Period problems can affect any woman. Even if you have a history of never, ever missing a period, it’s possible for you to occasionally have a period problem. You may be extra stressed that month, or maybe you’ve been traveling and suffering from jetlag. There are a lot of factors that can sometimes affect your menstrual cycle and lead to period problems.
For most women, their menstrual period arrives at the same time every month without fail. The textbook menstrual cycle is 28 days long, which means that there are 28 days between the first day of your period and the first day of the next. Not every woman follows the 28-day rule though. A normal menstrual cycle ran range from 21 days (your period is 3 weeks apart) to 35 days (your period is 5 weeks apart). What’s “normal” for you may be different for another woman.
Normal Periods Don’t Exist
You probably learned in economics that there is no such thing as a free lunch – nothing in life is free. And the same goes with your menstrual cycle. There is no such thing as a “normal period.” Every woman has a different menstrual cycle, and the length, duration, and days in between each period can be varied, too.
For some women, they have 34-day cycles. Other women have classic 28-day cycles. You may have three-day periods, in which you have one day of heavy menstrual bleeding and two days of lighter flow. Your best friend’s period may last for seven long days, where she has heavy blood flow for four or five days. That’s normal for her.
If you’ve been having your period for a while, you begin to get a feel for what’s normal for you. When you pay attention, you can see the pattern in your period’s frequency (how often you have periods), duration (how long your period lasts), and the flow (how heavy or light your bleeding is). When one of these elements is out of whack, it’s only natural to wonder what’s causing your “irregular periods.”
The Most Common Period Problems
All women should track their menstrual cycle. You can do this the old-fashioned way, or by using a period tracker app on your mobile phone. Paying attention to your period can help you spot problems when they occur, so you can get down to the nitty-gritty of what’s causing them. Here are the most common menstrual problems that women face:
Bleeding Between Periods
Spotting between periods can be normal, or it can be a serious issue.
There are a number of women who routinely spot between periods. This menstrual problem is often benign (not serious) for them. Spotting can be an ovulation symptom (due to the rapid surge and increase in estrogen around the time the egg bursts out of the follicle at ovulation), and it can also occur due to a woman forgetting to take her birth control pill.
On the other hand, if you’ve never spotted or experienced any type of bleeding in between your periods, and this symptom has appeared out of nowhere, you need to seek medical help. Sometimes bleeding can be due to cancer, an ectopic pregnancy, an irritated sore in your vagina, or a polyp in the uterus or cervix.
If you’re worried, visit your doctor for a pelvic exam to figure out what’s going on.
Missed or Skipped Periods
There are a number of factors that can cause missed or skipped periods. Pregnancy is the number one reason for a missed period. (You don’t have periods when you’re pregnant.) If you’ve been having your periods regularly (no irregular periods at all), you should always entertain the possibility that you could get pregnant. Birth control can be effective at preventing pregnancy, but it’s not always 100 percent. Even the most careful woman has a 1 percent chance of becoming pregnant, regardless of the birth control method she chooses. Abstinence (no sexual contact at all) is the only 100 percent way to prevent pregnant.
If you’re not pregnant, you may miss your period due to high levels of stress, excessive exercise, anorexia and eating disorders, rapid weight gain or weight loss, jetlag, and hormonal problems. Stopping birth control pills can also throw your menstrual cycle off, and lead to irregular or skipped periods. It can take several months after stopping hormonal contraceptives for your period to return to normal.
For further reading on this specific period problem, please read the post: Reasons for Missed Periods When You’re Not Pregnant.
Irregular Periods (Oligomenorrhea)
In the first two or three years after the start of menstruation, it’s common for teenagers to experience irregular periods. You may have a normal period one month, and not have another one for two months. You might have two periods in one month. Irregular periods in teenagers is normal, and it’s due to your fluctuating hormones. For many girls, their periods will even out and become more regular.
There are, however, some women who never, ever establish a normal menstrual pattern. They may suffer from irregular periods (the medical term is oligomenorrhea) all of their reproductive life. These women never know what day their period will arrive, and this can be a huge inconvenience for these women. Ovulation is difficult for these women to predict as well.
