|
|
| Something strange happened to me this month:
I have been on the pill for almost four years, and have never had a problem with my cycle. However, yesterday, four days away from being done my 21 pills, my period started. I did not forget a pill. It just started, out of the blue, and I don't understand why. If I had missed a pill or something, it would make sense, but I take them religiously, at nine o'clock every night, and I should not be starting my period until next Sunday. My cycle has been a bit thrown off. Does anyone have any idea why this happened to me, and should I be worried? |
|
| |
|
| To answer your question with a question . . . 
What else has been going on lately? Anything dramatic going on in your life, either physically, mentally, emotionally, etc? New job? New love? Bad breakup? Fall off your bike? Change your diet? New exercise program?
That has happened to me only a couple of times (and I have been on the Pill FOREVER): once after I broke up with someone that I was crazy about, and once after a surgery. Sometimes things just mess with your system!
Both times it happened to me, I just continued with my pills as if there had been no change. I took the placebo pills when my period was supposed to have happened (but didn't, cuz it was early and already over) and kept on through the next month. By the following month it was back on the old "like clockwork" schedule.
So, I wouldn't worry too much, but if it bothers you give your OB/GYN a call. Definitely call if it is still off track next month. |
|
| |
|
| I have been stressed out at work lately and have also started a new diet. However, rather than keep taking the pills (I only had three left), I decided to stop taking them, have my period like normal, and then just take three extra pills next month. The thing that upsets me is, I am going on vacation for two weeks in July, and I had worked my period out perfectly so as not to have in on the trip. Because it started a week early, my plans are shot, and I need work it out again. So, another question: Is it ok to leave the last three pills from this month and take them next month? I want to keep my plan going so that I don't have my period on vacation. |
|
| |
|
| I wouldn't worry, Jean is right there are a lot of things that can affect your cycle. Its possible that even your body is changing slightly due to everything in your life.
I battle with irregularities in my period often and I used to be able to predict it down to the hour. But now it just seems more sensitive to my life stresses. Call you doctor if you are really worried, but it doesn't sound unusual. |
|
| |
|
| I can usually predict mine to the hour as well, that is why this irregularity is throwing me off. But, thanks for the encouragement. I'll try not to worry too much, unless it happens again. |
|
| |
|
| To answer your other question, YES, it is perfectly safe to maneuver the timing of your period by taking extra pills (or fewer). It doesn't always work, but it won't hurt you!
For a while, my doctor had me taking continuous pills (no placebos) so I would never have a period (to control endometriosis). While it worked great for stopping my period, I wound up having continously worsening PMS!  After 3 months I was so bloated I could not fit into a bra anymore, so I told him that one wasn't gonna work!
Mine was like clockwork too, never irregular, but it still had the rare disturbance that made it come a week early (or more). That never caused any long-term effects, though, and everything was just fine! Don't worry! |
|
| |
|
| Does anyone share this similar problem: Too frequent periods? I get mine every 12 - 14 days... Fortunately since doing more yoga (esp Bikram Yoga), Im up to 23 dayas! However it varies and sometimes I go back to getting it twice a month! I've seen a doctor for pap smears and there's nothing abnormal detected...I don't want to take the pill...Is this potentially very dangerous?
|
|
| |
|
| My cycle has been whacky the last few years. I too have a frequency problem (what a royal pain in butt!) due to fluctuating Estrogen levels.
There are low dose pills that work great. Your cycle won't straighten out right away, but in time you will either regulate nicely or lose the period altogether (which I love). There are other nice benefits from taking a little extra Estrogen too. Feel free to PM me if you'd rather discuss this privately. |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
    
| Lisa - how are you counting the days? The "official" way to count is from day one to day one. So if you are at 23 days day one to day one, that is short but ok. 12 - 14 is not ok. If nothing else you will have trouble with your iron levels over time. Glad to hear yoga is helping. |
|
| |
|
| I count beginning from the last day of my period...12 to 14 days pass, then day one of my period arrives. 5 days later, it's over and I count again...
I've noticed dramatic difference in the way my body feels when I take an iron supplement-- I feel balanced and positive. I haven't been so good about taking iron supplements regularly however. But I drink fresh juice containing spinach, kale, carrots, ginger and pear...I've only been doing this every morning for 2 months so far, so it's sort of a recent addition. And I feel great but at the end of the day I tend to fade fast. I still go to my Bikram classes at 7pm...Some days I feel OK some days I struggle hard. I do eat well and have quality sleep--(esp weekends). Not "sleeping in" but just quality...
