What is going on here? Period question for the ladies
sarahliftsUP
Posts: 752 Member
This may go into a TMI question.. so not for the queesy ones, and it is a question about the menstration cycle and the effects weight loss/exercise may have on it.
So I have been regularly exercising now for about two months. This means about 4 workouts a week, around 40-45 minutes each time. I got my period on September 9th, which was normal. I'm on birth control so I expect my period about 3-4 days after taking my last pill and don't take the sugar ones. Period lasts roughly 5 days.
This is all fine but yesterday I started cramping. I didn't think anything of it.. just thought I was tired and hungry. But after going for a run, I came back was baffled, as Aunt Flo had came for a second visit this month!
Has anyone had this happen to them? I'm not going crazy with exercising, just running 3 times a week..sometimes not even that and doing Jillian Michaels about once or twice a week. This is where the TMI comes in, but the consistency of the liquid wasn't the same as usual.. I don't know if that means anything but it was like it was the ending of it but more darker and thicker. I know this is disgusting but is this serious enough that I should go to the doctors? Or is it just that my body is stressed by the weight loss and change in activity?
So I have been regularly exercising now for about two months. This means about 4 workouts a week, around 40-45 minutes each time. I got my period on September 9th, which was normal. I'm on birth control so I expect my period about 3-4 days after taking my last pill and don't take the sugar ones. Period lasts roughly 5 days.
This is all fine but yesterday I started cramping. I didn't think anything of it.. just thought I was tired and hungry. But after going for a run, I came back was baffled, as Aunt Flo had came for a second visit this month!
Has anyone had this happen to them? I'm not going crazy with exercising, just running 3 times a week..sometimes not even that and doing Jillian Michaels about once or twice a week. This is where the TMI comes in, but the consistency of the liquid wasn't the same as usual.. I don't know if that means anything but it was like it was the ending of it but more darker and thicker. I know this is disgusting but is this serious enough that I should go to the doctors? Or is it just that my body is stressed by the weight loss and change in activity?
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Replies
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This can be related to your new healthy living. The best thing is to talk to your doctor. Are you taking you pill the same time everyday. I am much older than you and only have had a twice visit when I didn't take my pill the same time each day.
Debbie0 -
I've heard of this happening before. Is it a real period, or just spotting? Sometimes you get break thru bleeding on the pill in the middle of the month and that can be normal depending on how "much" it is. If it happens again talk to your doctor.0
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No, it happened to me quite often from January - June (when I lost 27 pounds). I wasn't overly concerned about it because I know it's normal for your cycle to get messed up (even on birth control) when you're losing weight and exercising heavy. I did ask my doctor on my routine visit and she said it was to be expected but if it continued once my weight leveled off, to come back and see her.
Not sure that this matters, but I'm on Jolessa (generic for Seasonique) and I only get my period every 3 months. It has gone back to normal now that my weight has leveled off, but you might want to just call your doctor and make sure they think it's normal.0 -
there is something called break through progosterone bleeding. if you have been on the same pill for a year or two it can occur. it usually is very bad cramping and also a period like flow (mine were generally heavier then my usual). it can last as long as a regular period and once you have it once it may happen again with more frequency. changing pills can prevent this cycle.0
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EXACT same thing happened to me. I started exercising 5-6 days a week, and cut back on my calories, and it messed with my period. I don't know if it's because I was working out with a partner (and you know how your body tries to synche with other people) or something else. I went to my dr and she said it could possibly be stress, but not to worry about it unless it happened for three or four months in a row. I'm also on BC, so it should be regular. Might want to just check in with your doc to be sure though.0
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Ummm.. weird coin-ki-dink... it was a full moon... actually something they call a "Super Harvest Moon". Next Super Harvest Moon will be in 2029, so not a regular occurrence. I'm about 5 days early this month.
I should state that I don't usually reply to these threads because I can't stand talking about TOM, but mine was way off this month.0 -
This started happening to me after I lost a significant amount of weight. Doctor had to switch my birth control to either a higher or lower dosage ( im not sure which)
so good idea to talk to ur dr0 -
The same thing happened to me after I started a running program. I asked my OBGYN about it and she said that it was perfectly normal and should correct itself after a month or so.
