Your Period Just Stopped
You just put the unused tampons from your purse back into the little black box on your counter but bam! spots of blood in your favorite panties. WTH, right? Well, lady, hate to break it to you but this is one of the most common spotting times. The reason behind after-period spotting is usually that your uterus didnt finish flushing out its unused inner lining. Unless your period starts again soon after it ends, you dont have anything to worry about.
Unwanted Growths In Uterus Known As Polyps
Polyps are non-cancerous growths that can appear in any body part. If they have shown up on your uterus then you may experience prolonged periods. They happen to appear on the uterus lining and are non-cancerous most of the time. However, a proper medical examination is required. Uterus polyps are likely to affect women of an older age. However, it may affect younger women as well.
How Do You Know If You Have Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Heavy menstrual bleeding interferes with your quality of life. Many people with heavy periods assume that periods are supposed to be inconvenient and uncomfortable. They may have watched people in their families live with heavy periods without seeking care and followed their example. But periods should never cause you to restrict activities or accept inconvenience.
During your period, you should be able to:
- Wear a standard pad or tampon every three to four hours without changing it.
- Wear a single menstrual product without having to double-up at any point.
- Leave your home without having to pack extra bags of pads or clothing changes.
- Live your life as usual, without missing work, avoiding going out in public, or skipping activities you enjoy.
If your periods are disrupting your life, it’s time to see your provider.
Read Also: Employee Probationary Period Template
What Is An Irregular Period
The average length of a menstrual cycle is 28 days, which means that a normal cycle can last between 21 and 35 days with bleeding lasting three to seven days.1 Any pattern that strays from this is considered an irregular period.
It is important to differentiate between frequent periods that occur every two weeks and intermenstrual bleeding, which some women might mistake for a period. Let’s see how the two differ.
-
Intermenstrual bleeding is a medical term for bleeding or spotting between periods. The flow of blood is generally less heavy than during a period and not enough to soak through a panty liner.
-
Frequent periods, known as polymenorrhea, are defined as periods that occur less than 21 days apart, including every two weeks.2 Depending on a woman’s flow, she will likely use several full-size sanitary pads over the span of three to seven days.
Why Do I Have Period For 2 Weeks
A normal period is between 2 days and a week. If your period lasts more than a week, then its abnormal. Also, if you continue to see your periods for two weeks, then it is prolonged. Inform your doctor. Common causes of prolonged bleeding depend on your age. A uterine fibroid is common in young women while endometrial hyperplasia and cancer are common in older women.
Also Check: Usaa Insurance Payment Grace Period
What Are Regular Periods
Most girls get their first period between the ages of 10 and 15, but some get it earlier and some later. The first period is known as menarche .
A girl’s monthly cycle is the number of days from the start of her period to the start of the next time she gets her period. You often hear this is a 28-day cycle. But 28 is just an average figure that doctors use. Cycle lengths vary some are 24 days, some are 34 days. And a girl may notice that her cycles are different lengths each month especially for the few years after she first starts getting her period.
Early in a girl’s cycle, her ovaries start preparing one egg. At the same time, the lining of the uterus becomes thick to prepare a nesting place for a fertilized egg in the event that the girl becomes pregnant.
About 2 weeks before a girl gets her period, the egg is released from the ovary . The egg travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus. If the egg isn’t fertilized by sperm, it starts to fall apart. Then the lining and egg leave a girl’s body as her period and the whole thing starts all over again that’s why we use the word “cycle.” The first day a girl’s period comes is Day 1 of her cycle.
It’s also normal for the number of days a girl has her period to vary. Sometimes a girl may bleed for 2 days, sometimes it may last a week. That’s because the level of hormones the body makes can be different from one cycle to the next, and this affects the amount and length of bleeding.
How Might Your Doctor Diagnose A Long Period
Your doctor will ask how often you get your period, how many days it lasts, and do you have bleeding in between your period or after sex, says Jodie Horton, MD, an ob-gyn in Oakton, Virginia, and chief wellness advisor for Love Wellness. Other important clues to determine what is causing your abnormal uterine bleeding is how heavy your periods are, what medications youre taking, if youve been tested for sexually transmitted infections and are up to date on your Pap smears. So you’ll want to know that info before your visit.
Your doctor may perform a pelvic exam to evaluate the cervix and the size and regularity of the uterus, as well as a pelvic ultrasound or hysteroscopy to see inside your cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries for any abnormalities.
It sounds scary, but most causes of prolonged menstrual bleeding aren’t a big deal and can be fixed or improved with the help of your doctor, Dr. Toth notes. And you deserve to have a normal period that doesn’t totally suck.
Also Check: Usaa Auto Loan Grace Period
Did Your Period Last Two Weeks Long Causes Diagnosis And Treatment
The normal average length of any menstrual cycle for a normal adult woman is anywhere between a time period of 21 to 35 days. This may vary from person to person, especially young girls and old ladies. Younger girls who have just hit puberty generally tend to have a cycle of eight to ten days. Whereas older women who are approaching menopause may have either extremely heavy and long periods or short and spotted menstruation cycles.
In normal cases, such irregularities occur as a result of the changes in female hormone levels, especially because of estrogen. Estrogen hormone is significant as it helps to build up the uterine wall lining. This is called the endometrium. It will either nurture a fertilized egg or become the lining which is shed during menstrual period.
Irregular menstrual cycles are definitely considered to be bothersome. But it happens due to the hormonal changes in a womans body.
How The Procedure Is Done
In an endometrial ablation, your healthcare provider first inserts a slender instrument through your cervix and into your uterus. This widens your cervix and allows them to perform the procedure.
The procedure can be done in one of several ways. Your healthcare providers training and preferences will direct which of the following procedures theyll use:
Freezing : A thin probe is used to apply extreme cold to your uterine tissue. Your healthcare provider places an ultrasound monitor on your abdomen to help them guide the probe. The size and shape of your uterus determines how long this procedure lasts.
Heated balloon: A balloon is inserted into your uterus, inflated, and filled with hot fluid. The heat destroys the uterine lining. This procedure typically lasts from 2 to 12 minutes.
Heated free-flowing fluid: Heated saline liquid is allowed to flow freely throughout your uterus for around 10 minutes, destroying the uterine tissue. This procedure is used in women with irregularly shaped uterine cavities.
Radiofrequency: A flexible device with a mesh tip is placed into your uterus. It emits radiofrequency energy to eliminate uterine tissue in 1 to 2 minutes.
Microwave: An inserted probe and microwave energy is used to destroy your uterine lining. This procedure takes 3 to 5 minutes to complete.
Electrosurgery: This procedure requires general anesthesia. A telescopic device called a resectoscope and a heated instrument is used to see and remove uterine tissue.
Also Check: 90 Day Probationary Period Form
You Have Suddenly Put On Some Body Weight
The body weight of a woman plays an important role in her menstrual cycle. Women with low body weight may experience delayed or fewer periods. However, with the sudden rise in the body weight the odds are high that you will have periods that last more than 3 weeks. High body fat increases the estrogen level in the body. Estrogen regulates the menstrual cycle at multiple levels. Higher levels of estrogen can lead to heavy and longer periods.
The Difference Between Spotting And Your Period
Generally, periods come every 21 to 35 days. Some women have shorter periods that last up to 2 days, while others menstruate for up to 7 days. Still others can bleed for even longer but this is a sign of a heavy period and, although common, is not normal and can indicate that there are underlying reproductive issues.
The first day of your period is considered day 1 of your monthly cycle and is often accompanied by period pains: headaches, cramps, cravings, and the like. Though it may seem like youre bleeding out, the amount of blood women release is usually between 4 and 7 tablespoons. The color of period blood can range but is typically red or, if your uterus is shedding off old tissue, brown.
On the other hand, spotting can occur at any time during your monthly cycle and is most likely going to be just a few drops of blood throughout the day. Spotting blood is usually either light pink or dark brown. Though cramps and periods seem to be best buds, you probably wont feel any pain if youre spottingunless you are experiencing implantation spotting but well get to that.
