Why Am I Getting My Period Every 3 Weeks

You Just Started Stopped Or Switched Birth Control

ð? I Get 2 Periods Every Month | Cassandra Bankson

Though men cant seem to handle the side effects as well as women can, birth control is still such a great invention. Especially for those of us who dont want children , dealing with the side effects is well worth it if it means preventing pregnancy. One of those side effects is spotting.

If you just got an IUD, spotting is a normal symptom that can last several months. Thankfully, many IUD users eventually have lighter periods or no periods at all. Similarly, starting, stopping, or missing a dose of an oral contraceptive can cause pink or brown spotting. This is due to your estrogen, which keeps the lining of your uterus in place. Doing anything that alters your estrogen levels can cause spotting.

How Is Abnormal Menstruation Diagnosed

If any aspect of your menstrual cycle has changed, you should keep an accurate record of when your period begins and ends, including the amount of flow and whether you pass large blood clots. Keep track of any other symptoms, such as bleeding between periods and menstrual cramps or pain.

Your doctor will ask you about your menstrual cycle and medical history. He or she will perform a physical examination, including a pelvic exam and sometimes a Pap test. The doctor might also order certain tests, including the following:

  • Blood tests to rule out anemia or other medical disorders
  • Vaginal cultures, to look for infections
  • A pelvic ultrasound exam to check for uterine fibroids, polyps or an ovarian cyst
  • An endometrial biopsy, in which a sample of tissue is removed from the lining of the uterus, to diagnose endometriosis, hormonal imbalance, or cancerous cells. Endometriosis or other conditions may also be diagnosed using a procedure called a laparoscopy, in which the doctor makes a tiny incision in the abdomen and then inserts a thin tube with a light attached to view the uterus and ovaries

Youre Under A Lot Of Stress

The bodys reaction to stress can change the levels of many hormones that cause your period to last longer than necessary, says Dr. Horton.

Stress can cause delayed ovulation, causing your period to start later than expected, which can make your periods longer and heavier than usual, she explains. Identifying and eliminating stressors in your life will help regulate your periods over time. Meditation, getting enough sleep, and regular exercise are also effective ways to manage stress.

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Your Flow Might Get Heavier

As your ovaries start their normal pre-menopause wind down, your period schedule will get a little wonky. Some months, the egg makes it to release on time and everythings fine, says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su. Some months, its a bit behind, and your period will be late, and some months, it doesn’t make it at all and you skip a month or two. When you miss an ovulation, the lining of the uterus continues to grow, so that when you finally bleed it tends to be heavier.

What Will Having My Period Feel Like

Why Am I Getting My Period Every Two Weeks

Some girls may experience premenstrual syndrome PMS. Symptoms of PMS usually start about a week before your period and disappear about 1-2 days into your period. Signs and symptoms of PMS may include mood swings, acne, bloating, food cravings, increased breast tenderness, fatigue, and increased hunger and thirst. When your period begins, its normal to experience mild pain with your periods a couple of days each month. However, if your pain is not relieved with over-the-counter pain medicine, and you miss school or doing things with your friends because of it, you may have dysmenorrhea. When your period begins, it will feel like liquid flowing slowly with start and stops, out of your vagina. Although it may seem like a lot of blood, only a small amount is released at a time and should not be painful. Its also normal to see small clots of blood from your vagina on the toilet paper after you urinate . However, if you see clots larger than a quarter, you should call your health care provider and schedule an appointment.

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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.

How Is Abnormal Menstruation Treated

The treatment of abnormal menstruation depends on the underlying cause:

There are other procedural options which can help heavy menstrual bleeding. A five-year contraceptive intrauterine device , called Mirena®, has been approved to help lessen bleeding, and can be as effective as surgical procedures such as endometrial ablation. This is inserted in the doctors office with minimal discomfort, and also offers contraception. Endometrial ablation is another option. It uses heat or electrocautery to destroy the lining of the uterus. It is usually only used when other therapies have been tried and failed. This is because scars from the procedure can make monitoring the uterus more difficult if bleeding persists in the future.

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My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker

Print out our My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker use it as an easy way to keep track of your menstrual flow, and its also a way to keep track of cramps, and/or PMS and period symptoms each month.

  • Print copies of My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker
  • Simply make a check mark in the appropriate box for each day of the month. If you dont have any flow or any symptoms on any given day, leave the box empty. Refer to the Blood Flow Key at the bottom for Flow definitions.
  • The dates at the top are the same as the dates in one month. Some months have 28 days, others have 30 or 31.
  • Remember to bring My Monthly Period & Symptom Tracker with you to your medical appointments.

Female Bleeding: When Should You See A Doctor

TWO Periods in ONE Month | Birth Control Horror Story

Thankfully, most of the time your period will come and go without causing much fuss. But what about those times when your cycle gets thrown out of whack and you have abnormal bleeding? Should you be concerned?

Every woman is different when it comes to her cycle. However, when period changes happen such as a heavier or lighter flow than usual or timing abnormalities it can be hard to decide if you need to call your doctor or if what youre experiencing is in the range of normal.

Its a good idea to always track your menstrual cycles, including how heavy your flows are, how long they last and how many tampons or pads you use during a single cycle. This information can be useful for your doctor.

We spoke to INTEGRIS Health OB-GYN Dr. Elise Schrop to get her insights on a scary topic. What causes abnormal bleeding, just what is abnormal anyway, and when should you consult your doctor?

“Abnormal bleeding is a very common problem for women,” Dr. Schrop says. “In fact, about a third of office visits to the gynecologist are for abnormal bleeding. It can happen to women of all ages but most commonly occurs in the first several years after a young woman starts having a period and as women start to make the transition to menopause.”

