Many people think their period is abnormal in some way, and that’s because menstruation is awful. It’s painful, kind of gross (Ed. note to all moon goddesses – not yours, obviously, yours is a Righteous Flow of Empowerment and it heals lepers), and incredibly inconvenient. But in some women, it actually is abnormal. How do you know if you’re one of them? I’m going to take several of the most common questions I get, and try to answer them here briefly. Feel free to ask more questions in the comments, and I’ll try to respond helpfully.
Q: My period comes fairly regularly every month, but it varies by a few days. Sometimes it might be the 25th, or the 30th, or the 22nd. I can never tell exactly when it’s going to come. Is this normal?
A: Yes, this is normal. A typical cycle length is around 28-30 days, but some women have longer or shorter cycles, and this can vary from month to month. If your period is coming every month, then this is not a problem. If your cycle length isn’t constant, though, it might be harder to know when you’re ovulating, which is only a problem if you’re trying to get pregnant, or trying to use the rhythm method (which I do not recommend) to prevent pregnancy.
Q: My period sometimes doesn’t come every month. It might skip one or two months at a time, pretty frequently. Is this normal?
A: No, this is not normal. This is called oligomenorrhea, which is fancy medical talk for “too little menstruation.” What’s probably going on is that you’re not ovulating regularly. Every month your estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate in a specific pattern, and that allows your body to know when to ovulate, and when to menstruate. If these fluctuations don’t happen correctly, then your menstrual rhythm will be out of whack.
Why is this a problem? It can mean that your estrogen and progesterone are out of balance. In women with oligomenorrhea, often their estrogen levels are too high, and their progesterone levels are too low. This can cause the lining of your uterus to grow too thick, which is called hyperplasia. Over time, hyperplasia can lead to uterine cancer. This can be prevented by evening out the hormone levels in your body – with hormonal contraception like the birth control pill, patch or ring, or the progesterone injection (Depo Provera), a progesterone implant (Nexplanon) or the progesterone-containing IUD (Mirena), all of which can protect your uterine lining. So if your periods are very irregular and too infrequent, you should see a doctor to ask if birth control and endometrial protection might be helpful for you.
Also, oligomenorrhea can be associated with a syndrome called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS. This can come with symptoms like acne, male-pattern hair growth (facial hair/chest hair), pre-diabetes or full diabetes, and excessive weight gain. PCOS is fairly common, but still important to manage carefully. See your gynecologist if you think you might have PCOS.
Q: Sometimes I have a little spotting in between periods. Is that normal?
A: Probably not. Spotting once in a blue moon is okay, but if it happens frequently, it’s annoying and potentially fixable. You could have an endometrial polyp, which is an overgrowth of the uterine lining. Or you could have fibroids, which are balls of fibroid tissue that commonly grow in the uterus. You could also have an infection, like chlamydia, especially if the spotting only started recently. Depending on certain risk factors, your doctor may want to check for uterine cancer. So if you’re having frequent spotting, that’s worth making an appointment.
Q: My periods are really heavy – sometimes I use up to 10 pads or tampons a day. Do I just have to live with it?
A: No! That’s called menorrhagia, or excessive menstrual bleeding. Menorrhagia can be caused by a number of things, including polyps, fibroids, or something called adenomyosis (growth of endometrial glands in the muscle of the uterus). All of these things can be managed with both medication and surgery, and you should see your doctor to get an ultrasound and see which management options might be right for you.
If your bleeding used to be normal and then became too heavy, that’s an especially good reason to see a doctor ASAP. Your doctor may want to check your uterine lining. More commonly, you could have new growth of polyps or fibroids that can be removed and reduce your bleeding.
Also, if you have iron deficiency or anemia and you have heavy periods, reducing the bleeding can really help. If you have ever needed a blood transfusion from bleeding, you should definitely talk to a gynecologist.
Q: Did you just say cancer?? Do I have cancer?!?!
A: Probably not. Uterine cancer can cause irregular or heavy bleeding, so we always keep in the back of our minds when evaluating someone for bleeding, but it’s much less common than other causes that I mentioned. Everyone is at risk for uterine cancer, but some things put people at increased risk, such as family history of uterine or colon cancer, age over 40, obesity, oligomenorrhea (see above), and diabetes. If you have any of those risk factors and have abnormal bleeding, it’s a good idea to discuss with your doctor.
Q: My periods aren’t that heavy – maybe 3-5 pads a day, but they’re so annoying. Is there anything I can do about that?
A: Yes! Even if your bleeding isn’t excessive, periods can suck. Hormonal contraception (pill, patch, ring, shot, implant, IUD) can reduce or eliminate your period, and it’s not bad for you. In fact, they can protect against certain forms of cancer, and they do not cause infertility. So if you would like to have a lighter period (or sometimes none at all), talk to your gynecologist.
Q: My period lasts 3 days, and then I have light spotting for 2 more days. Is this OK?
A: Yes, this is normal.
Q: At the end of my period, I get a dark brown discharge, and sometimes weird small clots of brown. Is this normal?
A: Yes, this is normal. When blood reacts with oxygen, it turns brown. At the end of the period, the flow is light, and the blood sits around in the vagina longer, so it can turn brown or clot.