Good luck!0 -
It can happen when you lose weight according to my doc. From what she said hormones can be stored in fatty tissue, and when the fat breaks down it frees the hormones into the system, thus causing some minor fluctuations in cycles. It kind of overloads the system briefly. Keep an eye on it, and if you have any other symptoms, or you continue to have short cycles get it checked out.0
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I've been dealing with this for years. Switching the pills has not helped at all. First I was just bleeding heavily for about 20 days out of the month, then it switched to having two periods a month - both with horrible cramping and heavy flow. Cutting out gluten and casein is helping this some - periods are not as heavy now, but still I deal with two a month. I also just started acupuncture, and my practitioner says that this should help things significantly, with time. As with any new changes, sometimes things get worse before they get better, so no improvement yet.0
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Call your doctor. It may be related to your diet and exercise but that could be a coincidence.0
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I've been on the same birth control pill for 7-8 years now. Whenever I started it way back in the day, it's always been the same so I can't see that messing me up. I guess 5 pounds is a lot, my body was used to my starting weight for over a year or so. I guess the change in activity level and calories messed it up?
I'm glad though that it has happed to several of you as well during this. I will wait it out and see what happens.. If it happens again next month then I will go to my doctors.0 -
Call your doctor. It may be related to your diet and exercise but that could be a coincidence.
Never thought of this either... maybe I should just to be on the safe side.
I'm vegetarian and my mother was anemic.. so I don't want to take chances or anything.0 -
I've been on the same birth control pill for 7-8 years now. Whenever I started it way back in the day, it's always been the same so I can't see that messing me up. I guess 5 pounds is a lot, my body was used to my starting weight for over a year or so. I guess the change in activity level and calories messed it up?
I'm glad though that it has happed to several of you as well during this. I will wait it out and see what happens.. If it happens again next month then I will go to my doctors.
I was on the pill for 13 years with no problems. Then one day, I started having two-week long periods and they were getting heavier and heavier with no other recent changes in my lifestyle. My doctor switched my pills four or five times and did blood work and I finally had to change my BC method altogether.0 -
I was on the pill for 13 years with no problems. Then one day, I started having two-week long periods and they were getting heavier and heavier with no other recent changes in my lifestyle. My doctor switched my pills four or five times and did blood work and I finally had to change my BC method altogether.
I am very much in the same situation, as I was on the same pill for 12 years with no problems at all, and then (with no changes either) it just started being insane. What method of BC did you end up choosing? I've switched pills several times with no help. I've done some research, but am having a hard time making up my mind...0 -
I was on the pill for 13 years with no problems. Then one day, I started having two-week long periods and they were getting heavier and heavier with no other recent changes in my lifestyle. My doctor switched my pills four or five times and did blood work and I finally had to change my BC method altogether.
I am very much in the same situation, as I was on the same pill for 12 years with no problems at all, and then (with no changes either) it just started being insane. What method of BC did you end up choosing? I've switched pills several times with no help. I've done some research, but am having a hard time making up my mind...0 -
amazing that i should find this post tonight!
I started actively trying to loose weight 7 weeks ago and have lost a stone so far through healthy eating and lots of lovely exercise (where i previously did none).
i had a stronger period than normal which lasted longer than usual, 2 weeks instead of 1.
a week later after an extended run, i find that af is back, stays for a week again.
goes away for another week and after this weeks hardest work out i start spotting the "old blood" and have been since.
I have the implant (implanon) and got so annoyed i've got an appointment at the family clinic on monday to talk about it!
I had a suspicion that it had something to do with exercise but didnt have the foggiest that it really could be anything to do with it!!0 -
I've been on the same birth control pill for 7-8 years now. Whenever I started it way back in the day, it's always been the same so I can't see that messing me up. I guess 5 pounds is a lot, my body was used to my starting weight for over a year or so. I guess the change in activity level and calories messed it up?
I'm glad though that it has happed to several of you as well during this. I will wait it out and see what happens.. If it happens again next month then I will go to my doctors.
I'm in the UK, and it is normal practice to change the type of BC we are on every 5-7 years..... I am now on the Myrena Coil (Coil plus slow release hormone attached and lasts for 5 years) I now get nothing- nada- rien de tout!!!!! Fabulous!!!!!
:laugh: :bigsmile: :blushing: 0 -
Hi, I have had the Implanon for about a year now, and from the absolute beginning I wasn't having any bleeding. That was up to 2 months ago when I started to regularly do exercise, I started getting really sore about 2 weeks before and then started cramping a week before. But it wasn't as bad when it finally started. I asked the doctor about it and he said that it was because of the exercise and that it should start to sort itself out again.0
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Hi, I have had the Implanon for about a year now, and from the absolute beginning I wasn't having any bleeding. That was up to 2 months ago when I started to regularly do exercise, I started getting really sore about 2 weeks before and then started cramping a week before. But it wasn't as bad when it finally started. I asked the doctor about it and he said that it was because of the exercise and that it should start to sort itself out again.
thats nice to know, mine has been in for 9 months with no problems until i started working out!0 -
I've never had this happen with any relation to activity, but it does happen consistently when I'm under a lot of stress. There's a lot of reasons it can happen. My doc has always said as long as it doesn't increase in pain or volume, that there's nothing really wrong with it. You can address it with birth control if its inconvenient, but it shouldn't be harmful in itself. You may still want to get it checked out anyway, since there are a myriad of reasons it can happen.0
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I was on the pill for 13 years with no problems. Then one day, I started having two-week long periods and they were getting heavier and heavier with no other recent changes in my lifestyle. My doctor switched my pills four or five times and did blood work and I finally had to change my BC method altogether.
