I’ve had wonky periods all my life. It was not at all unusual to have a 5 or 6 week long flow. I was very poor, with no health insurance, and on top of it all, I was acutely aware that it wasn’t normal - I was kind of ashamed of it.
When I finally got up the courage to go to the free* clinic and deal with it, I was about 25. The doctor didn’t seem too upset about it. He said “well, it doesn’t sound too bad, so just go to planned parenthood and have them check you over.” Unfortunately, this doctor visit was food from my mouth as it was, so I didn’t go.
When I got a good job with insurance, I went for a physical and ended up refered to a gynocologist. She just put me on orthocyclen and said that according to my blood tests and such I didn’t have PCOS or anything - I was just too fat. Estrogen is fat soluble, and I, it seems, am very sensitive to it as it is. Or something.
Not surprisingly, I’m also very anemic.
Surprisingly, when my cycle was all messed up like that, I never had PMS symptoms at all, though the cramping was sometimes quite bad. Now, I have the hormonal symptoms - I get teary, moody, headaches, that kind of thing.
*Free=$20
That was the minimum “donation” to have them treat you, even though it was advertised as a free clinic. I had the nurse yell at me until I was in tears because she thought that I had only put $10 in the box. I was ashamed enough because I couldn’t afford to go to the doctor, I really didn’t need to be dressed down in front of the whole waiting room.
Well I had a normal period, and the bleeding has stopped. I’m really pretty sure it was all a result of me screwing with my birth control pills unsupervised so much. Itlooks like I might get a job with healthcare, and if so I can get it all checked out, which would be a huge relief.
When I went on the Depo shot the first time, my life was problem-free. Periods stopped almost immediately and no spotting. Then I went off for about a year, and back on again. This time around, I spot for a month at a time. Needless to say it’s a huge hassle, and I’m seriously considering switching to the pill. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that Depo will positively make your periods stop.
Oops. Baby Fish Mouth is right. I’ve had a great experience with depo. I’ve been taking it since 1999 as well with a couple of breaks (once to try a different shot). While my experience has been wonderful, no periods, no spotting after the first 2 months, YMMV.
Baby Fish Mouth: If you were just a fan of having the shot and not having to remember to take a pill every day, you might want to look into Lunelle. It is a once a month shot, but you are supposed to get your period while on it. (Forgetting to take the pill was one of the reasons I chose the shot.) Good luck finding something that doesn’t leave you spotting.
Last year i was doing a piece of coursework about giving aid to poor countries and we were told that America gave large amounts of depo-provera to some country or other, i can’t remember which. The videos we saw suggested that this was a very bad thing because it had some nasty side effects and that it was banned in America. Whats with that? Was the video wrong, or am i thinking of a different drug? I’m pretty sure its the one I’m thinking of. Sorry about the hijack, btw.
When I was in my early twenties, I had a ‘period’ that went on for five months. Not heavy, but always damnwell there. Finally got to a doc who did a ‘d and c’…which found nothing. But it fixed the bleeding, and I got pregnant exactly 28 days later!!
My late wife had her period for about five and a half months just prior to her death. The doctors could find nothing wrong with her (but she had a long history of irregular periods).
When I started the pill, my period went on for a month straight. The same thing happened when my mother started the pill. For both of us, it stopped when we got to the second pack of pills.
Dawne: While depo-provera does have side effects (what doesn’t), I can assure you that it hasn’t been banned in the US. I had my last shot in July and am due for my next one in October. I noticed that you mentioned large doses. Is it possible that it was the ammount of the dose that made it bad and not the drug itself? Or maybe it was another drug altogether.
After a bit of search through google, I think what you are referring to was the administration of depo-provera shots (in mass) to women in south africa before it was approved by the FDA in the US. Very disturbing. Let me know if this is what you meant or if it was something else.
I went to my parents for the weekend. They told me I look like death and took me to a walk in clinic for a second opinion. (They already know about my trip to my doctor). This time I spoke to a lovely female nurse who was very sympathetic. She asked me some questions, took my blood pressure, gave me leaflets. She recommended I just start taking some vitimins to help my body while all this crap is going on. She also basicially said I’ll be fine, but if I wanted I could always come off The Pill. Which I’m not doing.
I’d get another doctor. I went to mine after bleeding issues on the pill and we had a long discussion about the different pills available and their side effects and why he picked the one he did for me and how long did I feel comfortable trying the one I was on to see if the bleeding stopped and what I wanted to take next.
I have no desire to see another doctor in my life. I hate hospitals, and doctors waiting rooms. And I have spent way too much time there recently. Apparently I’m going to have to go to the doctors AGAIN anyway. Turns out there’s an hereditary heart condition in my family. (We’ve only just found out today). So I’m gonna have to go and get tests done. Turns out I’m not immortal. Which being 18, I kind of assumed I was.
Sorry about the whine, but I’ve been bleeding for 25 days. It is now my right.
I hate them too but without them I’d be dead today.
It’s your body and your choice but if I were bleeding after 25 days I would be camped at the doctor until they solved my problem.
I remember going through a similar thought process at about your age. Sucks to figure out that you really aren’t immortal. Good luck with both issues (Heart and bleeding)
Good luck, AngelicGemma, but I’d still find another doctor – one who will actually listen to you. Read tanookie’s last post; there are lots of different sorts of pills, and some women have to try several before they find one that works for them. Personally, I’d look for a female doc. At least they know what it’s all like firsthand.
My only noticeable problem on the pill is the migraines I get during my periods, that I don’t get when I’m off of it. That’s pretty awful, but not as horrific as a 25-day period!