Q: My periods are really painful. Sometimes I can’t get out of bed, and I lie there, moaning and writhing. What can I do?
A: A lot. Painful periods are called dysmenorrhea. I always recommend that people start with a pain reliever like ibuprofen (aka Advil or Motrin) or Naprosyn (aka Aleve), which are more effective than Tylenol for period cramps. You can even take them around the clock while you have your period if you know the pain is going to come back. If that’s not enough (or you can’t take those for medical reasons), consider hormonal contraception. It can really reduce the pain associated with your period. You don’t need to suffer.
Q: When I get my period, I have loose stools or diarrhea. Is there something wrong with me?
A: Nope, you’re fine. The uterus and intestine both contain the same kind of smooth muscle. The signals that are telling the uterus to contract (thereby expelling the blood and causing cramps) also stimulates anything that’s nearby – and the colon/rectum is very nearby. Hence the pooping.
Q: I’ve tried to discuss this with my doctor, but s/he just blows me off or says it’s normal. What should I do?
A: It’s possible that it is normal. If your doctor gave you a reasonable explanation, and you feel like you got good information, then that may be the case. If you feel still uninformed, you have 2 options: (1) you can gather your thoughts/questions in a list, and go back for another visit. Sometimes we just need a second discussion to make sure all questions got answered. Or, (2) you can get a second opinion (preferably not The Internet). No good doctor should ever be offended by a second opinion. In fact, I encourage it. A second doctor might disagree, or if they agree, they might explain it in a way that helps you feel more comfortable with the management plan.
Q: Does my weird period mean I can’t get pregnant?
A: Probably not. While skipping periods (therefore not ovulating regularly) might make it harder to get pregnant, most menstrual irregularities are independent of fertility. The best way to know if you can get pregnant is to actually try to get pregnant. If you have tried to get pregnant for a full year (or 6 months if you’re over 35) and haven’t been able to, talk to your doctor. (Stay tuned for more about fertility in a later post….)
The bottom line is that if something is bothering you, see your doctor to ask more.
If you’re not quite sure, ask away in the comments!
[Image via Fanpop]
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From our lawyer (he says hi, by the way): ”This site is not designed to and does not provide medical advice, professional diagnosis, opinion, treatment or services to you or to any other individual. Through this site, Dr. Ades provides general information for educational purposes only. The information provided in this site is not a substitute for medical or professional care, and you should not use the information in place of a visit, call consultation or the advice of your physician or other healthcare provider. The Toast and Manderley, LLC is not liable or responsible for any advice provided herein. If you believe you have any other health problem, or if you have any questions regarding your health or a medical condition, you should promptly consult your physician or other healthcare provider.”
Tags: dr veronica, everyone has anemia, hence the pooping, periods, veronica ades, women’s health
Q: My period sometimes doesn’t come every month. It might skip one or two months at a time, pretty frequently. Is this normal?
A: No, this is not normal. This is called oligomenorrhea, which is fancy medical talk for “too little menstruation.”
(tiny screams)
This is me and whenever I asked my doctor she said it was normal! Then my new doctor said it was normal! But I’m on the pill now so do I need to still be worried?
Related question: new doctor (who I like) said that my particular pill sometimes/often stops women’s periods completely. Which is fine by me. That has more or less happened, but I still sometimes get spotting in the 2nd week of the pill cycle (followed by no period or like, a 1-2 day period in the placebo week). This is a recent development that started since my last visit to the doc. Am I Normal?
Also I love this column and am excited for more information from a Doctor on the Internet.
I had infrequent periods for about thirteen years, and my doctors (all men, surprise surprise) all said it was normal too. My periods became regular about two years ago, at age 27. In the meantime, I did a couple of years on the patch, and went from being quite underweight to a more appropriate weight for my height.
I’m in the same boat, although things seem to be regular again for now… I’ve been on the pill for many years, like maybe 8? Then last year I had a thing where my period got super, super light all of the sudden for about three months, and my doctor did some blood tests and then said I’m normal and it was just a random thing that happens sometimes when you’ve been on the pill for a while. But then it stopped altogether for two months, and I was super worried but at that point I no longer had health insurance so I couldn’t afford to go back to the doctor and demand more tests/reassurances/attention, and I figured probably the same explanation still applied. Then my period magically went back to normal, and has been fine for a few months. But I still sometimes obsess about it and whether or not I should be worried that I’m dying, and reading this set all of my hypochondriac panic alarms blaring again. Am I Normal? Am I?!?!
It sounds like you’re OK at the moment, at least when it comes to your period. But every woman should have an annual visit with her gynecologist once a year, so you should try to check in with someone. If you’re uninsured, try your local public hospital/clinic or Planned Parenthood.
I was under the impression that she was referring to cases where this is happening when you are having actual periods (i.e. not on the pill), however I am in no way a medical professional.
It depends how often you are skipping periods. If it’s once in a blue moon, it’s no big deal. But if you skip months very frequently, that could be problematic. The good news is, you’re already on the treatment! Being on hormonal birth control is the best thing you can do for oligomenorrhea.
As for the light periods while on the pill, this is totally fine. The pill keeps your uterine lining (endometrium) nice and thin, so there’s not a lot there to bleed. Just make sure you’re checking in with your gynecologist once a year.
