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.
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.
You Might Have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Or Pcos
If you are frequently getting periods twice or thrice in a month, chances are that you might have PCOS. This condition causes hormonal imbalance in the body which can further cause period irregularity. Watch out for other signs of PCOS such as unintentional weight loss and abrupt weight gain.
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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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Why Does That Happen
To understand the reason behind it we spoke to Dr. Sangeetha Sivaraman, an obstetrician and gynaecologist based out of Bangalore. She helped us with an understanding about the causes behind periods twice a month and what can be done about it.
1. Why do some women get periods twice a month?
Stress, late nights, inadequate sleep, highly processed foods in the diet with high sugar content, are some of the causes of periods coming more than once in the month.
It could also occur after the use of emergency contraception, the use of oral contraceptive pills or an intrauterine device, following an abortion or childbirth. Occasionally, it can occur due to endocrine imbalances like thyroid disturbances, prolactin elevation or diabetes related causes. In the presence of diseases too, cycles could be more frequent than before.
2. Is it a matter of concern when someone gets periods twice a month for a long time?
If bleeding occurs frequently, the girl or woman runs a risk of excessive blood loss causing a loss in haemoglobin and resulting in Anemia. Anemia in turn poses a risk of infections to set in apart from putting the heart at risk. If a woman has more than two cycles, or more frequent ones, it is better she seeks professional advice for the same.
3. What should be the ideal gap between two cycles and when can an exception be made?
In general, one solitary cycle with more frequent cycles is most likely to be related to stress and need not be a reason for undue concern.
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Changes To Your Hormone Levels
Young women often spot, or bleed very slightly, when they ovulate . It happens about 10 to 14 days after their period and is usually caused by a temporary drop in levels of the hormone oestrogen. This is quite normal.
As well as reduced oestrogen levels, you may also experience other hormonal imbalances, which are completely harmless. This could be as a result of stress, or a recent change of diet.
Girls who have just started their periods and women going through menopause are more likely to have irregular periods, which can be confused with bleeding between periods.
Your doctor may take a blood test to investigate your hormone levels and will advise you on possible treatments.
Complications Of Two Periods In A Month
If you are bleeding twice a month, then it can lead to anemia, which happens because of lack of iron in the blood. Anemia symptoms include headache, dizziness and fatigue, shortness of breath, weakness and irregular heartbeat..
There is a higher risk of having more than one menstrual cycle in a month if there is a history of cysts, fibroid or early menopause in your family. You should consult a doctor if you have heavy bleeding during periods, experience pelvic pain, urinate frequently, have painful menstrual cramps, sexual intercourse is painful or you spot dark clots in your period blood.
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Why Did I Get My Period Twice In One Month
Before going into panic mode, do note that this occurrence is not entirely out of the ordinary, especially if you experience short periods. Adult cycles typically range from 24 to 38 days, according to Healthline, but every situation is unique.
“If you have two cycles in one month, it is possible for that to be completely normal,” says Kirsten Karchmer, founder of menstrual wellness company Brazen.
However, you’ll want to take note of any adjustments to your routine that could have contributed to the increased frequency.
“If its something thats never happened before, its likely due to some stressor or change,” Karchmer continues. “That could be a dietary change, a change in stress or a COVID vaccination, gaining weight, losing weight or changing your exercise. Read that as a signal as ‘my body is really speaking to me.'”
Given that we’re living in a difficult environment and have a global pandemic weighing on our “normal” lifestyle, Karchmer believes it’s necessary to find a meaningful stress management strategy. Not only will this enable you to handle external factors more effectively, but it’ll make that time of the month more manageable.
If stressors like weight fluctuation or dietary changes are not at play, health-related reasons could be the culprit. Per Flo and Healthline, conditions that might cause shorter cycles but more frequent bleeding include but are not limited to:
- Cysts
- Cervical complications
- Miscarriages
What Can Cause Bleeding Between Periods
There are several things that could cause bleeding between periods, such as changes to your hormones levels, use of hormonal contraception or contraceptive devices, an infection, or an injury.
Other causes of bleeding between periods may include:
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Why Did I Have My Period Twice In One Month
Mrs. Andrews342145 over a year ago
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over a year ago
Hi Mrs. Andrews
I will list some of the possible cause of a second period or brown discharge –
Reasons for a period every two weeks could be:
Dramatic weight loss or gain — This changes the hormones in the body and these are responsible for directing when the period will start.
Excessive exercise — This too disrupts hormones.
Stress — Exams, family argument, financial worries, divorce, even a holiday can cause a temporary change in your menstrual cycle.
Illness and/or medications — Some medications can affect your cycle. Talk to your doctor about altering or stopping your medication if you think this is happening.
Uterine problems such as polyps, cysts, fibroids or tumors .
Sexually transmitted infections — These can cause bleeding in between periods which can be mistaken for a period.
Thyroid problems — Thyroid disease could cause a thickening of the uterine lining, resulting in more bleeding than normal.
Reactions to contraceptive methods — Sometimes the pill, depo provera injections or the copper-only IUD can result in a change in your cycle.
~ The pill and IUD can make you bleed in between periods, known as “breakthrough bleeding” and this may be mistaken for a period.
~ The IUD can also make your periods heavier.
~ The depo-provera injection can make your cycle irregular, however, it often stops your period altogether instead of making it more frequent.
Good luck
Not Sure What To Do Next
If you are still concerned about bleeding between periods, check your symptoms with healthdirect’s 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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Is It Normal To Have A Second Period After Menopause
So just that symptom does not necessarily mean that menopause has started. Beware what seems like a second period soon after youve completed a cycle may actually not be a second cycle at all. It may be abnormal bleeding coming from the uterine wall , which can be caused by hyperplasia or cancer.
You’re In The Early Stages Of Menopause
Perimenopause, which can start as early as your mid-thirties, can cause irregular periods, including ones that are more frequent and heavier than usual, says Dr. Masterson. Other symptoms to watch out for include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and sleep problems.
What to do about it
Theres not much you can do here , but there are ways to ease the overall effects of perimenopause, like medications or other therapies, if your OB has confirmed thats whats happening. Hormone replacement therapy, which involves taking a pill to bump up your estrogen levels, can help ease the symptoms of perimenopause and reduce bone loss linked to menopause.
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Why Am I Having Two Periods A Month
Asked by Izzy
Why Am I Having Two Periods A Month?
I’ve been getting my period twice in a month, at times it makes me really dizzy and feel completely drained of energy. I can hardly go places because when I do, there’s always some mark or spot bound to show up as it seems like regardless of what kind of pad or how many I use it goes through. I’m embarrassed to see someone about it, as I find this sort of thing difficult to talk about. Is there anything I can do that might fix the problem on my own?
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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