Excuse me. Having read what happens to men who open threads started by women containing the phrase “TMI” in the title expecting to see “really cool lesbian stuff!” only to find stuff about periods, I can’t warn them enough.
Gentlemen, this is your last chance to quit reading.
I have a few concerns, and I’d like to draw on the collective knowledge of the women of the SDMB plus any wandering medical types, including Qadgop if he’s lurking. You see, I’ve noticed my periods becoming more, er, fluid, and closer together. I’m now at 3 weeks between cycles, not 4. Last night, for the first time in 25 odd years of doing this menstruating stuff, I was awoken by cramps. Should I start worrying now? Should I call a gynecologist tomorrow? Or is this routine for no longer being in the first blush of youth? My health is good enough I don’t have a regular doctor or gynecologist I can call, although I can certainly find one, and my family isn’t long on female wisdom (intelligence, yes; traditional lore, no), so I’m turning to you.
Thank you in advance for letting me ask a question which would have me turning beet red and stammering in person!
I’ve learned in discussions with my NP (nurse practitioner – she does my exams) that it’s normal for your periods to change over the course of your life. I’m on the pill (15+ years) and mine have even changed. They’ve cycled backward in the week by about 4 days, even with the pill, and the flow has changed with regard to how heavy/light at what point in the week. Cramps used to be so bad that I had a separate scrip for them to keep from having to go to bed fo two days a month, and now they’re tolerable.
Having said all that, I would also say that you might want to check with a professional to ease your mind. Some cities have a “dial-a-nurse” service that you can call to ask questions; I’ve used one of these from time to time and it was very helpful.
You’re what, around 40, siege? Sounds like normal aging changes to me – kind of a pre-pre-menopause thing. My clockwork regularity started slipping when I was in my early 40s, and I began getting an occasional very heavy period (as in bleeding through a tampon while sleeping, which is definitely not the norm for me). Can’t comment on the cramps, which have woken me up more than once over the last 35 years or so… sigh… but can recommend those tape-on heating pads dealies. Why didn’t they invent THOSE when I was in high school?
As always, IANAD, if you’re concerned, see a medical professional, etc. – but it doesn’t seem like anything to worry about to me.
While it very likely is simply due to aging and changing of your hormones, I would still recommend seeing your doctor, especially if it’s been a while since your last complete physical (i.e., PAP). I’m not sure just how heavy you’re talking, but if your flow has become increasingly heavier over a few months, with a shorter cycle, it could be indicative of something wrong - perhaps something as simple as anemia, but perhaps something as serious as dysplasia (which is easily dealt with if caught early, but dangerous if let go).
If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t panic and schedule an emergency appointment, but I would get an appointment as soon as possible. I’ve had several family members who experienced increased bleeding, in some cases hemorrhaging, and had to have surgery to remove pre-cancerous cells, so my reaction may be a bit alarmist, but heck - better to check with a doctor and have it be nothing than to not check and have it be something, ya know? G’luck; I hope it turns out to be nothing to worry about.
I agree that it’s probably nothing, but I would call your Dr. just to see if he/she seems concerned. If nothing else, she might have suggestions on how to deal with the cramps.
I don’t know if you are on any type of birth control now, but the pill sometimes can help make you more regular and make your periods shorter. Or if you have recently switched to a new form of birth control it could be caused by that.
Like others have said though, it could just be your hormones changing.
"Hey…‘Guys, Keep OUT!’, huh? These chicks must be talkin’ some hot 'n heavy stuff in here…lemme just take a peek in here and see what kinda action is happeOH MY GOD!! Cramps! Blood! Tampons! Hormones! GAAAAAAA!!! :eek: "
Sheesh…could’ve at least warned a guy…
I’m gonna go with the crowd here. Don’t panic, but do see a doctor.
My periods change when anything in my life changes. If my eating habits change, so do my periods. If my weight changes, yet again, so do my periods. If my exercise patterns change, same thing. If I sit around more than before, ditto. I could go on and on. So it’s probably nothing.
However, for your own peace of mind and to rule out the slim (probably very slim) chance that it’s something serious, get yourself to an ob/gyn and get a check up.
“guys stay away, but Qadgop come on over”? And almost never for the cool lesbian stuff, either! The story of my life!
Anyway, The advice here is basically sound: It’s probably normal age-related changes going on. But without asking a lot more questions I really have no desire to ask on the message board at the moment, I’d advise chatting with your Nurse Practitioner or doc. It does sound like it’s been a while since your last Pap and pelvic.