Do you think I'm in trouble? I have never felt major pain or dizziness...then again I have a high tolerance for pain and it's no big deal to me...But periods tend to be very very very heavy EVERY other cycle.
|
|
| |
|
| Oh and the juice isn't the ONLY thing I have all day (that's what it looked like after reading my message over)-- I'm pretty good about what I eat-- moderation and balance w/ proteins, carbs, raw veggies and raw fruits...I could be better though about eating , or , grazing...
|
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| So if you have a 5 day period, you are at 19 days or so and now sometimes go to 28 days or so. That is ok but the 19 day ones are a bit short. If the yoga is helping - great! |
|
| |
|
| ok, where to start.
the irregular period while taking the pill can be because of any number of things. stress can make the pill less effective, so can antibiotics. in fact, when going in for surgery or taking any form of medication (or even changing your soy intake) can dramatically affect whether or not the pill is working at all. In fact, some forms of medication and antibiotics can completely stop the functioning of hormonal birth control. So, if you took medication, increased soy intake, or were just completely stressed, then it's not unusual for the false cycle of the period to break down completely.
as to your vacation in july, i agree with jean in that you can change when you take your pills. you can even forgo your placebos altogether, going from pack to pack. i would recommend doing this with your july pack, that is, simply skipping the placebos and taking the pills from the next month straight.
a period from taking the pills is not a real 'period' in the sense that it is when you have a healthy fertility cycle that hasn't been inhibited by hormonal birth control. they're actually small endometrial losses with a small time for an endometrial build up before an extended non-ovulatory 'luteal-like' phase.
I wrote a lot more about Fertility awareness method and the problem with taking the pill in a post in the general forum related to this topic (menstrual-like discharge topic).
As to the duration of cycles, a 19 day cycle may be normal for you. the average of 1000 japanese women is 28 days. that's where that number comes from. the observation of 1000 japanese women in the 1950s. that number is not absolute, nor is it necessarily accurate to other populations around the world It's also an average, which means that it's likely that many of those 1000 women had periods longer than 28 days and others had some that were shorter. it's no real standard at all, actually.
a woman can have a healthy cycle that is 90 days in length (from the first day of her period to the next first day of her period) or she can have a healthy cycle that is 19 to 21 days. if you want to naturally change or lengthen your cycle, the practice of Lunaception is an option. Lunaception is a process by which you sleep in total darkness, allowing only a minimal amount of light into your sleeping space on certain days (around your fertility cycle), and then continuing to sleep in complete darkness after this. THis is to mirror the natural phases of the moon. Before the light pollution that we have today, most women noticed that they tended to be fertile when the moon was full and near full, and were less fertile or menstruated at the new moon. this is why menstruation and femininity in general is largely connected to the moon. Lunaception can help you balance out a cycle, and even 'change it' to when you would like to be fertile.
Of course, this assumes that you have a fertility cycle. Women on hormonal birth control do not have a fertility cycle, and therefore have nothing really to chart (FAM style) and no way to guage when they would be fertile such that they could practice lunaception.
Here are some links:
Fertility Awareness Method
http://www.gardenoffertility.com
http://www.ovusoft.com
Lunaception:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0698106741/qid=1138902895/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-7489369-3183251?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Charting and lunaception are wonderful methods for learning about your body, your gynocological and endocrinological health, and sexuality and sexual health. since i started charting two years ago, i have learned so much about my body, my cycles, my sexuality--it's amazing. i truly love my fertility cycle and i love fertility charting and lunaception. So much so, that i've started to learn how to teach it, and i'm hoping to start teaching it in the fall. I have a date set up for a one-day workshop, which i hope will extend into something more.
Hormonal contraception is not your only option. FAM is as effective as birth control if practiced diligently and it takes little effort to learn and practice it. I support the use of hormonal birth control for any woman who believes that she needs it, but for those who don't or are unsure of their viable, natural options for just as effective birth control methods FAM is a wonderful alternative (and the garden of fertility book also has many natural recommendations for endometriosis, PCOS, and a myriad of other conditions commonly treated with hormonal birth control). At the very least, it's worth considering. |
|
| |
|
Expert Yogi
Posts: 8442
| heliotrope - 2006-01-29 6:58 PM
I don't want to take the pill...
Pssst! Zoebird - she is not on the pill! Great info, though, as always.  |
|
| |
|
Member
Posts: 5
| Periods can sometimes be a real pain. They can make you feel sick. They can give you a headache. They can make your stomach ache. Yes, periods can be a real pain, and things can be even worse if they decide to become irregular. Irregular periods are one of the most common menstrual complaints around. Usually, irregular periods are nothing to worry about, but on occasion, they can signal health complications. |
|
| |
|
New User
Posts: 2
| When your menstrual cycle has lost its balance at that time you will suffer from irregular period. But this irregular period does not cause any compilation on your health. When there is hormonal imbalance in your body, you will might be suffering from frequent periods, spotting of heavy bleeding and clotting. This irregular period can be treated in three ways, by taking the herbal remedies, taking good medical treatment and changing the lifestyle.
Edited by sarahbriggs25 2011-10-31 3:24 AM
|
|
| |
irregular period