Once you reach your 40s, you may start to have irregular cycles due to perimenopause – this refers to the five (or more) years before menopause (the official end of your periods). Women who are going through perimenopause can suffer from irregular periods. One month, their period might arrive on day 30 of their cycle. The next month, it arrives 21 days later. And the following month, their period doesn’t arrive until 43 days after the last one. In addition to this period problem, women going through perimenopause may experience hot flashes, mood swings, sleeping difficulty and anxiety.
If perimenopause isn’t the cause of your menstrual problems, it’s possible that your irregular periods are due to stress, extreme weight loss or gain, the use of medications (especially ones that affect your central nervous system – such as antipsychotics and antidepressants), thyroid problems and other endocrine disorders, polycystic ovary disease, and other hormonal problems.
Painful Periods (Dysmenorrhea)
Unless you’re incredibly lucky, every woman will experience some degree of discomfort when her period comes around. Menstrual cramps aren’t fun, and their severity can range from mild to crazy intense. Cramps are simply uterine contractions (like you’d feel during labor) that help your uterus shed its lining. For most women, they only experience cramps for a day or two.
You may have dysmenorrhea – the medical term for painful periods – if you find that your abdominal cramps are so painful that it’s hard to get out of bed. Women who suffer from this period problem may also notice other uncomfortable symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, headaches, lower backaches, and even diarrhea.
Painful periods can be due to menstruation itself, or it can be caused by a reproductive problem, such as fibroids or endometriosis – a condition that occurs when the lining of your uterus grows in other areas of your body. If your painful periods are caused by fibroids or endometriosis, you can be treated with surgery.
The only way to figure out what’s causing your painful periods is to go to your doctor and get an exam. You may require a pelvic exam, pap smear, and possibly an ultrasound or a minimally invasive surgery called a laparoscopy.
For all women with painful periods, you may find that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), aspirin, and naproxen (Aleve) – help give you temporary pain relief. These medications prevent your body from producing prostaglandins (the chemicals in the body that encourage uterine contractions), and this helps you have less severe pain. Your physician may also recommend that you begin take hormonal contraceptives, like the birth control pill or an intrauterine device (IUD), to help make your periods more comfortable.
Heavy Menstrual Periods (Menorrhagia)
The average woman will lose about two or three tablespoons of blood every month with her period. This equates to two to four pad or tampon changes on her heaviest days. Women who have menorrhagia (heavier than normal periods) can lose five or more tablespoons of blood with her monthly period. Women with this period problem can go through five pad or tampon changes a day.
If you’re going through one or more pads or tampons every few hours, this is a sign that your period is heavier than normal. Please don’t ignore this menstrual problem – please go and see your gynecologist to see what’s the cause.
Heavy periods can be caused by an early miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, uterine fibroids, polyps, benign (not dangerous) tumors in your uterus, uterine cancer, clotting disorders, a change in your birth control pills, the use of certain drugs (including steroids and blood thinners, and other conditions.
When to Call the Doctor about Your Period Problems
It’s always a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor when you notice anything out of the ordinary. If you feel uncomfortable, or you’re worried about your menstrual period, contact your physician and get a gynecological exam to make sure that you’re healthy down there.
You should definitely go see a doctor if:
- You have always had regular periods, but all of a sudden, your cycles are irregular.
- You’re experiencing missed periods for several months in a row, and you’re positive that you’re not pregnant.
- Your menstrual bleeding lasts for more than seven days. Or your period comes more than 21 days, or longer than 35 days for at least three months.
- You haven’t had a period in three months.
- You have painful periods that are interfering with your life.
If you’re having period problems, you should really make an appointment with your gynecologist or doctor to figure out what’s going on. Don’t let menstrual problems make your life miserable.
Hi my name is Alyssa I am 13yrs old and for awhile now my periods have been heavy and even soaked through my pad and jeans and I have to use pads several times a day is this normal for my age?
I am 18 and my period was two days late then came very heavy for 7 days and I usually only have for 5 days. I am currently taking meds called doxycycline. After my period I started spotting. And so far it has been two days. It only visible when wipe and very light pink. Can I be pregnant?
I’m going through the same thing right now. Did you ever find out what it was? I
Hi
I am 24yrs old and recently married. Actually in my periods(24-27days manstural cycle) time first 3 days i have experienced red color discharge and in 4th day it was very dark and in fifth day it was very lite brown color & little discharge what it means i need your help.