I am very much in the same situation, as I was on the same pill for 12 years with no problems at all, and then (with no changes either) it just started being insane. What method of BC did you end up choosing? I've switched pills several times with no help. I've done some research, but am having a hard time making up my mind...
I have the Mirena IUD now. I bled pretty heavy for almost 6 months, but now I barely have periods -- mostly just spotting here and there with maybe a day of heavier bleeding (and sometimes that isn't even a full day).
Everyone is different. Some people stop bleeding much sooner than I did and have no spotting at all after a while. It's messing with my hormones now, but I really don't have a choice. The pills were not working anymore (as far as my cycle goes, anyway) and not being on BC isn't an option for the obvious reason and because my periods are so heavy and uncomfortable without it.0 -
It's probably fine, but call or see your doctor anyway. It's one of those things where the most likely story is benign and probably accurate, but you should rule out pregnancy and anything serious.
Cramping and heavy bleeding were the only signs I had when pregnant with my second daughter, when I thought the odds were totally against me being pregnant.0 -
I had the same thing happen this month. Thanks for all the info. I think it was due to stress and weight loss. I really appreciate the information about the fat tissue storing the hormones because that makes total sense to me (I am pre-medical).0
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amazing that i should find this post tonight!
I started actively trying to loose weight 7 weeks ago and have lost a stone so far through healthy eating and lots of lovely exercise (where i previously did none).
i had a stronger period than normal which lasted longer than usual, 2 weeks instead of 1.
a week later after an extended run, i find that af is back, stays for a week again.
goes away for another week and after this weeks hardest work out i start spotting the "old blood" and have been since.
I have the implant (implanon) and got so annoyed i've got an appointment at the family clinic on monday to talk about it!
I had a suspicion that it had something to do with exercise but didnt have the foggiest that it really could be anything to do with it!!
Definitely go to Family Planning anyway - implanon is a notorious b*tch! I didn't have any periods or spotting at all for the first 18 months ....and then the flood gates opened. I had mine removed by one of the gynae doctors at work.0 -
I don't use anything and that happens to me occasionally, as well. I think, too, it might depend on whether you've spent more time with different females, as your cycles will start to align. Even if you're not spending more than a week in the same group, your cycles do try to adjust in the short time you're together.
Stress, as well, can take a toll. Before I started working out, stress caused me to get mine just about every two weeks. Finally went to the doc to find out what was going on and that was the diagnosis. *sigh*0 -
I'm having serious period issues too!
I've never been regular, but I'd finally gotten into a rhythm of an 8 day period every other month, give or take several days and usually connected to stress. Well, over the summer, I started a period right around the normal (for me) time, but it lasted 3+ WEEKS!!!! I got the run around from my doctors/insurance because I was out of my area at the time (I'm on TRICARE as a military dependent and was accompanying my husband on a TDY). I ultimately had to go to the ER and got a Rx for 10 days of provera (Medroxyprogesterone) which stopped the period as promised, causing a normal length period about a week later. Two months pass, I start spotting, which lasts for 5-6 days and stops. I think, "GREAT, a short light period!" Well, like 4 days later I start bleeding again, and it hasn't stopped! This is going on almost 3 weeks! I have a Dr. appointment tomorrow morning, and I guess the point of all this was to ask what you all would ask your Dr. I'm not on BC and never have been (for lots of reasons), so I don't really understand what could be causing this. We just moved and had a very busy hectic summer, so I suppose stress could be the answer, but this seems pretty extreme for that. They've tested my hormones and thyroid in the past and found nothing, so i just don't know what it could be. A lot of docs who I've seen just wanted to put me on BC without actually trying to figure out the problem or diagnose anything! I need to know what tests to demand before I just start taking whatever they give me to get me our of their office. Any insights would be awesome!0 -
Has anymore ever missed a period, or had it come very late, because of newly dieting and exercise???0
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Yes. Mine changes with whomever I happen to be spending a lot of time with, too. In other words, if I'm in exercise classes, et. al. I might start to change to align with females around me. It's very annoying...0
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i have been spotting for a month now...........ugh0
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