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.
How Do I Choose A Pad Or Tampon That Is Right For Me
There are smaller, slender pads and tampons available that young women often prefer, particularly when they first start menstruating. You may find it helpful to use different products over the course of your period, with more absorbent tampons or pads being used on heavier flow days, and smaller tampons or pantiliners on low flow days. Each woman has her own preferences and whatever works best for your body is just fine!
How Do I Know If My Period Is Coming
Some people get signs that their periods are coming like bloating, pimples, sore breasts, and feeling emotional. Many people get cramps in their belly, lower back, or legs before their period. These symptoms are called PMS. Not everybody has signs that their periods are about to start. And sometimes the signs change month-to-month. As you get older, it usually gets easier to tell when your period is coming.
Many people mark the days they have their period on their calendar or on an app. Keeping track of your periods will help you know when your next period is coming. It can also tell you if your period is late or early. Its really common to have periods that dont come at the exact same time every month especially when youre a teenager.
Keeping a tampon, period underwear, or a pad in your bag can help you be prepared for your period, no matter when it shows up. If you start your period and don’t have a tampon or pad, you can ask a parent, friend, teacher, or the school nurse for a tampon or a pad. Some bathrooms also have vending machines where you can buy a tampon or pad. If youre REALLY stuck somewhere without a tampon or pad, you can fold up a bunch of toilet paper or a clean sock or washcloth and put it in your underwear to soak up the blood.
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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 doctor 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 Is A Normal Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is a term used to describe the sequence of events that occur within a womans body as it prepares for the possibility of pregnancy each month. A menstrual cycle is considered to begin on the first day of a period. The average cycle is 28 days long however, a cycle can range in length from 21 days to about 35 days.
The steps in the menstrual cycle are triggered by the rise and fall of chemicals in the body called hormones. The pituitary gland in the brain and the ovaries in the female reproductive tract manufacture and release certain hormones at certain times during the menstrual cycle that cause the organs of the reproductive tract to respond in certain ways. The specific events that occur during the menstrual cycle can be described as follows:
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What If Your Clothes Are Stained
It’s unlikely that your first period will be very heavy, so you’ll probably figure out that it’s happened before your clothes are stained. But if your clothes do get stained on your first period, or a later one, you’ll definitely want to visit the nurse or counselor. You don’t want to be worried all day long that someone will see the stain, so you need some fresh clothes. Maybe you have sweatpants in your locker for gym class.
If you don’t have any spare clothes, you’ll need to see someone on the school staff so you can call a parent, who can bring you some clothes or pick you up and take you home. What if you return to class with different pants on and someone asks about it? You don’t have to say what really happened. That would be embarrassing. Instead, you can just say something like, “I spilled something on my pants so I changed.”
Do you feel less worried now about getting your period at school? We hope so!
Although it’s not very convenient to get your period at school, remember that there are people you can turn to for help. You’ll get in the habit of being prepared. And before you know it, getting your period wherever you are will be no big deal.
When You Have Your Period You Might Experience Painful Cramps
One annoying side effect you may experience when you have your period is cramping, which tends to be different for each and every woman who experiences them. For some women, period cramps are just small pains they feel every now and then in the lower abdomen. For others, they can be serious enough to leave you bedridden or worse, in the hospital. Usually, that’s a sign of a more serious condition like endometriosis, according to Mayo Clinic.
Period cramps are caused by your uterus contracting to assist in the shedding of its lining. When that happens, Mayo Clinic explained, “Hormone like substances involved in pain and inflammation trigger the uterine muscle contractions.” No matter how severe your period cramps are, they all tend to have the same key features: Menstrual cramps occur in the lower abdomen, and they tend to start before your period and last a few days. Cramps can make you feel terrible, but, in most cases, they aren’t anything to be concerned about. However, if you are concerned, speak with your gynecologist.
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You Poop More During Your Period
Hormones, man they even affect your poop. During your period, your progesterone levels fluctuate, which can cause you to have diarrhea or constipation or a combination of the two.
If you’re like most women, you probably experience constipation right before your period, and then diarrhea or more poop once your period starts.
If you already have tummy troubles, then you might find that you have a greater chance of having much more frequent problems and abdominal pain when it’s that time of the month, too.
