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luvsterriers
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15 Apr 2011, 10:01 am

I am in my 30s and never married and never had children. I was wondering if any of you ladies in your 30s have periods that are not normal. I have generally been every 28 days. It's strange. How many of you have periods that are so perfect each month that they will every 28 days? I did try acupuncture for a bladder condition that I have for several months but I don't think acupuncture causes periods to be irregular. I know that certain depression/anti anxiety medications can make them irregular but I'm not on them. Could stress or overwhelming feelings cause it? I don't care if I never get married or never become a mom. That would be so much worse for me. I read about PCOS but I don't think I have it. I read the symptoms and no one on mom's or dad's family have had that issue. I freak out when 28 days pass. I got my period March 17th so that means April 14th I should have started, right? I don't want to take birth control pills. I rather not take any medications. At the acupuncture the doctor said that he can not only cure my bladder issue but also my acid reflux. I take Nexium for the acid reflux, and I get no side effects from it. That's about the only oral medication I take. I'm not overweight or underweight. I'm 5'4, 128 pounds. I have yet to go to OBGYN. The last time I went to one the doctor gave me info on sex therapy, and I was highly upset over that. I don't want to have sex EVER! It may sound strange but I truly don't want to engage in that behavior. There is a Catholic OBYN near me that I can go to. Its just with this bladder issue having anything go down there would be painful. I can ask for a baby size one, but it doesn't matter. The bladder condition I have is IC (Interstitial Cystitis)

http://www.ichelp.org/Page.aspx?pid=352


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Princess78
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15 Apr 2011, 10:19 am

I have had irregular periods in the past. I first had that problem when I was in junior high and high school. I must have been about 17 or 18 when I started taking birth control pills (and still do). I had been diagnosed with ovarian cysts and a hormonal imbalance. Thankfully, I am doing much better now.
Your problem sounds much more serious and you should get help. I used to be nervous about seeing the gynecologist, too, but now it's no big deal. You get used to it after a while. However, you might feel more comfortable talking to a family member or close friend instead of a bunch of strangers to help ease your anxiety.



mv
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15 Apr 2011, 10:32 am

Hi - I can't quite figure out from your post what you're worried about. Do you consider your periods "weird" because they come every 28 days on the dot? Are they more frequent than that, and that's what you're worried about? Are they less frequent than that?

Anyway, mine are right on the dot, 28 days, most of the time. Sometimes they're 26-27 days, once in a while they're 29 days. I'm 43 and I definitely see signs of perimenopause on the horizon, which is why I did a bunch of reading.

Here's something you should be aware of as you age: your menstruation can change. Uterine fibroids can form, they're normally harmless and most woman have some by their 30's, regardless of their sexual or medical history. They can make your periods wonky, make them heavier or more frequent or whatever. Because you don't regularly go to an OB/Gyn, you can't be sure what's going on with you. I used to freak out over the automatic assumption that I was sexually active, but then I realized that that's just the OB/Gyn's job. They HAVE to assume that, for the sake of your health (because being sexually active can lead to compromises of one's health if one is not careful). It's like the dentist assuming that of course you eat a diet high in sugar; it's easier to start there and then eliminate things as necessary. Some OB/Gyns are more embarrassed asking you about it than you will ever be. Seriously!

Anyway, if you're really concerned, go see a doctor. Somehow steel yourself before you go and declare, "Look, I'm not sexually active, but I need to be concerned for my health." All in all, your menstrual cycle changes as you age, regardless of your childbearing status. A whole host of factors affect your hormone levels.



luvsterriers
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15 Apr 2011, 11:24 am

I always have had regular periods, 28 days. I freak out when it's not on time that's all. In March for example I was 35 days. I do have uterine fibroids but they aren't painful at all. I found out about them when I was 28. They are so tiny. But I'm not rolling over in pain during my periods. I just let them be. I heard that sometimes the fibroids go away on their own.


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15 Apr 2011, 11:46 am

I'm not quite in my 30's yet. I had a perfect 34 day cycle - so regular I could set a watch by it, seriously it always started at 12:00-13:30pm - but as of two years ago it has changed, a sudden fluke issue of pains and mid-cycle bleeding thought to be related to my coil somehow managed to effect my cycle, now my cycles can be anywhere from 27 days to 38 days, but then that's still regular.