It depends how often you are skipping periods. If it’s once in a blue moon, it’s no big deal. But if you skip months very frequently, that could be problematic. The good news is, you’re already on the treatment! Being on hormonal birth control is the best thing you can do for oligomenorrhea.
As for the light periods while on the pill, this is totally fine. The pill keeps your uterine lining (endometrium) nice and thin, so there’s not a lot there to bleed. Just make sure you’re checking in with your gynecologist once a year.
What I wonder about this is for people who see HBC as a not-great option. Like for me, I was taking ortho lo (I think?) which has one of the lowest doses of hormones on the market, and it made me feel absolutely crazy and depressed all the time. Another example would be somebody who is really opposed to big pharma and would think that any medication is worse than body irregularities. Although developing uterine cancer over time sounds pretty terrible, I think I would be really hard-pressed to successfully encourage the person I’m thinking of to start putting artificial hormones into their body. :-\
I have this too! Oligomenorrhea (apparently) and a severe distaste for hormonal birth control (I doubt I will EVER go back to that). Tell us what to doooooo doctor Veronica!
Sooooo, I had an Unfortunate Incident with my copper IUD, and had to have it taken out after 2 years. Since then, my periods are definitely lighter than when I had my IUD, but they seem even lighter than before I had my IUD. Like, maximum 3 days of bleeding. Is that normal/ok? Especially since I want to try to get pregnant in a year maybe?
I have exactly the same situation — since removal of the paraguard after three years, I’m down to a three day period — much lighter than before the IUD. I’ll also be very curious to hear what might explain this change, and whether it is anything to worry about.
I had mirena, not a paraguard, but my periods were lighter after I had it out than they were before (though heavier than while it was in, because mirena is awesome like that), and I had no problem getting pregnant after.
Yes, you’re fine. The heaviness or lightness of your period doesn’t reflect fertility. Sounds like you just got lucky after you took it out. Mazel tov!
Thanks for your feedback!!! Hooray for light flows!
I went on birth control to help with my horrific cramps, and it didn’t really help (even after two years on the pill.) Now I just use birth control to skip it entirely so I can go about my life– is it possible something is wrong, or am I just unlucky?
It never helped me with my cramps, either. I think it’s just luck.
If you haven’t had a pelvic ultrasound, I’d recommend one to check for fibroids. Otherwise, it does sound like you’re unlucky. However, there are other options – you might see some benefit from Depo Provera or the Mirena IUD. You could also take the pill continuously by skipping the placebo week (and so not get a period at all). Lastly, I always recommend round-the-clock ibuprofen or naprosyn (if you can take them) for people with dysmenorrhea (painful periods). This is definitely something a good gynecologist can help with. Don’t give up!
Oh man you guys, if you are physically okay for it, I really suggest the Mirena IUD. I had the kind of periods that would put you in bed for 48 hours, complete with colon cramps and period poops, and then I got OKed for the Mirena (that’s the plastic one with the tiny hormone collar on it). MAAAAGIC. I didn’t get my period for THREE YEARS YALL. And unlike the pill, it didn’t kill my sex drive, make me depressed, or any of the other terrible things! My doctor said the hormonal dose is smaller because it’s so localized (instead of being big enough to get through your digestive system), but whatever witchcraft it is, I’M DOWN. And removal when I wanted to get knocked up was SUPER easy and painless, and I got pregnant within six weeks.
I got the Mirena about 8 months ago and have LOVED having no periods, but am also always terrified that maybe I am pregnant. But still, love it.
I got the Mirena after my friend who used to literally puke from her cramps got it and raved about it, and I think it’s pretty great too! I do get some spotting, and I will sometimes get random twinges of cramps (uh, on a monthly cycle), but it’s so much better than my super heavy bleeding and terrible cramps that I used to get.
Ooh, you got the monthly twinges too? Like clockwork, I’d have one day where the front of my thighs would cramp up and then I’d be fine.
Yes! And since I don’t get a full-on period anymore I forget that that’s what it is and usually go “OH GOD I’M DYING” and then realize what time of the month it is. (I still have a reminder in my calendar that’s like PS YOU WOULD HAVE YOUR PERIOD NOW just to keep me aware of this stuff. See also PMS.)
Every time I read/hear people evangelizing about hormonal iuds, I’m like, I should do that! It would be so great! But I have yet to find a new ob-gyn where I live/have been living for the past 5 years. (I live 4.5 hrs away from my parents and used to just schedule visits when I was in town visiting them.) Ugh, I should do that. I should also probably get the HPV vaccine. Not sure if it’s too late for me yet or not.
You could just go to Planned Parenthood: they also have a ton of experience with IUDs.
I JUST got a Mirena two weeks ago and I AM SECONDING ALL OF THE ABOVE ALREADY. I knew I didn’t want to do any pill, because I have bipolar disorder and I want to reduce the likelihood of being bonkers, but man… it’s been the time of month/time of year when my moods are usually haywire, but this nice calm regulated hormone things has me placid as all hell.
Still a little spotty/bleedy, but my period is already less of a nightmare time, and I am sure that will go away before long!