Also, poop happens because prostaglandins, like hormones, cause a chemical reaction that control certain bodily functions in this case, contracting and relaxing muscles. During your period, your body sends prostaglandins to your uterus to contract during your period , but sometimes some pesky prostaglandins stray to your digestive system causing you to run to the nearest bathroom.
Causes Of A Missed Period
Often there is nothing to worry about when periods stop, and no serious cause. There are certain times when it is normal not to have periods. These include:
- Before puberty. Girls start to go through puberty from around the age of 9 years and their periods start a year or two later. Up until that point girls do not have periods.
- During pregnancy. If you are pregnant, your periods will normally stop until after the baby is born.
- During breastfeeding. If you are fully breastfeeding, you will normally not have a period until you stop. You may find you have a bleed if you drop a feed, or start to breastfeed less.
- After menopause. The menopause is the time in your life when your ovaries stop producing eggs and you stop having periods. The average menopause is around the age of 51. You will be classed as having gone through the menopause a year after your last period. However, it is extremely common for your periods to become less regular in the years leading up to the menopause. See the separate leaflet called Menopause for more details.
- If you are using certain types of contraception. Some types of contraception may stop periods. They do not do so in all women however, it is normal not to have periods if you are using:
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What Will My First Period Feel Like
You may find your first period comes and goes with very little in the way of symptoms, or you may find you experience quite a bit of discomfort. Common symptoms include:
- Cramping in the lower abdomen
- Breast tenderness
- Diarrhea or nausea
- Dizziness
Most of these symptoms do not last long, and can be treated with ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain relief medications. A heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen or lower back can help ease pain in these areas. More details on menstrual pain and other symptoms can be found here .
When Does A Girl Usually Get Her First Period
The average age for a girl in the United States to get her first period is 12.6This does not mean that all girls start at the same age.
A girl may start her period anytime between 8 and 15. The first period normally starts about two years after breasts first start to develop and pubic hair begins to grow. The age at which a girls mother started her period can help predict when a girl may start her period.
A girl should see her doctor if:
- She starts her period before age 8.
- She has not had her first period by age 15.
- She has not had her first period within three years of breast growth.
Get more information for girls about getting their period at girlshealth.gov.
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You’ll Obviously Be Bleeding When You Have Your Period
The most obvious sign that you have your period is, of course, bleeding. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health, menstrual bleeding is what kickstarts your period. “When you menstruate, your body discards the monthly buildup of the lining of your uterus ,” the Office on Women’s Health explained. Then the blood and tissue move from your uterus, past the cervix and out of the vagina.
However, even though it’s totally natural and common to bleed on your period, there is such a thing as too much bleeding and that can be dangerous. According to The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, period bleeding is dangerous if it lasts longer than seven days, if you go through multiple pads or tampons in the span of an hour, or if your blood has large clots in it. If that’s the case, you’ll want to talk to your OB-GYN. However, period bleeding in itself is totally normal, and just your body’s way of staying healthy.
What Are The Signs You Are Getting Your Period
Women usually start noticing physical and mood changes about 1-2 weeks before period bleeding starts. Ninety percent of women have premenstrual syndrome symptoms at some point in their reproductive life. Some women have more severe PMS signs and symptoms than others.
Changing hormones are to blame for many uncomfortable or unpleasant period signs and symptoms like cramps and tender breasts. Brain chemicals are also involved, but itâs unclear to what extent.
Period signs and symptoms usually end about 3-4 days after bleeding begins.
Common signs that your period is approaching are:
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What Causes Menstruation
Menstruation is a result of puberty. This is when your body becomes capable of reproduction.
When your menstrual cycle begins, your estrogen levels increase. That causes the lining of your uterus to thicken.
The uterine lining thickens so it can support a fertilized egg and develop into a pregnancy.
If there isnt a fertilized egg, your body will break the lining down and push it out of your uterus. This results in bleeding your menstrual period.
It doesnt matter if youve had a period for years or youre waiting for your first one periods can be difficult to navigate.
This article will go over everything you need to know, from how to find the right menstrual products and dealing with cramps to saving stained clothes.
Most people start their periods between the ages of 12 and 13. Your first period . .acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Your-First-Period-Especially-for-Teens However, its normal to start your period a little earlier or later, too.
As a general rule of thumb, menstruation will start about two years after your breasts begin to develop.
Some people start their periods without any warning. Others may experience premenstrual syndrome in the days leading up to their period.
Symptoms of PMS include: