Menacing Menstruation: What to Do about Problem Periods

One woman’s breezy period is another woman’s seismic earthquake. What constitutes a “normal” period depends on you and your body. But sometimes, our periods may become more frequent, heavier or more painful, and it’s important to know when to see your doctor.

Most women’s menstrual cycles last between 24 and 34 days, with menstrual flow occurring every 28 days for about four to seven days. But no two bodies are the same. “Normal” can also include menstrual flow every 21 days or even every 35. Keeping track of your body’s own rhythm for a few months is important to understanding your own version of “normal,” so you know when things have taken a turn.

Cycle concern

The female reproductive system is quite complex and changes over a woman’s lifetime. Changes do not automatically mean that something has gone seriously wrong. For instance, it’s not uncommon for menstrual cycles to be affected by stress. But you should still never ignore abnormal bleeding, as this is often the first sign of an underlying issue. Abnormal bleeding can look like:

• Bleeding or spotting between periods.
• Bleeding heavily, such as passing large clots or soaking through a sanitary pad or tampon every hour for two to three hours in a row.
• Blood flow lasting longer than what’s normal for you or for more than seven days.
• Menstrual cycles occurring more often than every 28 days or more than 35 days apart.
• Bleeding after menopause.

If you experience these symptoms, get checked out by your doctor — especially if your bleeding is accompanied by severe pain or other symptoms. Remember: Mild to moderate cramping during menstruation is normal, but excruciating pain is not. Common problems may include:

• Amenorrhea: when regular bleeding doesn’t start before age 16 or stops as an adult before menopause.
• Oligomenorrhea: infrequent, irregular periods.
• Uterine fibroids: common, non-cancerous tumors in the uterus that may cause heavy bleeding.
• Endometriosis: when the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus starts to grow outside the uterus, causing pain, heavy bleeding and sometimes infertility.
• Dysmenorrhea: very painful periods and severe menstrual cramps.
• Premature ovarian failure (POF): when ovarian function stops in women younger than age 40.

Next Steps

If you experience worrisome changes in your cycle, or if the symptoms described as “abnormal bleeding” sound typical for you, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN at Riverview Health. It will be helpful if you can provide specific details about how your cycle usually behaves, when your symptoms started, whether certain activities make them better or worse and so on. Working together, you and your doctor can get to the bottom of the issue and discuss what sort of treatment plan may work best for you.

Has it been a while since your last check-up, or do you need a new physician? Call us at 317.565.0535 to request an appointment.

Sources: MedlinePlus.gov, NICHD.NIH.gov