No Matter Which Period Problems Are Affecting You You Dont Have To Suffer In Silence
You have no reason to feel embarrassed about your periodor the many period problems that can come with it. Talk of menstrual cycle problems is becoming so much more common because, hey, sometimes theyre just the lot were dealt as people with vaginas. Celebrities are out here talking about menstruation) problems, too! Some pad commercials evengaspuse red blood, these days! What a time to be alive.
If youre having period problems, see your doctor for help. If they arent committed to relieving your symptoms, thats a sign you should try to find a more sympathetic medical professional who can help you find the best treatment.
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Cost Of A Hysteroscopy
You can expect the cost of a hysteroscopy to range from $750-$3,500. The cost depends on the extent of the procedure. For instance, a diagnostic-only procedure is much less than one involving surgery. The cost may be higher if you have a more extensive procedure which includes surgery in the hospital and general anesthesia. Costs for these extensive procedures can be up to $7,000.
Some health insurance carriers will cover a hysteroscopy, at least partially, when its considered medically necessary. Coverage varies from policy to policy, so talk to your insurance carrier to determine your out-of-pocket costs.
A hysteroscopy is considered a fairly safe procedure with minimal complications. However, its still considered surgery. Because of this there are some possible complications, though they are not common. They include:
- infection
What Are Irregular Periods
Even though girls get their periods on a cycle, that cycle can take different amounts of time each month. For example, a girl might get her period after 24 days one month and after 42 days the next. These are called irregular periods.
Irregular periods are very common, especially in a girl’s first few years of getting her period.
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Why Did I Get My Period Three Times In One Month
Uterine bleeding between expected menstrual cycles, or metrorrhagia, is a common problem, especially in teenage and pre-menopausal women, explains Core Physicians. There are many possible causes for metrorrhagia, including hormone imbalance, polyps on the cervix or in the uterus, infection, and use of birth control pills.
Metrorrhagia resulting from hormone imbalances can occur naturally or due to misuse of hormonal birth control pills, Core Physicians further explains. Even when used according to directions, birth control pills and IUDs may still result in irregular bleeding. Benign growths in the uterus or on the cervix, such as polyps and fibroids, can also cause metrorrhagia as can scar tissue inside the uterus. In other cases, medications and stress may be responsible. Additionally, certain types of uterine, cervical and vaginal cancers can cause frequent vaginal bleeding.
Physicians use a variety of tests to determine the underlying cause of metrorrhagia, according to Core Physicians. Diagnosis generally requires a complete medical history and physical exam. Doctors may use ultrasound imaging to examine the uterus, ovaries and pelvis. Further examination of the lining of the uterus may require a specialized type of ultrasound called a sonohysterogram. In some cases, doctors may need to remove a small piece of uterine tissue for examination under a microscope in a procedure called an endometrial biopsy.
When To Seek Help
Dont ignore a long period. Its important to see your doctor to discuss why you might be experiencing this symptom. Delaying your diagnosis and treatment could lead to a worsening of the underlying condition responsible for the extended bleeding.
You may want to seek immediate care with a long period if you spike a fever or are losing an abnormally heavy amount of blood or large blood clots. A sign that youre losing a lot of blood is if you need to change a pad or tampon one to two times per hour for several hours. You may also begin to feel lightheaded if youre losing a lot of blood.
There are many causes for a long period, so your doctor will likely begin your appointment by asking you some questions. These may include:
- when your period started
- how many pads and tampons youve used in the last day
- your sexual activity
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What Causes A Woman To Have Two Periods In One Month
What Causes Two Periods in One Month? 1 Overview. Its normal for adult women to have a menstrual cycle that ranges from 24 to 38 days, 2 Causes. Your increased bleeding may be caused by a shorter menstrual cycle or by a health problem 3 Risk factors. If you have a family history of fibroids, cysts, or early onset menopause,
A Change In Your Schedule
Changing schedules can throw off your body clock. If you frequently change work shifts from days to nights, or if your schedule is generally all over the place, your period can be fairly unpredictable.
A change in your schedule shouldn’t cause you to completely miss your period, but it can cause your period to start earlier or later than expected. Your cycle can also change by a few days if you experience jet lag.
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You Have Uterine Polyps Or Fibroids
Uterine issues like polyps or fibroidsbenign lesions or tumors that can grow in the uterusare very common and may be related to hormonal issues. Uterine polyps can cause bleeding in between periods, says Dr. Dweck, especially if they are touched, like during sex, and fibroids can cause pain, back pain, abdominal bloating, anemia, pain with intercourse, and spontaneous bleeding because theyre not associated with the menstrual cycle, explains Dr. Richardson.