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So How Is It Even Possible To Get Two Periods In One Month

The average cycle should occur every 21 to 35 days and last anywhere from two to seven days, explains Lakeisha Richardson, M.D., an ob-gyn based in Greenville, Mississippi. So if youre on the shorter end of that spectrum, that math could easily translate into getting your period twice in one month. And about 40 to 60 percent of women will have some irregular periods throughout their lives, she says.

If you don’t just have a cycle thats on the shorter end of the spectrum, your period might actually be bleeding linked to a medical condition or missed birth control. And even though most of the reasons are totally benign, seeing your doctor can help identify the cause.

Here’s what might be going on if you’re getting two periods in one monthand what to do to get your cycle back on track.

What Causes Periods Every Two Weeks

Frequent menstruation can have a number of underlying roots, including hormonal and other causes. They include the following:

Hormonal Causes

Getting a period every two weeks is commonly caused by imbalanced levels of estrogen and progesterone. This frequently occurs during menopause as the ovaries transition into their non-fertile stage, causing drastic fluctuations of key reproductive hormones.

Other Causes

Polymenorrhea can also be caused by various medical conditions as well as certain lifestyle habits, such as the following:

  • Drastic weight loss

  • Going off or starting a new type of hormonal contraception

  • Obesity, especially if related to polycystic ovary syndrome

  • Benign uterine abnormalities, such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids

  • Certain types of cancer

Read Also: My Period Is 4 Days Late Should I Be Worried

Your Pms Can Feel Even Worse

All those hormonal ups and downs that start at 40 can do a number on your mood and emotions before your period begins. As the hormones fluctuate more dramatically, those women who have mood symptoms with their periods tend to see more fluctuations in those moods, says Dr. Dunsmoor-Su. Some women get very depressed as the hormonal fluctuations become more significant.

If you find yourself becoming significantly depressed, dont be afraid to reach out to your doctor. Anti-depressants are very helpful in this kind of depression, and if left untreated, it can become very severe during the menopausal transition, she says.

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Youre Experiencing An Ectopic Pregnancy

Why Am I Getting My Period Every Two Weeks

An unusually heavy period can be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy , says Dr. Horton. Taking a pregnancy test can help you figure out if that’s what’s going on.

If you have a positive pregnancy test and have pain and vaginal bleeding, you should be evaluated, she says. Your doctor will get blood work and a pelvic ultrasound to see where the pregnancy is located and, if it is ectopic, treat it with medicine or surgery. Unfortunately, it’s not safe for a mother to carry an ectopic pregnancy.

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Change In Normal Routine

Changes in your normal routine can affect your hormones and cause your period to come early or late. For example, some research suggests that people who switch between day and night shifts, like nurses, often experience irregular periods. Switching time zones may have similar effects.

Researchers dont know exactly why this happens, but it may be related to a disruption in your circadian rhythm. This may, in turn, disrupt the sleep hormone melatonin.

More research is needed to explore a connection between melatonin and reproductive hormones.

When To See Your Doctor

As discussed earlier, it is not abnormal to get periods every two weeks, but sometimes you may need to consult your health care provider:

  • Sharp stabbing pelvic pain which causes discomfort in walking, wait for a couple of days, if it persists, you need to seek medical attention.
  • Heavy discharge during menstrual periods which may lead to enormous loss of blood and can make you anemic.
  • More and frequent urination which can be a sign of urinary tract infection and is likely to cause bleeding.
  • Having painful or uncomfortable sexual intercourse.
  • Experiencing cramps during menstruation,
  • Keep an eye on menstrual flow, sometimes, dark clots which appear can be a sign of infection or something serious in the uterus.

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Symptoms Of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

Symptoms include:

  • bleeding for more than eight days
  • heavy blood loss during the menstrual period for example, soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row
  • needing to change your pad or tampon during the night
  • have to change or restrict your daily activities due to your heavy bleeding
  • bleeding or spotting between periods
  • cramping and pain in the lower abdomen
  • fatigue
  • any vaginal bleeding after menopause.

If you think you may be experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding, you may find it useful to keep a pictorial blood loss assessment chart this can help you give your doctor an idea of how heavy your period is.

If You Are Having Very Difficult Symptoms Of Menopause Including Irregular Periods You Should Consider Some Changes To Your Lifestyle As Necessary

Cramping for one day a week before my period is it normal

Please visit our Treatments page and Lifestyle pages for some information and inspiration on a wide variety of topics from Nutrition to Exercise, Sex and your changing home and wardrobe at midlife. Here at My Second Spring, we’re interested in chatting to you about all things midlife not just the pesky symptoms of menopause. We hope you’ll find lots of cool articles to read there and also on our blog.

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Causes Of Periods Every Two Weeks Or Two Periods In One Month

The human menstrual cycle normally lasts for the duration of three to seven days the cycle repeats after 21 to 32 days on average. The physiology of every female is not alike you may differ in the length of the menstrual cycle every month. Sometimes it may take more days and sometimes there is no reason of reduction in it.

Sometimes it happens that you get a bleeding any time before a menstrual cycle or even after the completion of the menstrual cycle, it is unexpected, in this case, keep the record of whether it is a spotting or a regular menstrual discharge. The regular menstrual discharge along with considerable bleeding is a menstruation. All you can do is to keep a pad and expect it to soak for few hours, keep in mind that the blood for menstrual flow is bright red in color with cellular debris and break down of uterine walls. In case if the pad is not soaked, it might be called spotting. Under any condition, sanitary pads are needed to ensure that the clothing is safe from stains. If you experience dark brown or red discharge, it mostly is due to spotting. Spotting is also more likely to occur during pregnancy though it is the common problem in initial months where fetus takes times to embed itself in the uterine walls.

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