Question: Anyone have a Mirena and experience with using menstrual cups? I use the disposable Instead cups, the ones that sit really high up around your cervix and are flimsy plastic baggie material. Based on my past experience with hormonal BC I think that my periods would likely go away eventually, but I’d want to use the Instead cup during the initial spotting to save my underwear. But I’m worried that the little string thingy on the Mirena would puncture a hole in the Instead cup (because, like I said, it’s very flimsy material). Thoughts?
Also, is the string really unnoticeable during sex?
Completely unnoticeable, according to Mr. Ipo. I will say that my cervix is tilted, which made insertion a bit more difficult, but that may also be why he doesn’t notice it.
I use mine with a Diva cup with my Mirena whenever I start spotting. I haven’t had any problems so far. The strings are quite short, and the Instead sits quite low, doesn’t it? And anyway, after a few months the strings curl up against your cervix and you can only feel them by poking your cervix. If your partner isn’t doing that (WHICH HE SHOULD NOT BE) then I can’t imagine how he’d feel it.
You could use pantyliners after getting a Mirena, which is what I do– every body is different, but my spotting was pretty light and so a pantyliner was the best option. I would be nervous about tugging on something that close to the IUD strings, but I’m not sure how rational that is.
Also, the string is totally unnoticeable during sex for my dude! If you go somewhere where they do a lot of IUD insertions, they should know to not cut the strings super short– longer strings are better because they will just kind of lie flat against the anterior wall of your vagina. I was worried about this also. It has been no problem.
I used to use a Divacup and my doctor said it was fine as the strings generally curl up – and they have for me – but you should be careful about breaking the suction before pulling it out. Not sure if that would be an issue with the Instead cup! Buuuut I was also too sore to consider putting anything up there during the spotting, so I used pads for a little while, and then I haven’t ever had enough of a period to need the cup since.
I would recommend not using anything that is inserted in the vagina during the initial insertion spotting because the doctor would have to dilate your cervix. If your cervix is dilated, you need to be more careful about introducing ANYTHING into your vagina because you have limited protection against bacteria entering your system. Your doctor can give you more specific advice about post insertion, but a good rule of thumb for that kind of thing is to wait until you stop bleeding to put anything in your vagina. For periods and spotting post initial insertion, you should be good to go with whatever method you want. *I’m not a medical professional, but I have worked in a gyn office where patients are regularly dilated and this is our standard advice.
Yesssss! I just got a Mirena six weeks ago and I love it. Having it inserted was super uncomfortable (although if you have already had a baby, aka stretched out your cervix, supposedly it’s a breeze) but it is already worth it. LOVE IT. I talk to everyone about it all the time.
I had coverage for it, but in Canada even without coverage it’s about $360 and the cheapest place to buy it is Costco. Don’t worry if you don’t have a membership because you can access the pharmacy without one. $360 = $6.00 a month for five sweet pregnancy-free years.
WHAT. Do they insert it at the Costco?!?
I know everyone is tired of Mirena evangelicalism, but for real, it’s great. I also had terrible cramps, and now I have miniscule periods with miniscule cramps! And the pills made me depressed, but the IUD is way better for that, too. The only downside I’ve had is that I get random itty bitty cramps, particularly if I do a bunch of ab exercises. I just take a pain killer and they’re gone, though, so it’s definitely an improvement over previous period death-cramps.
*Also singing the happy song of Mirena* I know menorrhagia is a proper well-defined term, but so far as I’m concerned ANY menstrual bleeding is excessive, thanks very much. Besides, it’s like living in the future, having a cyborg uterus.
MIRENA FOR EVERYONE! Will just add my voice to the chorus. It’s wonderful.
Totally down with Mirena evangelizing. It (along with Skyla, Mirena’s baby sister, and Paraguard) have such great rates for preventing pregnancy compared to methods you can personally fuck up, such as forgetting to take the pill. I think the main reason more people aren’t on these methods is due to high initial cost if not covered by insurance and having a hard time finding a doctor who is prescribe them for younger people (people who haven’t had a kid yet). It frustrates me to no end how many friends I’ve had who’ve had a hard time convincing their doctor to give them an IUD even now that ACOG is recommending LARCs as first-line contraceptives for most people with uteri trying to prevent pregnancy.
If you want Mirena and are low-income but don’t qualify for Medicaid, you should ask your provider if they work with the Arch Foundation. They can help physicians provide free Mirena devices for low income patients. (Sorry for nerding out on ya’ll).
I one-millionth the Mirena recommendation/love. I’ve had it for 9 years now (so, almost done with the second one, planning to get a third next year). I got it because I had to finally stop all attempts at pills–apparently the small pH change the pill induced through my intestinal tract was causing digestive symptoms and recurring monthly yeast infections, so I needed BC that was not orally administered. I also have an annoyingly positioned cervix (cocked significantly to the side and towards my back) and it would have been risky to try to correctly insert a ring every month, so the IUD was it. (Also: why couldn’t a doctor have mentioned the weird cervical position earlier?? I’d been having so much unnecessary trouble inserting tampons for so many years. If a doctor had just told me I was so crooked, I could have been comfortably inserting them towards my right kidney for years! It was uncomfortable because I was poking it into my vaginal wall!)
