Period Problem: Heavy Bleeding
Heavy periods affect one in five American women each year.13 If you have heavy bleeding, your periods may be so painful and heavy that you find it hard to do normal activities such as going to work or school.
Causes of heavy bleeding include:
Some research has found that women with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome have a higher risk for heavy bleeding.15 Women with ME/CFS may experience a range of symptoms that can include fatigue , muscle and joint pain, and memory problems.
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.
Diabetes And Thyroid Disease
Jay M. Berman, M.D., FACOG, chief of gynecological services at Detroit Medical Center’s Harper Hutzel Hospital and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Wayne State University, says other issues such as diabetes and thyroid disease may be to blame. “Many women will, for various reasons, occasionally not ovulate and this can cause an early or delayed menses,” he says. “Depending on her history, it may require further testing to determine the cause.”
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You Have Another Chronic Condition
Certain chronic health problems, especially celiac disease and diabetes, are sometimes associated with menstrual irregularities.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects your digestive system. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system reacts by attacking the lining of the small intestine.
When the small intestine is damaged, it impairs the bodys ability to absorb nutrients from food. Subsequent malnourishment affects normal hormone production and leads to missed periods and other menstrual irregularities.
Those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes might also experience a missed period in rare cases. This tends to only happen when blood sugar levels arent managed at ideal levels.
Im Not Pregnant So Why Is My Period Late
So the pregnancy test came out negative, and you still havent got your period, what then? There are many reasons why you may miss or skip a period, or why your periods may stop altogether.
If pregnancy cannot be ruled out after a negative test result, you may be late or have skipped your period due to:
There are many reasons why your period is late or skipped, and most, like stress, are no cause for alarm and your periods can return to normal with a few healthy lifestyle changes.
However, to rule out any causes for concern, if you miss more than one period you may want to see your doctor for medical advice.
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Reasons Why Youre Not Getting Your Period
Getting your period is often a bothersome occasion. The cramps, breakouts and mood swings alone can make a person wish that Aunt Flo would go on permanent vacation. Nvrthl, if your period uddnl stops, youll start to wonder whats going. Lets say you ruled out pregnancy. What else could cause your menstrual cycle to stop? Thats what we are going to find out, today!
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Medication i a factor that you can nidr. If u hv trtd n a nw set of pills, this uld be affecting ur period. Bfr, u tk n medication, ask your doctor tons of questions and find out about the id fft. Especially if you switch birth control. You want to know everything there is to know about your new pills before taking them.
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Another reason your period might be MIA could be a new diet or starting to take diet pills. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist before taking diet pills or beginning a new diet. She can help you mapped out a plan and answered questions before you start. Anything from side effects to look out for to how to change your eating habits the healthy way so that this doesn’t happen again.
Breastfeeding
If u hv givn birth recently and you are brtfding, it may tk a fw mnth before ur body gets bk t “nrml.” Sm people uggt tht brtfding l works as a nturl form f contraception, but, u should tlk with your dtr but this.
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Home Urine Pregnancy Tests
- Home urine pregnancy tests do not cost very much. They are easy to use. Most drugstores sell these tests. No prescription is needed.
- Urine pregnancy tests are very accurate. They can turn positive as early as the first week after a missed period.
- It is best to do the pregnancy test first thing in the morning. Reason: hormone levels are higher in the morning urine.
- Sometimes, a home test is negative even if you think you might be pregnant. In this case, repeat the test. Do the repeat test in 3-5 days. You can also go to a doctor’s office for testing.
- A pregnancy testing fact sheet can be found at www.womenshealth.gov. Search “pregnancy tests.”
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Youre Way Too Stressed Out
Ah, yesstress, AKA the silent killer, and in this case, the period ruin-er. A significant life stress, such as a sudden loss or going off to college for example, might cause hormonal havoclosing your period can result, Dr. Dweck tells HG.
Stress affects the hypothalamus which *then* affects the pituitary gland which *then* effects the thyroid, adrenal glands, and ovaries. All these parts combined help regulate hormones and off kilter hormones means off kilter periods. If this sounds familiar, you might want to consider taking a step back and reevaluating whether you should make any major changes to your lifestyle.
Dont Ignore A Missed Period
If you keep track of your periods, youll probably know right away if something is amiss. Keep a period diary in your calendar or get an app designed for that purpose. Your period records can provide valuable information for you and your doctor.
Doctors want to know details about your previous periods so we can determine if theres an issue, Dr. Higgins says. An occasional late period is often the result of something minor, but if you frequently have late or irregular periods, check with your doctor to rule out other health conditions.
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Stopped Or Missed Periods
There are many reasons why a woman may miss her period, or why periods might stop altogether.
Most women have a period every 28 days or so, but it’s common to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this .
Some women do not always have a regular menstrual cycle. Their period may be early or late, and how long it lasts and how heavy it is may vary each time.
Read more about irregular periods and heavy periods.
What Is A Late Period
Although a few people might have pinpoint predictability with periods, most have a little variation. So if your period is a day or two late, dont panic.
Your menstrual cycle is the length of time from day one of your period to day one of your next period, Dr. Higgins says. On average, these cycles are 24 to 38 days long.
That means that a 28-day cycle one month and a 26-day cycle the next month is probably nothing to worry about. Your period might be considered late if:
- Its been more than 38 days since your last period.
- Youre normally really regular, and your period is more than three days late.