Your body isn't a machine and it's not a clock, it's not going to be perfect every single cycle - a weeks variation from one cycle to the next is perfectly normal, later than that can be fairly normal too as we all have late periods from time to time due to stress, illness, travel, or plain old 'just because'. Unless it's a regular problem (e.g. two weeks variation, months when your period doesn't show at all, etc.) then it's still considered regular and not a problem. We do have cycle changes throughout our lives too.

One thought - have you considered using Fertility Awareness Method?
This is a method used most often for birth control or to aid in pregnancy achievement, but the reason I'm suggesting it to you is because it is also used for monitoring your menstrual cycle. It allows you to monitor your cycles so you will be able to see when your period is due - thus if it is a few days later than expected you will be able to anticipate that, you will know why it is late and thus you may feel less anxious about it turning up later than normal. It may be helpful to you.


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daydreamer84
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17 Apr 2011, 12:31 am

I've always had really irregular periods.............sometimes every two weeks, sometimes five weeks in between periods...........never predictable.



luvsterriers
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17 Apr 2011, 4:29 pm

This may sound nuts. But I was really tempted to ask women around my age who haven't had children if they get their periods every 28 days. I have kept a chart since Sep 2010. Basically I'm 28-30 days. Once Day 30 hits and I see nothing I panic. I get beyond depressed if there is a way to describe it if I don't get my periods during that type. I know that certain medications such as anti anxiety can cause periods to be late. I did do acupuncture for 4 months but quit March 28th. About periods though about a week after it ends do any of you get this discharge that may have some blood? I have gotten that since Nov 2010. The blood in the discharge just lasts a day if that. Someone told me its left over blood from the period. I honestly was thinking of getting my ovaries, cervix, uterus out and not get periods at all. I have no plans on being a mom ever.


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17 Apr 2011, 4:44 pm

Blood in discharge may be a few different things - old period blood maybe, but chances are it's most likely to be ovulation bleeding. Going into personal and TMI territory here; your discharge would also be slimy, clear, stretchy and feel both wetter down below and toilet paper will slide over your vulva more easily - if your discharge is like this then it will most likely be fertile quality cervical mucus so bleeding is pretty much guaranteed to be due to ovulation.


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luvsterriers
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17 Apr 2011, 7:12 pm

Yea thats the type of discharge I'm talking about. Kinda egg whites slimy. Is it ok though to have some blood in it? It doesn't last for days. I just noticed one or two times going to restroom in one day.


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17 Apr 2011, 8:17 pm

luvsterriers wrote:
Yea thats the type of discharge I'm talking about. Kinda egg whites slimy. Is it ok though to have some blood in it? It doesn't last for days. I just noticed one or two times going to restroom in one day.


Totally okay - not every woman gets it, but its nothing to worry about...unless you get pain with it.

This page explains it - http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/bleeding-ovulation.html (ignore the name of the web site, it's just a page on general ovulation bleeding).


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luvsterriers
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19 Apr 2011, 6:38 am

This may be helpful for me. I never had one. Too scared to. But still women with my bladder condition say its extremely painful.

http://www.ichelp.org/Page.aspx?pid=352


Perhaps I can take some medications that will make my periods more regular. I wonder if acupuncture can cause irregular periods. I did go to one for several months for the bladder condition. He put the needles around the ovaries and bladder area. Perhaps he screwed up my cycle. Effexor XR made my periods come way later. Sometimes 33 days. It made them lighter too and didn't last the 7 days that my cycle generally lasts. It lasted 3-4 days. Would it be helpful for this Catholic OBGYN clinic that I want to go to write down when my periods started? I have dates from Sep 2010 and they range 27-30 days. I double checked the calendar again. But Feb was a short month too, maybe thats why my cycle is screwed up. I'm no where near pre menopause I think. I'm not even near 40. But I definitely do NOT want children nor marriage.


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puddingmouse
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19 Apr 2011, 2:09 pm

When I'm not on the pill (was on it age 18-20 and I started it again 11 months ago) my periods can be everything from once every 21 days to once every couple of months. Generally, they used to be every 32 days but it could really vary.

I think if I don't have kids, they'd probably be the same. My hormones really settled when I was about 21, or so and I was an 'early bloomer' so I don't think it's because I'm hormonally immature.


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Mackica
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19 Apr 2011, 10:24 pm

Mine have gotten a lot more lighter since I've become a vegan.No cramps! just chocolate and nut cravings...try a vegan diet,it solves so many issues.I've only missed a period once,when running track in high school.Considering I was quite underweight for a while,I'm shocked I never missed it then.Good hormones I guess.



