Stop letting your menses control your life!

If you suffer from heavy or long periods, painful periods, or don’t get your period, then come in and let me evaluate the situation.

Abnormal periods are those that can cause serious problems in your life or suggest a possible health problem. These are different from periods that are slightly irregular or annoying.

Heavy or Long Periods

What to look for:

  • Very heavy periods – you soak through a tampon or pad every hour for several hours, or you have to double up with tampons and pads.
  • Long periods – your period lasts more than 7 days with moderate to heavy bleeding every day.
  • Heavy bleeding and cramping that is so bad, you have to miss work or school.

There are a variety of causes for heavy/long periods. A hormone imbalance, which can lead to a period without an egg being released, is the most common cause of heavy periods. Additional causes can include uterine issues such as fibroids, complications from contraception, as well as problems relating to pregnancy such as ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage.

Painful Periods

What to look for:

  • Cramping, or pain in the back or lower stomach.
  • Feeling sick, including vomiting and diarrhea.

Painful periods can be a symptom of endometriosis, when tissue that usually lines the uterus grows outside the uterus, for example on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, intestines or other organs. Sometimes I find that IUDs also can cause painful periods. If you are experiencing period pain, you don’t need to put up with it. Tests can check if there is a medical reason for the pain, and treatment will usually help.

No Period

If you miss six periods in a row, or if you have not had your first period by age 15, an evaluation is appropriate.

What to look for:

  • If you miss six periods in a row.
  • If you are 15 and haven’t had your first period.
  • No period combined with symptoms like facial hair growth, pimples, or nipple discharge.

Lack of a period can be caused by pregnancy, menopause, hormone-based contraceptives, stress, low body weight, too much exercise, as well as interactions with certain medicines.