUD placed,” says Jennifer Lincoln, MD, an ob-gyn based in Portland, Oregon, and the author of Let’s Talk About Down There. “In addition, this kind of bleeding can continue with the arm implant no matter how long you’ve had it, while for many it stops over time with the IUD.”
When To Get A Professional Opinion
“If youre having short cycles for more than two or three cycles, it will never hurt to bring it up to your OBGYN,” Karchmer says.
Kate Smitheducation manager of Hey Girls , a community interest company aiming to end period poverty in the UKalways recommends seeking answers from the pros.
“Getting your period twice in one month is certainly unusual but not completely abnormalirregular periods do happen,” she says. “It could be as normal as an infection but could also be the early signs of endometriosis, fibroids or something worse. If in doubt, seek medical advice from your doctor for reassurance.
A medical expert will need to determine the reason for your increased periods before providing a solution. This means that it’s always important to reach out to the pros whenever you have concerns your period is not only an indication of your fertility but also your overall health and wellbeing and should not be ignored.
For more questions about your cycle and reproductive health, have a look at our guide of what gynecologists want you to knowfrom questions about discharge to lubrication, sex and birth control and everything in between.
Kirsten Karchmer is a health-tech pioneer, author and the founder of Brazen. She worked with over 10,000 women while spearheading The Texas Center for Reproductive Acupuncture.
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Two Periods In One Month For The First Time
People with short menstrual cycles frequently have periods at the beginning and the end of a month. For someone with a typical menstrual cycle usually about 28 days or so having a period twice a month may be a bit surprising and seem unusual. Its important to remember that irregular bleeding can indicate a medical concern, and its easy to mistake for a period. In some cases, bleeding could indicate one of the following:
The treatment for two periods in one month depends on the cause of the bleeding. People who have a short menstrual cycle naturally or who are in the early stages of puberty typically dont require treatment.
Health care providers may suggest hormonal birth control as a possible treatment for multiple periods in a month, as it can help regulate periods and resolve anemia that occurs due to heavy and frequent bleeding. If youre already taking hormonal birth control and you think it might be causing you to have a period twice in one month, then be sure to talk to a health care provider.
For hypothyroidism, a health care provider may prescribe thyroid hormone replacement therapy. For hyperthyroidism, several treatment options are available, and health care providers will suggest the one that is best for each condition.
During perimenopause, health care providers may suggest menopausal hormone therapy to regulate periods until they cease with menopause.
Why Does My Period Come Twice In One Month
Your thyroid isnt working properly. An underactive or overactive thyroid gland can cause your period to come twice in one month. The thyroid gland is regulated by hormones produced and regulated in the same area of the brainthe pituitary and hypothalamusas the hormones that control menstruation and ovulation, explains Dweck.
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Not Sure What To Do Next
If you are still concerned about bleeding between periods, check your symptoms with healthdirects online Symptom Checker to get advice on when to seek medical attention.
The Symptom checker guides you to the next appropriate healthcare steps, whether its self-care, talking to a health professional, going to a hospital or calling triple zero .
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Skipping Or Stopping Birth Control
Oral contraception suppresses your normal menstrual cycle with hormones that keep your body from ovulating.
Birth control pills usually come with a three-week supply of pills with hormones followed by a week of pills without any hormones . The lack of hormones during the placebo week triggers your period.
The same thing can happen when you go off of the pill or even miss just a pill or two. This can happen even if you’ve had a recent period, leading to two periods in one month.
Your body can also react this way if you make a mistake with another form of hormonal birth control like the birth control patch or the ring.
The right way to restart birth control after missing one or more doses depends on the type. Always read the information that comes with your pills. You can also ask your provider or pharmacist what to do if you forget a pill.
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