Hi I’m Victoria and this happens to me to. I find it normal. Just like your body has nothing to flow out. When this happens for me. It most likely means my period is done till next month.(I celibrate a little….ok alot)
Hi, I am 23 years old. Ever sense I had my period it has always been fairly normal. However I recently had my period. The problem was it only lasted 3 days and it was heavy bleeding. I would go through 4 to 5 pads a day.
Hi I’m 19 years of age.My period came the 12th of November and went the 16th …I had sex the 17th of November unprotected but took a morning after the day after! Today the 22nd of November my periods came again very heavy! I’m worried because this never happened to me before
Hello. I’m shiela. 28 years old. I’m really worried about my situation at the moment. After 46 days from the first day of my last normal period, i had spottings (like little bits of blood) for 8 days and still going. I did 3 pregnancy tests and all negative. Went to the doctor and had prenancy test again and blood test but all negative. I got crampings for three days now as well. Hope you can help me.
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I’m 18, my periods have always been normal. But October 1st I started my period and it last till the 6th it was a normal period. Well I had sex a few times after that. And October 29 I started bleeding lightly again and after that is was a dark brown it’s never done that and I’ve never had two periods in one month I took three pregnancy test and they were negative. What is going on????
I’m 18 years old. I had the nexplanon implant in my arm July 8th 2015 and had it removed the beginning of April. Luteal phase has lasted 42 days. My previous period and the one I’m on now. I started bleeding today and now it stopped and its supper light its usually heavy at first and last 3-5 days. But this time its just pretty much spotting. Pregnancy tests have said negative. I’m gonna go to the doctor in a couple weeks but please if you have any advice on this please help.
I’m 17 years old and I have always had an irregular period. I usually skip at least 2 months in between periods (I’m really bad at tracking it, so I am not 100% sure) and then my period usually lasts around 7-10 days and varies in flow. I was told this was “normal for a girl my age” so I just went with the flow (pun intended). However, this time, my period did its normal thing lasted ten days, stopped for about three and picked up again. It is kind of a heavier flow now and is relentless. Oh and this time around it has lasted 15 days. This has never happened to me before, so I told my mom and she’s worried about it, so we are going to the doctor (eventually).
i’m 28yrs old. Sicne last 5 month m facing problem of less bleeading 1st day it jst shows that i got menses light colour and no bleeading atall full day. Next 2days i gets bleeading but again on 3rd day very little n on 4th n 5th day jst a few drops. Can u please help me out of these.
Hi,i am 24 y old.I used to get my periods in the gap of 29- 30 days but suddenly I have started getting it at the interval of 20 days since August .last time I got my period on 19-20 Sept and now on 8 Oct.is this a problem?
Plz. Help me out.
Thnx.
Help! I just got my period a few days ago and it has been 3 months or more since I had it. Now my period is gone. I had sex a month ago or longer. What do I do? I been emotional alot and I’m worried.
Hi,
I had sex with my bf in July month In august month I had periods but this month I didn’t had period, is it I’m pregnant old suggest me
Please i need your help.. my last period ended on the 29th of last month and i had sex on 4th of this month and i took a contraceptive.. my next period is suppose to start 21st but i saw it on the 10th.. what do u think is the reason?
hi i am 20 years old and i always had my periods regularly and for 4 to 5 days but from one and half year i had my periods every month but only for 2 days or sometimes for one day only …plzzz help me …is there any problem with me ???…plzz suggest me ..i m scared…
I don’t see a date on your comment, so it may have been answered already. If you’re very active, busy, exercise a lot or stressed, your periods will be lighter & not last as long as usual. Something to be grateful for 🙂
hi there, i and ma girlfrnd regularly have a intercourse … i never let it in her , but the last tym we had is on her day of period .. we had in the morning and by evening she got her periods.. she never had irregural periods . but this month she is having for 5 days and a day of gap and again she started bleeding … we are sacred about this issue.. can anyone pls help me out …
thanks in advance
hi im 16 i have been on my peorid for 3 since the first week of august and then it stoped for two days than did it again for 1 week than stoped again and now im on it again right now what is wrong i get nad bad cramps horrible sharp pains in my ribs and everything
Misscarriage
Hi
I am 23 years old. My period normally last for 7 days, but suddenly stops on the 4th day. Left alone with skimpy blood spots that barely drops in a day. What’s happening?
