Im 31 with two kids (3 & 5). I am not on birth control and before recently have had almost perfectly normal (for me) periods. Pretty much every 30-32 days and mostly the same amount of time, same symptoms, etc. For the last 2 months I have spotted mid cycle and this month I was 8 days late. Im not pregnant as I FINALLY got my period yesterday but...... pretty much since the spotting has come on I have had wicked cramps off and on at all hrs of the day. Some have been so painful that they keep me up all night. My period came in the middle of the night and woke me up because I was in pain and I spent the rest of the night in agony. Im 'okay' today but without being gross and TMI Im noticing that the consistency of my period is not at all what I know it to be. I have been to see my dr and she is sending me for an ultrasound but that hasnt happened yet and Im just wondering if others have noticed weird changes like this as well.
Thanks in advance
The ultrasound should let you in on whatever is happening. Hang in there til you have it and try not to worry too much.
The thing is with periods - when they come online (puberty) - it can take 5 or so years for things to settle into a predictable regular pattern.
From 11 to 16 - I had NO IDEA when I might get a period.
I often went to bed with no prior symptoms and woke up with a bloody mess the next morning.
And the cramps during the period (not beforehand) were AWFUL.
The blood would drain from my face- I'd look like a ghost - my periods scared people.
Unfortunately - it can be a similar experience on the other end of things - when the regular routine we've gotten use to starts to wind down (Peri-menopause) - and I went from rare irregularities to complete menopause in about 15 years - this phase can last a long time.
Other things can pop up in the meantime - usually fibroid s - which can make a mess of your regular routine.
Just wait for the test results to come in.
They'll help your doctor figure out what's going on.
I am 34 and the last year my periods have been weird. I went to the dr. last year and they did an ultra sound and didn't find anything. My dr just said that I'm not as young as I used to be and my period will not always stay the same. I used to have a perfect 28 day cycle and I could almost time it down to the hour that it would start. Now, the week before my period starts I will have spotting and horrible cramping and mood swings. It's awful. Then once I start my real period, it lasts for about 6 days and at least 4 days are pretty heavy. It's pretty awful. Before my periods were never painful and they were always pretty light.
I'm wondering if you have developed fibroids. I'd ask the doc about that. It's good that you're having an ultrasound done.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for this is to go on birth control pills. I did that because of bursting ovarian cysts. It really helped me.
I have fibroids that have been causing really heavy, long periods for years now. I am hoping the doctor will be doing something about that for me soon.
Oh yes! Your periods do change with time and the older you get, they are not always consistent. As we age our hormone levels change (obviously). I would go to your GYNO and get checked out bc when that happened to me, i had uterine fibroids that they finally found during my ablation procedure. My periods were not painful or flow wasnt bad, it was just the frequency. I would get them like 2-3 times per month. good luck!
Your period does change with age but this sounds like it could be fibroids which are caused by a hormonal imbalance. That would account for the pain/discomfort and irregular periods and spotting.
I am not giving you a diagnosis.. I'm just giving you my 2 cents based on your symptoms. By all means, get the ultrasound.
Ali
I just had spotting mid cycle and made an appointment with my OBGYN as this is not typical for me at all. Never happened before. Yes, I think periods do change as we age, and it's good that you have gone to the doctor to check.
I'm 53 and my periods are still regular and predictable. The only difference is that they've gradually become a bit shorter and lighter. So, I don't think 31 is old enough to see these kinds of drastic changes because of your age. Your doctor should be able to determine what is up, but as others have said, these symptoms are typically caused by something treatable.
Sounds like it just needs to be cleaned out or something. I wouldn't worry about it too much. There are many simple things it could be.
I had changes that ended up being a thickening of the tissues of the uterine wall. If you have severe cramps you could also have fibroids. Both are super treatable and are not something to worry about. Once you have the sonogram they'll have a better idea.