Now that youre clear on the differences between spotting and having your period, lets move on to the really important stuff: why youre spotting at different times throughout your menstrual cycle.
Recommended Reading: Get Period Blood Out Of Underwear
You Have Precancerous Or Cancerous Cells
When found in either the uterus and cervix, precancerous and cancerous cells can cause irregular bleeding. Suffice it to say, a tumor growing on the cervix or uterus can bleed erratically, says Dr. Dweck. One study even found that irregular periods are more likely to lead to ovarian cancer, so early detection is key.
Incidence rates of gynecological cancer vary by race and ethnicitycervical cancer disproportionately impacts Hispanic women, while Black women and white women are more likely to develop uterine cancer, per the CDC.
What to do about it
These are diagnosed with an ultrasound and uterine biopsy, and a pap smear and cervix biopsies, respectively, so if youve ruled out other causes, get to an ob-gyn STAT.
Why Am I Spotting Before After And In Between My Period
You know when youre on your period. The blood is flowing, your mood is swinging, and your cramping uterus just confirms what you already know to be true. When youre spotting, things might not be so clear. Seeing a few red dots in your underwear could mean so many different things: pregnancy, ovulation, stress, a looming visit from Aunt Flo. Regardless of how well you know your body and your menstrual cycle, unexpected bleeding of any kind can be anxiety inducing. Dont panicweve got the lowdown on spotting before, after, and in-between your periods.
Don’t Miss: Dark Discharge Instead Of Period
How Long Does A Period Last
A typical period lasts between 3 and 7 days, according to research. Women with regular cycles typically menstruate between 3 and 5 days.
Keep in mind that we are all different genetically and environmentally-speaking. In other words, what is normal for your friend may not be normal for you and visa versa. It is common for someone’s cycle length to vary slightly from what is considered a typical period. A certain degree of variation between cycles is also normal, especially if the circumstances of someone’s life have changed. Started a new workout regimen? Going through a stressful transition? These may affect menstruation.
Always remember that you know your body best. Determining what is normal is up to you and your doctor.
Your Thyroid Isn’t 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. When one is off, the other might be affected.
If you have hyperthyroidism , you may also lose weight unexpectedly, feel nervous or anxious, have a rapid heartbeat, or have trouble sleeping. Hypothyroidism can cause weight gain, constipation, fatigue, and increased sensitivity to cold, among other symptoms.
Your risk of developing a thyroid disease could vary by race, potentially due to a combination of environmental and genetic factors. According to a 2014 study in JAMA, Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder often at the root of hyperthyroidism, is more common in Black, Asian, and Pacific Islander women compared to white women. On the other hand, Hashimotos disease, which often causes hypothyroidism, is more common in white women.
What to do about it
This is diagnosed with a blood test and typically treated with medication. Hypothyroidism drugs restore your levels to a normal level so symptoms should disappear and you start feeling better soon. Hyperthyroidism medications can clear up symptoms within a few weeks by keeping your thyroid from overproducing hormones. Most of the time this treatment permanently fixes the issue, although sometimes you may need surgery.
You May Like: How To Get Period Blood Out Of Your Underwear
Why Have I Been On My Period For Two Weeks
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a two-week long period can result from lifestyle factors, such as excessive stress or the changing of birth control pills. However, abnormal menstruation is also a sign of more serious problems, such as uterine polyps or fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, uterine or cervical cancer or bleeding disorders. The clinic recommends a consultation with a doctor for any period lasting longer than seven days.
Both physical and emotional stress have a large impact on the menstruation cycle, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Gaining or losing weight, excessive exercise, travel, illness or any other disruption in the typical routine is enough to throw a womans menstrual cycle off. In some cases, medications, such as steroids and anticoagulants, can have an effect on excessive bleeding during menstruation. However, when abnormal menstrual bleeding is accompanied by excessive pain, cramping, nausea or vomiting, this can be an indication of a more serious problem. During an office visit for abnormal bleeding, the doctor takes a history, performs a pelvic examination and conducts additional testing as needed. It is helpful to keep a record of the menstrual cycle along with associated symptoms to report to the doctor to help determine the cause of the bleeding.