Hi am 32yr having a problem with my period normally lasted for 7days but suddenly stops on a 2nd day an first day it was heavy then second day it was only skimpy blood spots that barely drops in a day. So am worried what’s happening?
Hi all. I’m 26, have a little boy whose just turned 6. My periods have always been 28 days apart and last for 7 days. Early in may 2016 I found out I was prgnent after 4 Years of trying. Unfortunately I miscarried at 5 weeks. It was not a complete miscarriage so had to have an MVA. I bled for about a day afterwards. On 16 June my period came, it was heavy for the first day with severe cramping but from day 2 to 7 was fine. 28 days later on 14 july it came agsin but was very light, more like a reddish brown discharge that lasted until the 20. My problem is that since the 23rd of june ive been bleefing on and off, simetimes theres nothing at all and sometimes its geavy bright red and painful. I was not given any information on what to expect after the miscarriage. Could this be normal?
I am 13 and I have just gotten my first period. On the first day the bleeding was relatively heavy then on the second there was very little blood on the third day none and now on the fourth day, there is no blood on my pad but there is blood when I wil. What does this mean? Can I stop wearing a pad
Same with me.
my menstruation cycle is between 30-40days… regularly 3days i use 2pads and remaining 2days i use one pad only…..
But last 2months heavy periods are coming….Its bleeding 14days and per day 2 or 3 pads…….
Why dis much of change suddenly in my menstruation…
I am 24, and got married 15months ago…
please help me.
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Well, my periods have always been extremely heavy, lasting 7 long days..but for at least 7 months now, I start spotting brown looking stuff for 2-3 days, then spotting red 1-2 days..Then here it comes, heavy, clot you for 2 days. But then I go back to spotting for like 3-4 more days..I’ve went to my doctor..had a pap, blood work, What to do next???! I’m 33.
I have a question last month I started an early period but the whole time I spotted and it only lasted for a few days. This month I started a week early I don’t understand why this has never happened before.
Had my period june 8th went off june13th and again on june 21st to june 27th can i be ppregnant or when should my period come back on
I am 20 and I been having irregular periods. I haven’t had a period in 5 months. A month ago I been having cramping, been nauseated, and having mood swings. Now two days ago I been spotting. Should I go to the doctor to get checked out or wait?
Hi I used to have my periods for 6 days and my last period was from 10 to 15 june 2016 but on July on the 1st i only see them for one day what’s wrong?
I had my first menstruation when I was in my 5th grade for only 15 minutes. Since then, I never have had my mestruation once again. I’m already a college student, btw. I had experiences before wherein I get painful back cramps on my lower back and on my tummy before a tiny dot of blood appears. I want to know what my problem is. I’m not going to break my hymen just for a check up.
Hi everyone! I have a problem. I am 20 and I’ve had very painful, heavy, 4-5 day periods since I was 14. I started taking birth control at around 16 years old due to having my period every two weeks. Ever since I started the pills, it’s been normal… but still very painful. But this period has been 12 days long and has been fluctuating between light, and unexpectedly heavy.. the first 5-6 days, it was dark dark brown and fleshy. Now it’s fresh blood.. which is fine but it won’t stop and it seems to be getting worse. I want to wait it out but is it good idea??
Hello i am 17 years old and 2 3 months only my period started . On seven days i have periods but it is the first time that in eight day the period stopped and in ninth dya the periods come again why is this so plze tell me.
hi..i’m 17 years nd i have period problem..my period comes in 20 days..i have never make sex and i have no experience..plzz advice me what is the problem nd what should i do
hii all… please help me..i had sex with my boyfriend 1 year ago.. from 6 months onwards my period is delaying nd lasting 3 days..nd from 2 months lasting 2 days only ..getting fear what to do… am i pregnant???please give suggestions .what is the problem
Too much sex 😛 You ain’t pregnant
My manstrual time is before 8 days
Today’s 8 days but I can not in manstrual plz help me
How to enter in manstrual ?