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20 Apr 2011, 5:02 pm

I have clockwork periods too. And I have had a kid.

When women start spending time with other women - like you need to start worknig closely with other women, you see them every day, womens periods tend to synch. My period adjusted by one week when I started working with a new group of women - and then it was right back to its regular 28 day schedule. there are so many other things that can affect it though - stress is a big one.

If it gets to be very whacky and stays that way, i'd definitely get it checked out. The occassional blip is fairly common though. I've actually had a doctor tell me the 28 day thing is myth...



luvsterriers
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21 Apr 2011, 7:49 am

Oh ok so 28 days is not the norm? It's the average? It's just that when 30 days go by and I get no period I freak out. I mean literally I get so depressed that I cry and cry and pray. I don't want to eat or do anything.

I talked to two of my college women friends.

Heather is 33 years old and very much overweight. She's 5'6 and at least 200 pounds. She has borderline personality disorder and is on medications for that amongst other things. If she stops these medications, she will more than likely end up in mental hospital. One time she was in one for a whole month! I wonder if her medications causes irregular periods. She told me sometimes she went 3 months without a period. She was around 140 pounds when I met her in 1998. When she became an RA at George Mason for a semester she lost so much weight that she was thinner than me. I wonder about really skinny young women and their periods. Or about actresses who have to lose or gain a lot of weight for a particular role. Renee Zelwegger for example had to gain a lot of weight for her role in Bridget Jones Diary. Would that make any womens cycle be irregular?

Fara just turned 30 in January. She's about my height and a little more heavier than me. She has skipped a month or so. She has raised testosterone levels according to blood tests and she tried Yaz. Not sure how long she was on them. She told me that she has hot flashes. WHAT???? This woman is only 30! Not 40! She is too young to be having hot flashes. Sometimes at night I too sweat in my sleep. Not this over pouring sweat like working out, but just a little hot. Maybe I'm having them too. I do know that Fara has a lot more hair around her belly button area compared to me. Maybe because I am half Korean and she's full white? I read about raised testosterone levels in women. More hair on upper lip, almost like a man! I have seen some women with so much hair on their upper lips. I don't have alot of arm hair I think compared to women who are completely white. Maybe because of my Korean genes. Fara's mom never had raised testosterone levels when she was young. So how come Fara has issues? How come Heather has issues? Should their mothers, grandmothers or aunts have them? I wonder if my aunt on dad's side or aunts on my mom's side have issues. Mom and grandma both said to me it's fine to skip a month or so since I'm in my 30s. But I have ALWAYS been regular for as long as I can remember It's as if I'm 33 in Feb then all of a sudden in March I aged 5 years! My grandma had my uncle when she was 40! I'm too young for skipping periods and so! This isn't normal for me at all. Perhaps I should get a blood test to see what is causing these issues. Thyroid? I don't need anti anxiety meds to make the periods more worse. I was on Effexor XR for a year and it made them light, didn't last as long and didn't come the normal 27-30 days.


I don't like BC pills. I rather do acupuncture than take some medications. But I rather take anti anxiety medications than do acupuncture. The needles for anxiety patients goes into your wrists and that is so painful. It hits a nerve! My arm was painful for days that I couldn't even turn a door knob! I don't do acupuncture anymore. If I fell like an UTI is coming, I take antibiotics and the pain goes away much quicker than acupuncture. I tried drinking corn silk tea to relieve the pain, but it doesn't approve.


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Last edited by luvsterriers on 21 Apr 2011, 7:55 am, edited 2 times in total.

luvsterriers
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21 Apr 2011, 7:53 am

draelynn wrote:
I have clockwork periods too. And I have had a kid.

When women start spending time with other women - like you need to start worknig closely with other women, you see them every day, womens periods tend to synch. My period adjusted by one week when I started working with a new group of women - and then it was right back to its regular 28 day schedule. there are so many other things that can affect it though - stress is a big one.

If it gets to be very whacky and stays that way, i'd definitely get it checked out. The occassional blip is fairly common though. I've actually had a doctor tell me the 28 day thing is myth...


Are you around same age as me? I do work with other women but I don't really communicate with them all that much. Our group consists of 18 of us. Next Thurs we are moving into a new office and all of us will be together again. So once we move back together maybe my periods will be better? The other women in the group are older than me. (36-52 age range) Does having kids make periods regular/irregular?


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