While fibroids can affect women of any age or race, Black women are about three times more likely to develop them compared to white women, and their symptoms tend to emerge at an earlier age with greater severity. Its unclear why exactly Black women are disproportionately impacted by fibroids, but some studies suggest that greater exposure to racial discrimination or genetics could play a role.
As the Black Womens Health Imperative notes, heavy, painful periods may seem like a fact of life since theyre so commonand many women wait years to seek treatment for fibroidsbut you dont have to needlessly suffer.
What to do about it
Head to your ob-gyn for an ultrasound, a uterine biopsy, or a hysteroscopy . Hormonal medications such as progestins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists may lessen symptoms of polyps and shrink uterine fibroids.
What Underlying Conditions May Cause Prolonged Menstrual Bleeding
A visit with your gynecologist or other healthcare professional is the first step in determining the cause of your prolonged menstrual bleeding. Your doctor will make a diagnosis after performing a series of tests.
Depending on your age and other symptoms, your doctor may test your blood for pregnancy, hormone levels, and thyroid function. Other diagnostic tests may include Pap smears, endometrial biopsies, ultrasounds, and other procedures.
Medical conditions that could be the cause of abnormal menstrual bleeding include:
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Your Period Decides To Ghost You For A While
While its true that you can sometimes randomly miss a period for reasons like stress, you shouldnt just ignore a long-term missing period. Missing at least three menstrual cycles in a row qualifies as amenorrhea, the Mayo Clinic explains, and its usually very much worth bringing up to your doctor.
If your period randomly disappears and you have even the smallest chance of being pregnant, first and foremost, you should find out if you are, Alyssa Dweck, M.D., a gynecologist in Westchester, New York, and assistant clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, tells SELF. Sometimes people miss the obvious, she notes.
If youre not pregnant, talking to a doctor can help you make sure theres not another health issue going on, like PCOS. . Here are a few other things that could be making you miss your period:
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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When To See Your Doctor
While nausea is normal during your period, you may want to see a doctor if youve never felt it before. If you start throwing up, especially to the point that youre dehydrated or losing weight, seek medical help as soon as possible.
If you have a fever, feel severe pain or have unusual discharge from your vagina, youll also want to contact your doctor.
If you have questions about your period, were here to help.Learn more about the obstetrics and gynecology services we offered at Bon Secours.
The Pill And Other Medications
Hormonal birth control pills and shots can definitely cause your period to be both shorter and lighter, since they contain hormones that can thin the lining of your uterus. A thinner lining equals less to shed each month and thus a less intense period.
Intrauterine devices can cause the same.
Other medications including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicine and supplements can also lead to changes in your menstrual bleeding.
These include:
- some antidepressants
- herbal supplements that affect bleeding, including turmeric, ginger, ginkgo biloba, and ginseng
If you take any of these medications and experience a change in your usual menstrual flow, talk to your doctor.
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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.
The Effects Of Birth Control And Menopause
Variousforms of birth control can affect the frequency and duration of your period.The birth control pill tends to produce a regular period that occurs everymonth and lasts for three to five days. A hormonal IUD usually results in alighter period or noperiod at all. Most women experience spotting for the first fewmonths after getting the IUD.
A copper IUD may have no effect on bleeding patterns or may cause heavier and longer periods for some women. Progestin-only methods like the injection, medroxyprogesterone acetate , and the implant, etonogestrel are associated with irregular spotting as well, but most women report lighter and shorter periods.
Periods can become longer and more irregular as women approach menopause. Its important to discuss cycle characteristics with your doctor, especially women over the age of 45, as the risk of endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer increases with age.
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Causes Of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
While in many cases it is not possible to determine the exact cause, there are a number of reasons a woman may experience abnormal uterine bleeding. Some of the known causes of abnormal uterine bleeding include:
- spontaneous miscarriage in pregnancy
- ectopic pregnancy lodgement of the fertilised egg in the slender fallopian tube instead of the uterine lining
- hormonal disorders conditions such as hypothyroidism , polycystic ovarian syndrome and hyperprolactinemia can disrupt the menstrual cycle
- ovulatory dysfunction this is when the ovary does not release an egg each month. Most commonly, this occurs at either end of a woman’s reproductive years, either during puberty or at menopause
- endometriosis the cells lining the uterus can travel to, attach and grow elsewhere in the body, most commonly within the peritoneal cavity
Why Did I Get My Period Twice In One Month
These are some reasons your period started early or occurred twice in a month:
- You have a short menstrual cycle
- You had very stressful weeks or months
- Youve taken emergency contraception
- You have vaginal infections
- You forgot your last period date
- Your birth control pill was not taken properly
- You just started a birth control pill
- You have polycystic ovaries
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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.