I had the symptom of mildly worsening acne with Mirena (the hormones are low dose and local, but they do enter your bloodstream a little), but that was slowly worsening in my early/mid 20s anyway, and changing my treatment regimen for that with dermatologists eventually worked out. I now get a light spotting period with almost no cramps (but some of the frustrating emotional coping symptoms) 2-3 times a year, and I used to have a pretty unpleasant period–8 days long and relatively heavy, with debilitating cramps for the first three days. I’ve also noticed that with each IUD, the light period was more frequent (like every couple months) early in each IUD’s life and then faded to almost nothing by the end of the 5 years.
Like the commenters below, I found the first insertion where the doctor dilated my cervix (this is quite a euphemism; from what I could see of the instruments, it seemed to actually mean “cut my cervix open with progressively wider bladed instruments for ~10 minutes”) to be unbelievably painful. Pure hell. I have ulcerative colitis (i.e. occasionally my intestines decide to ulcerate themselves and bleed and cramp up horribly) and the cervical dilation was a similar level of pain to the cramps during my worst UC flares. For the second IUD, because the first one had just come out, no dilation was necessary; the insertion was still quite painful (even on OTC painkillers) but over much faster and significantly easier than the first.
To sum up: insertion is very uncomfortable and a lot of doctors underestimate how awful it is, and I experienced a mild side effect (worsening acne), but the overall improvement to my quality of life has been dramatic. Hormonal IUDs are literally lifechanging. I will only ever stop using it if I want to have babies, and I would plan to insert a new one immediately after giving birth.
i’m also in the skipping periods camp – i’m on nuvaring, and probably 2/3rd of the weeks i am supposed to have my period, since i have removed the ring, nothing happens. no pain, my recent pap was normal, just… nothing going on. i’m not super concerned, because i am not planning on having kids, so as long as it’s not the Big C, then whatevs, but it’s still strange to be in my early 30s and not getting a period, right? (also, i have peed on sticks, all negative)
I hit perimenopause earlier this year, and have since decided that all patriarchal religions are probably right and God really doesn’t like women very much. (I know some women are all earth-moon goddessy about menstruation, but I was never one of them. I never got over my initial reaction when I was first told about it: “Hahahahaha oh wait this isn’t a joke? Are you kidding me? I didn’t sign up for this; where’s the opt out clause?”)
I would really prefer that the whole menstruation thing be replaced with an interface that says “you are in possession of a fertilized egg. Please choose from the following: keep/discard”.
I am so happy this column exists and I am so sorry for the rain of panicky health questions you have called down upon yourself.
(but also please answer every single one, i really want to know if I am maybe dying and also if all these other wonderful people are maybe in dire straits too. help us help us help usssss)
I used to have pretty bad dysmenorrhea, like take Tylenol 3s and have to come home from school once a month until I finally figured out how to manage the pain bad, and then I finally went on BC when I was 18, and I was like, “WHY HAS NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIIIIIIISSSSS!?” and me and BC have had a pretty good relationship since then (except for a brief period when I had estrogen sensitivity, but then I just had to switch to a low estrogen pill).
Is is normal for your completely stable and consistent period pattern to change at age 27? Bodies are so weird!
I think that happened to me, too. But, then I got the copper IUD and things changed dramatically again.
Does the “hence the pooping” answer also pertain to gas? The last few months I’ve had really painful gas during my period. Normal?
I know from talking to girlfriends and also living in this icky female body that a lot of ladies get gassy during their period. Although I’d also be interested in a medical professional’s expertise on why that is— “hence the pooping” or another, equally uncomfortable physiological side effect?
For some additional ancdata, I am definitely also super gassy during shark week for sures.
Wait, seriously, spotting is super bad? It can only mean bad things? I am now terrified, because I nearly always have one random day a week or so before my period is due to start where I have, like, one-half small tampon’s worth of blood and it generally ruins a pair of underwear. And then nothing until my period starts again.
. . . seriously is this bad? I should get this checked out? For fuck’s sake. It’s been going on for YEARS, I’m probably cancer-ridden by now.
If it is, I also have all of the cancer, because that’s how my periods start too.
which is to say, I don’t think it’s bad if it’s just before or after the period and therefore technically part of the bloody times. I think random spotting that’s nowhere near your period, or constant spotting like all the time is probably the bad kind she’s talking about.
Ugh. It’s usually quite a bit before my period starts. Like a solid week. I guess it’s time to schedule my annual check-up and tell them to check for everything because someone on the internet says so. It’s sure to go over beautifully.
I would just explain exactly what the deal is and ask the doctor what they think.
some women experience light spotting during ovulation. Usually you ovulation about 12-16 days before your period. Tell the doctor that you are a bit concerned and ask for explanations other than cancer.
Uh, that’s what I was getting for the past six months. False start 5-7 days before actual period, just enough to freak me out.
It’s probably not cancer! Polyps or cysts or hormonal imbalances are way more common and are pretty benign.
I was getting similar random spotting, and I had ultrasounds and exams and an ultrasound where they fill the uterus with saline to get a better look (NOT FUN), and my doctor was finally like “we see absolutely nothing wrong, so… SHRUG.” Some of us are just lucky, I guess!
Last night I dreamt I went to The Toast and Manderley, LLC again…
Is it possible to have an IUD inserted under general anesthesia electively? (In theory? I’m happy to pay out of pocket.)
