Should I go to the doctors about abnormally period?

Posted , 3 users are following.

I've had my period for about a month now. At first it was spotting, which turned into spotting that wasnt quite a full blown period but enough that I needed to wear pads. Now I'm having a heavy period. Usually I get severe PMS cramps but not within the past year. For the past year or so I'll get my period once every 2-3 months. Its usually just light spotting for a few weeks and then it goes away. This time is much different, as described above. I'm 18. I've never had a regular period, its usually only once every 2-3 months and it used to be heavy and painful when it came. However for the past year it hasn't been. I have tried to go ask my mom to make me doctors appointments but she refuses. Should I do it myself? I don't want to make a big deal about it if its not. I am over weight but this has been a problem since before I gained weight. Is it because I'm fat? 

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • Posted

    I dont think your weight has anything to do with it , I would make the appointment yourself. If you don't feel something is right get checked out. Take it from me I'm 27 now and regret not going to see a gyno about my period (blood clots and sever menstrual cramps) finally going to book an appointment. It's better to find out now what you can , they might prescribe birth control ( for regulating your cycle - also it clears your skin!) Double bonus , but go get checked out smile so you don't end up like me 7 years later finally getting checked out.

    Best of luck smile

    A

  • Posted

    I had severe pain from the age of 13. My periods were 40 day cycles until I was about 20. Then in my 20s they became heavier and lasted up to two weeks. Then in my 30s I bled for two years before finally being given norethisterone to control the bleeding. I'm now 42. I was diagnosed with PCOS at about aged 20. PCOS causes heavy bleeding for some and irregular cycles for some. I was slim until I went through puberty and have had problems with my weight since. Women with PCOS have problems with their weight and it is much harder to lose than a normal woman because of hyperinsulimia. Doctors always say that controlling the weight will ease the symptoms. You should absolutely go to the doctor. Take a close relative or a friend if your mum won't go though it's sad for you that she won't take this seriously. I hope you haven't got PCOS but if you have there are varying degrees. Both my sisters have mild PCO without the syndrome and have seven children between them whereas, sperm can't get through my cysts and I'm too overweight to be prescribed Clomid so sadly, I have no children. I wish you all the very best. Helen
    • Posted

      That does sound pretty similar. I did book a doc. appoitment for next week. I dont know what my moms problem is. She doesnt like birth control but she said she would buy it fo rme if I became sexually active. I think its the whole idea of me getting a physical and birth control and all that. Its just frustrating for me. 
    • Posted

      Most of the medications that they give for regulating periods are also used for birth control. I use norethisterone which does offer some level of birth control but not full protection. I have never used it for birth control. I saw an episode of the Kardashians where Bruce picked up a prescription for Kendall and threw a paddy because it was birth control then Kris explained it was for cramps! You need to be comfortable and have quality of life and medication can do that. If you explain to your mum that it's for medical reasons and that birth control is a by product maybe she'll except it better? But it's more important to get checked out and be she there's no cysts or fibroids and control any symptoms if it's PCOS.
  • Posted

    From the site 

    whattoexpect,com

    "If you've gained a significant amount of weight in recent months, this could affect your period's regularity. Women naturally have estrogen that helps make the uterus a comfy and favorable environment to a growing fetus. However, if you're overweight or obese, you might actually accumulate fat cells that produce a form of estrogen called estrone. These cells mimic pregnancy, so that you're not ovulating, but blood continues to line your uterine wall. It builds up to such an extent that when you finally do get your period, it's heavier than normal and it seems as though it'll never end."

    • Posted

      What would you consider significant? Im at about 200-210, but I have been eating a lot of fast food lately due to some devasating home issues, so that might of changed. I have been sitting at that weight for about 4-5 months I believe, possibly a lot longer. My weight is usually pretty stable, but it takes nothing for me to gain 10+ pounds in about 2 months. 

      Do you think my doc would do a blood test to find that out? Do you have any idea what will happen at my doc. appointment? 

      Thank you for providing the site, im going to check that out now. smile

      Thank you so much for helping me out btw, this has been a huge help. I'm so scared to go to the doctors, idk why but the whole idea makes me uncomfortable. I think its because my mom doesnt want me to go. But you have def  provided me with some motivation. 

    • Posted

      Hi,

      Weight can totally have an effect on periods but if they've always been irregular and only recently been heavy you should be checked out. I had to get my on line calculator to work out what 200 pounds was as I'm English! I was about the same which is around 15 stones at your age which is why I'm thinking it might be PCOS as I was skinny until puberty and we always are healthy. You should google PCOS. Other problems could be cysts or fibroids and at the very worst (which I'm sure it's not, is cancer). Just tell the symptoms to a doctor who will refer you to a gynaecologist. The first thing they do is take blood tests as that tells your hormone levels, then they will examine you by putting their fingers inside to see if they can feel anything, then they will do an external scan which is the same as pregnant women have. After that there is an internal scan with a camera, a sonograph which is a little uncomfortable but ok. This will show for sure if there are poly cysts on the ovaries. After that they may have to do a hysteroacopy or lapyoscopy but only if the internal sonograph shows nothing and both of these are usually under general anaesthetic though the former can be local. Try not to worry as stress can have an effect on cycles and even the heaviness of a bleed and often after all investigations they'll just say you're ok but you need to get checked out to be sure. If your mum has never had problems she probably doesn't realise the seriousness of gynae health. There's no need to worry, I've had problems for over 30 years and found medications to manage it. It's probably PCOS or stress related.

    • Posted

      Hey Helen! So I went to the doctor yesturday. He gave me a prescription for birth control, (Which is a little frustrating bc I cant take it until after my next period, which could be in a year LOL) but he also said to take a blood test, (which I wont hear back from for a few weeks.) He said it could be a thyriod problem, so he said he would call me if the blood test was abnormal. He didn't seem all that worried, I think I downplayed how bad it was haha.

      Thank you so much for replying to me. I dont think I would've gone to my appointment if you hadn't replied, I was really nervous about it. I'll let you know if they find anything. Now the real challenge: Telling my mom all this LOL.

    • Posted

      Hi Kris, I'm so pleased you've gone to the doctors and are getting the blood test. Perhaps he's thinking the weight gain might be thyroid connected so it's good to check everything out. I find it's good to write a list of my symptoms down before I go in because I often forget as I'm nervous. Don't forget to let him know about the heavy bleeding and it lasting a month as that won't be thyroid connected. I wish you all the best and hope it went well with your mum!! Happy New Year!!

      Helen

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