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Medicines And Medical Treatment
As discussed above, a number of contraceptive treatments can stop you having periods. Other medicines can affect periods too. Examples are some medicines for schizophrenia , an anti-sickness medicine called metoclopramide and strong painkillers called opiates.A number of operations may result in absent periods. For example, after a hysterectomy you will not have periods. A hysterectomy is an operation where the womb is removed. As the blood during a period comes from the womb, you will never have periods again afterwards. Another operation , which is sometimes done for heavy periods, also causes periods to stop. In this operation the lining of the womb is removed. This is not usually permanent and periods start again in time.
Treatments for cancer, such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy, can also damage the ovaries and result in absent periods. Recreational drugs such as heroin may also cause periods to stop.
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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Missed Periods And Pregnancy
If youve had unprotected sex, you may have missed your period because youre pregnant. You may want to rule out pregnancy first by taking a pregnancy test, or you can see if you need to take a test with our .
Keep an eye out for any early pregnancy symptoms, like:
- tender breasts
These symptoms coupled with a missed period could mean you are pregnant
Is It Normal To Miss A Period
There are several times in a persons life when irregular periods are expected: when a person first starts having periods , during breastfeeding, and at the beginning of perimenopause . On average, most people get their periods every 28 days. But a healthy persons menstrual cycle can last from 21 to 35 days. Apart from puberty, menopause, and pregnancy, a missed period may indicate a health issue.
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When Should You Worry About Absent Periods
If you’ve taken a pregnancy test and it comes back negative, the next thing to do is track how often this is happening. “The occasional missed period is not unusual,” says Dr Karen Morton, consultant gynaecologist and founder of Dr Morton’s. But if periods become generally infrequent or stop altogether, Morton says it’s time to pay closer attention to what is going on.
Reasons Why Your Period Might Be Delayed
A typical menstrual cycle is considered to be 21 to 35 days.
The absence of menstruation is called amenorrhea. Girls who havent started their periods by the age of 15 and women who have missed three or more periods in a row have amenorrhea.
There are several possible causes of delayed or missing periods:
- stress
Substances that can help to induce a period are called emmenagogues. Be aware that some emmenagogues are also abortifacients. An abortifacient is a substance that can cause miscarriages in pregnancy.
Pregnancy warning
If theres any chance your period is late because you are pregnant, using emmenagogues to induce a period may terminate your pregnancy. This can be very dangerous. If theres any chance you are pregnant, do not take these substances.
If you are trying any herbs, buy from a reputable source. The FDA doesnt monitor herbs like they do food and drugs, and there may be concerns with quality or purity, especially if the herbs are produced outside of the United States.
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You’ve Been On The Pill For A While
Don’t worry if your period becomes barely-there-light or disappears altogether. With some low-dose estrogen pills and the IUD Mirena, the endometrial lining doesn’t build up, so there’s not much lining to shed, explains Dr. Goist. “Sometimes women on these pills don’t menstruate monthly or at all,” she says. So relax, it’s completely safe.
When To See Your Doctor
Your doctor can properly diagnose the reason for your late or missed period and discuss your treatment options. Keep a record of changes in your cycle as well as other health changes to show your doctor. This will help them make a diagnosis.
If you have the following symptoms, contact a doctor right away:
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No Period Not Pregnant What Can Be The Hidden Causes
1. Stress
It is common to experience amenorrhea after a stressful event in females. Such a condition is called hypothalamic amenorrhea. Hypothalamus is the part of brain which regulates the reproductive system it is also responsible for the release of hormones that participate in the pregnancy process.A hormonal disturbance caused by significant stress can result in amenorrhea in most cases.
2. Low Weight
Low body weight or extremely low caloric intake suppresses the activity of hypothalamus in which case hypothalamus does not release the required female hormone to buildthe uterine lining.Some conditions associated with weight loss such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa also causes a decline or an increase in estrogen levels, both resulting in abnormal periods or no periods.
3. Thyroid Disorder
Thyroid gland is responsible for the regulation of metabolism, reproduction, energy generation and maintenance of associated systems. If a person is suffering from thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism then a significant effect on the menstrual cycle is also observed in the form of amenorrhea.
4. PCO
Polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by formation of small cysts in the ovary and associated areas. Some of the classic symptoms of PCOS include missed periods , fertility issues, weight loss, etc. The pathophysiology revolves around an imbalance in female reproductive hormones including estrogen, progesterone.
5. Birth Control
6. Premature Menopause
Things That Delay Your Period
A missed period is often the first sign of pregnancy, but there are other reasons for lateness, too. Here are some other factors that can delay your monthly flow:
Extreme diet and exercise
A healthy diet and regular exercise can do wonders for your health. But if you overdo it, you might say bye-bye to your periods, at least temporarily.
Athletes who train really hard or who dont get enough calories may stop menstruating, Dr. Higgins says. Its the bodys way of telling you that it doesnt have enough resources to support a pregnancy.
When your periods stop due to weight loss, diet or exercise, youre experiencing secondary amenorrhea. This means you previously had periods, but they have stopped. Secondary amenorrhea might happen to you if you:
- Eat an extreme, calorie-restricted diet.
- Have an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia.
- Lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
- Undergo hardcore exercise training, such as for a .
Polycystic ovary syndrome
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that interferes with the release of an egg . When you dont ovulate, you usually dont have a period. Many people with PCOS have irregular, late or missing periods. Other symptoms of PCOS include:
- Excess facial or body hair.
- Thinning hair.
- Weight gain or trouble losing weight.
Doctors diagnose PCOS by checking your symptoms and performing medical tests when needed. Medication and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms.
Stress
Some examples of major stress include:
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