Um, I have a Mirena. This is actually my second one. I love what it does for me (no periods! no babies!), but having it put in/taken out is so excruciating that I actually dread my next appointment for that chore (which is more than 3 years from now!)
The first one I had put in was awful, gripping the edge of the table, grinding my teeth, tears through clenched eyelids, followed by three weeks of body-wracking contractions, followed by periodic random awful cramps for the next 5 years. The cramps are manageable with Ibuprofen (on average 8-10 tabs a day) when they happen, for a couple days at a time.
A year ago, it was time for that first mirena to come out and to get the new one put in. I told my new lady-doctor how awful my last experience had been, so she give me misoprostol to relax things ahead of time (which doctor #1 didn’t) and some kind of topical numbing agent during the the procedure. It was still so painful to have inserted that I screamed (screamed!) when she did it. Nurses rushed in from other parts of the clinic. It was incredibly embarrassing, but also I could barely breathe/felt justified. This time it was followed by only 48 hours of contractions, but still.
I’d rather have this done under complete sedation next time to avoid making a scene. Is that a thing?
Giiirrrl I dunno if you are on board with hormones or not but if you are… GET DAT NEXPLANON. It’s an insert that goes in your arm and it is beautiful and wonderful and pure. Insertion takes like maybe 5 minutes and it only hurts a little (they use a needle). Then you get three years of making your friends touch it!
What is this? It sounds magic. To the google, posthaste!
MAN I want a nexplanon so bad but as far as I know they aren’t available in Canada yet. So lame.
I wonder if it’s a doctor-specific issue? I had mine put in at Planned Parenthood, where they were basically like “lie back and think of England”, whereas my friend had hers put in by her for-profit gyno, who gave her valium and percoset. The only thing that was more painful than that IUD insertion was actual pitocin-induced labor. I’m scared shitless of getting my next IUD and that’s not going to be until sometime next summer.
Yes this is a thing! A friend of mine has a small uterus, but she really really wanted one, so her doctor put her under so he could try and get it in there without painful fishing-around in her cervix. It turns out her uterus is really too small so she couldn’t get one, but it’s definitely a thing.
I believe the scientific terminology for said organ is “cute-erous”.
Ahhh I’m so sorry! I actually scream/shouted a little bit too at my insertion, but luckily pain was only that bad for the one moment of insertion and I think I was just surprised because I had tried really hard to convince myself that it wouldn’t be too bad.
Also, according to this issue of the Obstetrics & Gynecology journal that I just read, misoprostol might actually increase the pain of insertion. So don’t let them do that next time! Maybe ask your doctor about something like a benzodiazepine to help with anxiety/tension? (Or, yeah, just get knocked out.) (Disclaimer: Not a doctor, just an IUD-haver currently sitting next to a stack of ob/gyn journals).
Just want to say that my Paragard insertion was fine and I’ve never had kids. I mean, it was like “I wish this wasn’t happening to me now, OWIE” but nothing like some ladies describe and I think my experience is more common. All I took was ibuprofen.
I got the implant a couple months ago, and things were going pretty well and I liked not having to worry about taking the pill anymore…but now I’ve been on my period for over a month (some days only spotting, some days heavier) and I’ve getting a little tired of it and hope that it’ll figure itself out soon. COME ON, BODY.
I have a question. Sometimes my period has started in my third week of pills (Junel Fe 1/20, for context). It continues through the fourth week of pills, although I usually stop bleeding a few days before the last pills. I take my pills very regularly, thanks to an alarm on my phone for noon. Why would my period start early like that? And should I be using a back-up form of contraception between the time my period stops and the day I start taking the next pack of pills?
Also, this is a great column!! It is amazing how filled with mystery periods still are and how hard it is to figure out what is normal. Thank you.
Here’s what I got from this: PEOPLE STILL WEAR PADS? (Not shaming, just surprised!)
I do, sometimes. I get those hormone-induced period boil bumpy things from time to time, and depending on where they decide to pop up, tampon insertion/removal can be irritating. Fortunately, they only happen a couple of times a year, but they do mean that I’m using pads for those particular periods rather than tampons.
Also for the occasional yeast infection. Tampons are not really happy things to wear when you have a yeast infection (or at least, they aren’t for me).
I use them at night to give my body a break from the all-day tamponathon. It’s more a psychological than physical thing, I think.
Most definitely. But to be super gross/moon goddessy, I use the soft flannel lunapads so it’s like my angry genitals are wearing comfy flannel PJs while they bleed for a week. Tampons alway feel gross and like they’re just irritating everything more. (also: the lunapads soak in cold water after use and then the nitrogen-rich water is an excellent plant fertilizer. I’ll stop now.)
Sometimes tampons give me cramps *shrug* it seems to be a thing.
Yeah I guess I have a weird cervix, because tampons are too… pokey… for me. 😐
I get very heavy periods, and come from a family of heavy bleeders, and have to wear both tampon and pad for the duration or else accident city. Plus, I have a tendency to swell up, and some days it’s incredibly painful to try and wear a tampon. And while I’ve thought about the cup, ultimately it sounds way too messy and gross to try (having to sterilize something I’ve bled in on the stove in a pot, cue vomiting and never wanting to cook again).
If you have a heavy period, how can you not?