So my periods are irregular it get them every 21days about three weeks apart and they come every month on time i just had my period about 9 days ago and then on the 28 of this month i was spotting this is not something that is normL to me. And i have been peeing a lot and really tired alot lately. Could i be pregnant. Or is this just nothing
You could have a kidney infection ..Go to your family doctor and pee in a cup..if it’s a infection..they’ll take care of it.
I have only had my period for 3 1/2 years now, and i’ve never had a problem besides cramps.. recently ( last 4 periods ) they have been two weeks or less apart and suppperrr heavy, as well as a dull/ sharp paint in my lower right side thats been here since my last period. anyone got info ?i’ve read through multiple websites but they all say different things.
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Actually,I m now 24 yrs old…n I got married before 6 months..n missed my periods last month even when I got my period after 20 days of my period date..moreover in the month of May I also get miss my period..my date is 5 April(last month date of period)…
I also went to Dr..she said there is no any symptoms of pregnancy….. What should I do!!!!!!! My mother in law force me to keep a baby….
I am Joan I’m 21 and I always have my period every month but the problem is there’s a month that my period is so lite and and and just spots and after that the next month it’s began so heavy like when I sit it’s all gonna come out and I feel like I’m just taking a pee but when I look at it it’s not it’s all blood that coming out from me I don’t know what to do!!!!! Can anyone help me get an answer
I’m 16 and a couple years ago I started my period and recently it’s going on and off. Like, months at a time it’s not happening and then it stars for three days or something and it’s really light and then a month later it lasts for a week or so and it’s super heavy. I’m in class right now and am only in third period and I’ve had to stop at the bathroom in every passing period to change my pad. It’s getting out of hand…..
I am 18 I have had My period for 5 and 1/2 years now and this is the first time it’s been going off and on constantly and it’s heavy than light then heavy than stops than starts again I never had that problem
I’m 23 my period went from 8days heavy flow to 3 days of very light flow dark red with clots on days on and two this is the 2nd month(match and april) I have noticed. Should i be worried.
last 6 month I am trying for a baby. 7 th february 2016 was my first day of period .1st and 2nd day blood did not came poperly and today (3rd)morning 2 big and heavy blood clots came then no blood any more.only 2nd day I had pain and took a painkiller. now I am feeling very weak. can anyone suggest me my period is normal or have some problem.
I’m 17 and I only had my period for a day, it’s usually for 3-4 days.
My boyfriend rubbed his penis on my vagina the day before my period last month. But my period lasted a couple days, stopped and started again the last day. And it’s like this month too, started for four days, had brown discharge. And started again the 8th day. What is this?? I’m 17
Hi, i had my period on the 1st of January 2016, it was very heavy with much cramps, after that day it slowed down and ever since then i have been having black clotted blood discharge up till the 31st of January and i have not seen my period this February , what could be the problem? pls i need an answer
So I was wondering I just turned 11 last August and in November I started my period but in December it didn’t come and It still hasn’t
Hey!, dont worry too much about it, i was your age when i started, i came on then i didnt come on for another 6 months! Dont worry its normal
I got my first period a month after I turned 15 (august 2014). After that, I didn’t get it until again until late march 2015. Then I got it late june 2015, late july 2015, and then almost a month ago, in early december 2015. I’m just wondering, is this normal? My periods so far have always been 6-7 days long, and have a very heavy flow, which only slows down by the 5th or 6th day. Usually I only have cramps for the first two or three days. Is this normal?
Hi, I stopped taking my birth control on December 9th, as I am trying to conceive , but I’ve now had my period for 11 days and it is still pretty heavy, I am worried that my body can’t function without birth control as I have been on it for 7 years, is this possible? What can I do? Should my period stop? If so when about do you think it will? Thank you
So my husband and I are trying and no luck. I have read the article and have become a bit worried. My periods have always been irregular and heavy since j can remember. Then when I did finally become pregnant I was almost at the end of my first trimester and I didn’t even know. Miscarriage happened in January. Since then my period has been unregulated and weird. In October it started at the beginning of the month 8 to 14 then November 27 to 2 ND of December and nothing yet. My stomach feels bloated my breasts feel bigger but not sore. I have been experincing off and on light headed-ness. And lately haven’t never been interested in sex. No stress lately and I have been feeling depressed off as well. My period has been very light as well I am very worried and upset. What should I do?