Qadgop, if I ever post anything involving “really cool lesbian stuff”, I promise I’ll e-mail you a link personally! Unfortunately, given my proclivities, that’s not likely to happen, but I’ll do what I can.
As I said, I don’t have a GP or ob/gyn at the moment, but I’ll at least look into seeing if the one I was seeing is covered under my current health plan.
Thanks for the advice. I really do appreciate it.
CJ
I would agree with all the advice, especially that of Qadgop, of course.
Since you’re in the 'Burgh, I have to make a recommendation of the great ladies at The Midwife Center. They do routine gynecological and “women’s wellness” care in addition to the childbirth thing, and they’re a terrific bunch of women. They’re all nurse-midwives and certified nurse practitioners, so they can’t do “everything” but if they think that you need the services of an M.D. they will certainly not balk at saying so and making a referral. I really miss them, they’re terrific caregivers especially if you want someone who knows that listening to you is as important as jamming that cold duck bill into your tender parts.
I’m a huge fan of regular gyno checkups in any case, even if you’re not sexually active. You never know what might pop up. And everyone should have a regular PCP and gyno, because it’s much easier to get in to see someone when you need it urgently if you already have an established doctor/patient relationship. A friend of mine had huge hassles in the ER when he got whacked in the face with a soccer ball and needed stitches, because he had an HMO, but no PCP to authorize treatment because he’d never selected one.
Plus, about a year ago, a routine Pap may very well have saved my life. It picked up what turned out to be early-stage cervical cancer. I wasn’t sexually active and hadn’t been in a while, and don’t have any of the normal risk factors, so it was a pretty big shock. I’m not trying to make you panic, but this is why I’m such a huge fan of regular checkups. Good luck!
I’ll go with the “probably age-related” votes (I’m 42 and have recently started experiencing some changes in my cycle; this past month, it came 12 days early, just in time for the romantic get-away weekend hubby and I had planned; God does have a sense of humor); but your symptoms also remind me of ovarian cysts, esp. the dramatic increase in cramping. AFAIK, these cysts aren’t life-threatening, but should probably be treated if they’re starting to cause problems. See a doctor, wouldja?
My wife (yes, I’m a guy with a medical background, no, not looking for secret thrills) goes yearly for an exam, and went a little early this year because of some changes she’s noticed. I encouraged her because she had questions about menopause, and so that she could get a “baseline” on which to compare future changes. She’s 42, btw. My 12 year-old daughter has been menstruating for almost two years now, and she and my wife have a hormonal tug-of-war. They are often offset by two weeks, and sometimes “split the difference” meaning one of them is early, the other late. If there is another menstruating woman with whom you have physical contact (e.g. living with, use same toilet as, work out in a gym with, etc.), that can also affect the cycle. But it doesn’t sound like you need to lose sleep over it, at least not from worrying.
I’ve had an ovarian cyst rupture, and trust me, you don’t mistake that pain for cramps. It did wake me up in the night, in time to crawl to the bathroom, have trouble deciding whether to puke or pass out, take some ibuprofen, crawl back to bed and pass out there, expecting to wake up dead the next morning. I did have some fever before the cyst ruptured, which is very unusual for me.
Let me second the Midwives in Pittsburgh. I, in general, hate doctors. I find them, at best, hurried and insulting. (For DoperDoctors who do actually listen and care about thier patients, good on you. Where are you and when can I get an appointment?)
The Midwives are an awesome, awesome group. Highly understanding and friendly, and they take the time to explain everything. Lovely people.
Hi: 43 year old checking in - yeah, things get a little weird around this age (FYI, menopause age is hereditary - look at your mom’s history and you’ll know exactly when…the old bleeding through the night, god, why can’t they make these things BIGGER than extra heavy…what the hell was that? (at the risk of being too detailed), guys, if you’ve hung in so far, I’d bail now)…for one who has never had kids, imagine my shock at having something the size of a small grapefruit, ok a big, honkin’ grapefruit, drop out of you, is rather shocking, although according to my gyno, quite normal to happen once in a while (hopefully the only time in this life!). Apparently, just a really large blood clot.
Although my hairdresser and I had quite the giggle over the question “what would have happened had you not been sitting on the john at the time?” All absolutely horrifying things are usually funny after a couple of months, I guess.
Schedule gets a bit weirdtoo…
So, on that note, not to worry although I would get an apointment with someone just to check.
Just think, if it’s menopause, only a few years to go before it’s all over!!!