I usually wear pads, unless I know I am having such a heavy flow and busy day at work that I might not have time to check every 2-3 hours, in which case it’s tampon AND pad for me. I can never JUST wear a tampon, I feel like there will always be a little bit of leak-overage and then I’m paranoid all day.
“I can’t help it if I’ve got a heavy flow and a wide-set vagina!” Oh Mean Girls, you complete me.
I forget what my gyno called it, but I had to have a biopsy for a HPV/cancer scare and it was the most painful, awful thing I have ever experienced. I have broken bones, had concussions, and tattoos in place that hurt, and nothing has ever hurt that bad. There was also blood everywhere and all over the floor. But it’s a condition that causes it? Something about blood vessels being very close to the surface? Chances are I’ll need to have a biopsy again and I’m not getting it done until I find a doctor that will knock me the fuck out. I think you should definitely do the same. Because really if they had to do these things to dicks, men would be getting knocked out.
Has anyone ever donated their eggs for money? How did it go? I read an article that talked about an under-reported side-effect of having your stomach fill up with fluid like you were pregnant and then having to be hospitalized for days which scared the bejeesus out of me and made me think I don’t really need that $8000 after all. But $8000…
I feel like the hairpin had an article about this at some point didn’t they? Egg donation that is, I don’t think the fluid thing was mentioned. I could also be completely misremembering though.
Yep! http://thehairpin.com/2011/09/four-good-reasons-t…
I got a copper IUD not even a year ago, and now I’m getting my period every 3 weeks. For those keeping track at home, I’m now bleeding two weeks of every month. I miss my pill, when my periods lasted 18 HOURS. I’m kind of concerned, in reality…
Tell your doctor, for sure. I got the copper IUD about 2.5 years ago, and although the first year was rough, it didn’t make the cycle a different number of days long, it just changed what happens on which days.
Basically, since it has no hormones, it shouldn’t be doing anything to the length of the cycle which is determined by the hormones.
I had a copper iud and it definitely made my cycle heavier and longer. It also made my cramps worse, from about a 2 to a 4 or 5.
That being said if the pain increases significantly, occurs outside of your normal cycle or your cycle changes significantly see your doctor. My cramps went from a 5 to an 8 and my pcp was really blase about it at first, until she pressed down on my abdomen and I nearly kicked the pain was so bad, fucking jerkface. But after 2 blood tests, a pregnancy test, a transvaginal ultrasound and an entire weekend of thinking I had an ectopic pregnancy, I it ended up bein a pelvic infection which would have been a disaster left untreated but I had to have my IUD taken out. I’m fine now but I miss the security of having an iud.
So after years of being on different versions of the pill (five or six in as many years) because they made me moody and never managed to actually regulate my cycle (sometimes I would be okay for the first couple of months on a pill but then things would get all wonky again and my period would start in week three one month and at the end of the placebo week the next) I finally gave up. My cycles got heavier and heavier until I got a D&C at 25. Two years of being semi-regular followed and then I got my period and it didn’t stop. At this point I was uninsured but after about six weeks I went to the ER and they put me on the pill again. Twice daily for the first four days and no placebo week, then repeat until the problem is fixed. It took six months for me to stop bleeding. I took the pill for another two months normally and then stopped. That was about a year and a half ago and I’ve been fairly regular ever since, I’m just concerned that this is going to happen again and I never got a decent explanation for it in the first place. I never got any explanation really, just “well, that’s odd, here- take the pill.” I had my tubes tied when I had the D&C and my Dr at the time suggested ablation, but I wasn’t sure about it. I’m wondering if I should look into it now, while I’m regular (and insured) or if I should wait to see if I have problems again. (Fertility is not a concern.)
Last month I tried a mooncup for the first time and filled it to overflowing in five hours. Then I was just like… oh, I guess this is why I’m anaemic. Yay for not having some kind of internal bleeding.
Why, oh why, hasn’t this column been in every form of “women’s” media I’ve wasted my time consuming all these years?
So I got a copper IUD over a year ago and while it did make my periods and cramps much stronger and last longer, they also made my cycle go up to about 50 days from 30ish. What is that, and do I have to go to a doctor, because then I have to get a doctor.
In case people want other forums of interested non-professionals to ask these questions in, I present http://vaginapagina.livejournal.com/ and http://iud-divas.livejournal.com/. I haven’t lurked on vaginapagina, but I read IUD_divas religiously and they have some useful non-iud-specific information and tips, like what supplements you can take to reduce blood flow on your period, etc.
What if you have tried one bajillion brands of birth control (okay 6) and you have random break through bleeding and spotting on alllllllllllllll of them? And you maybe think about getting and IUD, but you have discovered the joys of having mostly clear skin since being on birth control and you don’t want to give that up, then what do you do?
Okay, I’ve got one:
Sometimes my menstrual blood smells like ammonia. Also, sometimes it seems to be sort of, hmm, extra acidic, or something, and my vagina will be really tender feeling. Normal, or am I some sort of strange Alien style monster who bleeds acid/ammonia/poison?
