Since the birth of my daughter in 2010, I will go months without a period. Prior to having her, I was pretty regular. After resuming my period after birth, everything was fine for a while. Then, my period stoppd for about 4 months. I saw the gyn, who did a full workup. All my hormone levels were fine and an ultrasound was clear. My gyn said that not having my period puts me at a greater risk for uterine cancer (which both of my grandmothers had). So I took the meds to jumpstart everything. Then I got my period every two weeks for 4 months before it abruptly stopped again. It's been 4 mos again- no sign of my period and it's AWESOME! Not having any issues at all. It's like being pregnant without the baby!
Anyway, I'm curious if any other moms went through this after pregnancy, and if your period eventually regulated out on it's own. I have an annual in April, and I'm tempted to tell the gyn to just let it go. But then there's the uterine cancer. Ugh. Experiences? Anything herbal I can try to get things regulated without that awful prescription I took last time (I can't think of the name now)? Should I even care if everything looks ok medically?
OH, and I am not pregnant and 37, and not breastfeeding. The gyn said there are no signs of peri-menopause from the lab workup.
Wow- lots of period questions asked this morning. Totally unintentional in the timing of my question. lol
Before pregnancy I would easily go 9 or so months with out a period, then about a year before I became pregnant I regulated - then I had the Mirena implanted and now that it is done I am irregularish again - Oh well I am not concerned my body has always been odd in this manner. I will have it looked into next year if it does not regulate again, but ultimately I would just like that stuff removed, I am done bringing life in.
Well, I had the same issues, but in reverse. Before I had my daughter, I would go MONTHS without a period. Turns out I had PCOS, which made it very difficult to get pregnant. After years of fertility treatments, I finally had my daughter and since then.....regular like clockwork!
When I was having problems, my doctor told me the same thing about uterine cancer. I often took Prometrium (perhaps the prescription you got) to get my period started and clear my system out. Are you currently willing and able to take birth control pills?? If so, I would try the prometrium and then once you have a period, start the BCP's and they should keep you regular from then on.
You might also try the acupuncture and herbal remedies others are suggesting just to see!
I know there are different herbs you can take but I would try some Dong Quai. You may have to order it on line. It is supposed to regulate your hormones naturally.
As much as I don't like having my period, it do feel like it's showing I'm healthy. Not saying women with irregular periods are not healthy, but I think it could be a sign of a problem somewhere. Also, no period can make it much harder to have another baby. If neither your doctor or you are concerned, then enjoy it while you can :)
Always regular as clockwork, till after my first. I had my post pregnancy bleeding for only 3 weeks and it was done, then didnt get it back for 6 months. Then it was 2 times a month for almost 6 months, I HATED THAT. Then it finally regulated after that only to get pregnant again. So after 2nd it was about the same thing. I had only regulated for about 2 months before I got pregnant with my son. He was the only planned one, and barely that at best. It took almost 9 months to regulate, and even then, I occasionally double up periods in a month. Never skip... boo hooo... though all my labs are great and annuals show no issues. I dont have reproduction cancer issues in my family but do have endocrine, and liver cancer backgrounds.
Query: Are you dieting or under any other form of stress?
In reverse order from least to most important
2) Stress nixes most women's periods.
Typically, docs don't worry about irregular periods for the first 3 years after birth (after checking hormone levels and pregnancy). Why? Because being a new parent with sleep dep throws most women's periods out of whack even if they never breastfeed. The first 2 years are a neurological mess, and then 1 year to get back in the rhythm of things, then worry after that.
1) No period from dieting, however, is quite dangerous. Not in and of itself... but It's a sign that you're 'eating' your own organs by the time you lose your period. Once you've lost your period, you've already started getting heart and muscle damage, and organ damage.
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There are tons of other causes for irregular periods, most fairly harmless. The thing to keep an eye on, however, is whether or not you're pregnant. I was 4 months pregnant at one point and didn't know it because my period was irregular. I didn't get sick, sore, fluttery, emotional... it was a very "easy" pregnancy until month 6. A lot of moms jaws drop when they hear about people not knowing... but when you have a super easy 1st trimester, and are used to irregular periods... women are often 16-20 weeks before they find out. Some for even 7-8 months if the uterus grows upward instead of outward. We don't have the NERVES in our abdominal cavity that we do in our pelvic area. You DON'T FEEL KICKS. Or flutters. Or shifts. There's no pressure on your bladder, so you're not peeing all the time. There's no pressure on the nerves or bloodflow return for your legs, so you don't have swollen feet/legs... and don't have most of the aches associalted with having a beach ball hanging off your front. Most women can still wear their 'prepregnancy' clothes without them even being tight at all until the very end, and even then, it's only about a half size difference. Really, it would be better all around to carry babies this way... the problem is that births tend to be very difficult... but a baby growing "up" instead of "out" is more common than having a baby with downs. Some eventually shift "out", many don't.
The point here, is pretty obvious. If you have no symptoms of pregnancy (missed periods, morning sickness, discomfort, etc.)... will you take care of yourself in the same way? Avoid alcohol, cold meds, rx meds, etc.? Most people don't LIVE like they're pregnant. So if you don't have regular periods, it's recommended that you test for pregnancy every 2-4 weeks.
Go see an acupuncturist. They can help get you regulated and give you herbs for that as well.
I have always had period issues....finally found out that it was polycystic ovary syndrome and a thyroid issue combined.....so I am on thyroid meds and have always been on the pill which does induce a period...left to my own devices I probably wouldn;t have a period for months which is what happened when we were trying to get pregnant but you do have to "clear" out your system every so often per my ob/gyn otherwise it does increase risk for cancer. So please ask your dr to prescribe the med (its some kind of progesterone med) to have a cycle every 3-4 mos or so.......
I will be checking back reading your answers also. After I had my son in 2010 my periods became irregular. It would skip 2,3, 4 months at a time. That's the reason why I had a tubal done. Because every month I was taking a pregnancy test! Talk about sca-ry. My bathroom closet is still stocked with them. lol. Guess I can finally throw them away now.