All is normal. You don’t have to be worried
YAY FOR TOAST DOCTORS
This is probably too late for a response, but…
I’m on NuvaRing and tried unsuccessfully to find out from my current providers whether or not I could do the thing where I just put a new one in right away (instead of waiting a week) and skip my next period. EVERYONE LOOKED AT ME LIKE I WAS TALKING CRAZINESS. I used to be on Seasonique so I know you can just skip your placebo week on the pill and skip a period, but NO ONE seemed to know what I was talking about (pharmacists, phone nurse consultations, etc.). It resulted in a very rough day of being embarrassed by a pharmacist telling me VERY loudly that I couldn’t skip my period (complete with girls giggling behind me, because sex) and a sexless anniversary/birthday weekend. 🙁 It would be one thing if they were saying specifically, “No, you can’t, because of Medical Reasons,” but they were mostly just saying “No, that’s not A Thing I’ve Ever Heard Of, so you probably shouldn’t/it won’t work.” :-/
So, is skipping periods on NuvaRing possible?
When I was considering NuvaRing, my OB/GYN said many of her patients use it continuously so they can skip their periods. So there are people out there doing it and at least one OB/GYN endorsing it. But it’s still probably best to ask your own OB/GYN directly. Or try Planned Parenthood for a 2nd opinion, maybe?
More posts from Dr. Veronica, please!
My period is kinda weird. I bleed for two days, nothing for two days, then bleed for three days. My cycle tends to vary by 2-8 days, but I understand that in and of itself isn’t something to be concerned about. I haven’t met anyone with a similar period. I never worried about it and due to my parents’ religion, I haven’t had access to any reproductive medical advice. I know this is abnormal but is it worrisome?
I always bleed for three days, stop for a day (full on stop), and then continue bleeding for three. I like my mid period breaks since my rag is always anemia inducing heavy.
Dear Dr. Veronica,
My periods are really clotty. When I empty my diva cup, there are … strings? Globby strings in it. And they somehow always correspond with horrible cramping. Is this normal? If it’s helpful for you to know, I have PCOS.
Love,
Miss Pebbletush
Oh, I get this too!
I don’t have PCOS, but the cramping could be from a couple things – 1) magnesium deficiency. My cramping pain went away when I started eating a handful of raw almonds every day for the calcium and magnesium in them. There are also omega-3s in them which help with inflammation caused by PMS. Because Raw almonds are, as already established by The Toast, horrible by themselves, I snack on them with dried apricots, which are high in iron. Ultimate period food (ew, but apt).
2) Thick blood means you have to cramp wider to get the thick, gloopy stuff out. I found that just drinking LOADS of liquids really helps – tea, water, soup, etc. The more hydrated you are, the more likely it is that your body will let go of the other fluids (in this case, menstruation). That’s why you have to drink loads of water before donating blood. 90% of heamatocrit (everything in the blood apart from the plasma) is actually water, so it’s pretty important.
I’m also probably too late, but…
I’m bad at taking my birth control! I often skip a couple pills on accident and end up getting a mini period before I’m done with the pack. Then I finish my pack and get my period again! UGH! Aside from the decreased effectiveness of my BC (don’t worry, I use a backup!), should I be worried about any negative effects of having multiple periods in a month? I think it may be time for me to get an IUD and be done with it.
When I was considering NuvaRing, my OB/GYN said many of her patients use it continuously so they can skip their periods. So there are people out there doing it and at least one OB/GYN endorsing it. But it's still probably best to ask your own OB/GYN directly. Or try Planned Parenthood for a 2nd opinion, maybe?
Is spotting for 2-3 days before periods normal? Is it/can it be a sign of possible fertility problems? I asked my gynecologist this question, and she said….”Hmmm, that might be a problem, and it might be a problem that can lead to early miscarriage, and of course that can be upsetting, but just go ahead and try to get pregnant and we’ll see”. That feels….not reassuring enough to me.
My period suddenly changed. I used to have heavy bleeding and painful cramps the first two days. But this month and last month on the first day of my period (which would be the most painful and worst day) I had absolutely no pain and it was light. Why is that? They still last as long about six days but every month I would get terribly sick. But not anymore. Although it is nice that I am no longer feeling that way it does make me very worried. Can you help. Thanks
I am using the IUD (mirena) is it normal to have my period after 2 years of not having my period?
my last depo shot was last year. I had a period in april but may it did not come. now my stomach is cramping like its about to come on but its running late. whats going on????
What does it mean if you have your period more then 10 days? I work out often and I have took plan B 3 weeks ago and my period was on time but it’s lasting more then my 5 days!!
Hi. OK so I was supposed to get my period on the 19 of June 2015 and I started spotting three days before on the 16 and by the 18th it was over and then I missed my period and had two positive pregnancy test just this Saturday and now I’m bleeding again it’s light but I’m worried could this be a miscarriage
Hello, I am 21 years old and my periods have been pretty consistent for a long time now, but starting this year my period stopped for like 4-5 months and it started back up in June and from then my periods were consistent. I was really stressed about work and school and finals and such and I heard that stress can cause my period to stop so when it resumed I thought everything was ok. Now, I had an experience where my menstrual blood would not stop coming out all at once, I thought that my entire uterine lining was coming out and that really scares me a lot. When my period stopped for about 4-5 months I didn’t go to a doctor or anything because once it came back I thought that everything was fine, but this happened. I am really scared, is this normal?