Period talk: Questions and advice

ironstag said:so how do I actually calculate how late my period is..

is it from the day I was supposed to get it.. or from my last one???

🙄🙄🙄

To figure out how late you are, just count from when you expected it this month. When you see your OBGYN, though, they'll want to know the date of your last period. Hopefully you're keeping track of those dates. False positives on tests are rare, but they do happen. Just get to the doctor ASAP. Have you taken a test yet?

I’ve had my period for about 11 years now, and up until this last cycle, it’s always shown up five days early. The cramps are absolutely brutal—like, total nightmare fuel—so I rely on meds. I decided to try some 550mg Nalgene. This last month, it arrived five days ahead of schedule, and I popped two pills within a 12-hour window. Since then, my flow has tanked; it only lasted four days, whereas it usually sticks around for six. Could the pills be messing with things, or is it something else? help meeeee

ironstag said:I honestly don't know... maybe it didn't even happen, I can't quite recall... and my friends aren't exactly the supportive type. I have an appointment scheduled with my gynecologist tomorrow, but I have no idea how I should act or handle any of this... I am terrified of everything... and of course, I intend to lay everything out for him...
(maybe it wasn't rape).... perhaps it was some sort of sexual encounter that I unconsciously consented to because I was completely wasted... 😢 😢 😢 😢
I am 17 years old 😢 😢 ... I just pray to God that I am not pregnant and that I haven't contracted some dangerous disease... perhaps it is merely some physical imbalance caused by the changing seasons, daily stressors, and the sheer anxiety I feel due to the issues I am facing at home...

And if I were actually pregnant, surely I would have realized it by now :S I would have noticed at least some of the side effects :S ....
I truly have no clue how one is supposed to conduct oneself in situations like these...
So please, if you know anything else regarding abortions, write back... I would be deeply grateful

Engaging in sexual activity with someone while a person is intoxicated is, whether she intended it or not, rape. It doesn't matter what she believed or thought in the moment. Whether you "consented" while drunk is entirely irrelevant to the fact that consent was impossible.
If I recall correctly, you were supposed to see the gynecologist today? How did that go?
Regarding abortions, there is a wealth of information available in the dedicated abortion thread; if you find you are lacking specific details, please ask there. I have never undergone the procedure myself, so I cannot speak from direct experience, but there are women on this forum who have.

But let us move away from hypotheticals—how was the appointment with the doctor?

And please, try not to succumb to fear. I understand that young women endure all sorts of things following such traumatic events, but you must remain resilient. I can tell you that I have found myself in similarly harrowing circumstances, though fortunately, I had friends who stepped in to look after me once they saw the situation spinning out of control. I have done the same for them. Given that you clearly lack a circle of friends who will watch your back, you must be exceptionally cautious regarding alcohol consumption. Drinking is never a virtue, but in this context, it is catastrophic.
Be vigilant about where and how you drink. For all we know, you weren't merely intoxicated; it is entirely plausible that someone slipped Rohypnol into your drink, especially since your memory is so fragmented. Please, take care of yourself.
Furthermore, it would be highly advisable to speak with someone you can trust—be it your mother, an aunt, a friend (one possessing more intellect than those previously mentioned), or a psychologist. Seek out professional support.

I had some spotting on day 26 of my cycle🙄 then it stopped Sunday night and hasn't come back since. It lasted maybe a day and a half🙄 It’s annoying because I have no idea what's going on. It isn't pregnancy, and it wasn't even a heavy flow🤷 just that day and a half😕

Hey girls, I’ve run into a bit of a situation because my memory is honestly a total disaster lately. So, I’ve been on Yasmin for a while now. I started my last pack and was doing everything by the book—I took my 9th pill on Thursday without any issues. But then, life happened! On Friday, I had to head out on a sudden trip, and everything was such a whirlwind that I completely blanked on my pills. Long story short, I missed both Friday and Saturday. I got back and resumed my regular schedule on Sunday, and I've been back on track yesterday and today, but then I noticed I've started bleeding. What am I supposed to do now? Should I just push through and keep taking them? Or should I stop entirely, wait out those seven days, and then start a brand new pack on day eight? I’m honestly feeling so lost on how to handle this.

I’ve got a question too 🙂 is it actually normal for a period to last three weeks? For the last three months, I've been bleeding every 20 days or so. I know I need to see a gynecologist, but I just can't get an appointment right now. Could stress be causing this? Has anyone else dealt with this...

Casey Torres7 said:I've got a question too. 🙂 Is it normal to bleed for three weeks straight? For the last three months, my cycle has been coming around every 20 days or so. I know I need to see a doctor, but I just can't make an appointment right now. Could stress be causing this? Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

My period usually comes every 25 days. I figure that’s still within the normal range. But a 21-day cycle? That starts looking suspicious when you think about fertility. It could be that the luteal phase is just too short, or maybe there’s a progesterone deficiency.🤷

Casey Torres7 I have a question too. Is it normal for a cycle to last three weeks? For the last three months, my period has come every 20 days or so. I know I need to see a gynecologist, but I just can't get an appointment right now. Could stress be causing this? Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

As for me, I had three cycles that were only 21 days long, and now my fourth one is 25. It actually feels like I was just ovulating yesterday😕 because the discharge was super stretchy, almost like gum. I had that for about a week, and then my period hit. It was all accompanied by mild cramps (and a lot of anxiety😁).

Chloe Gomez6 said:So, I’ve had three cycles at 21 days in a row, and now the fourth one is hitting 25. Honestly, it feels like I was just ovulating yesterday.😕 If my discharge was anything, it would be like that stretchy bubblegum texture. I had it for about a week before my period finally showed up. It all came with those dull aches and a massive side of anxiety.😁).

Why don't you just go see a gynecologist? Twenty-one days is a bit too short to be sure.☕

Sandra Rivera59 said:Girls, I’ve got a bit of a situation because my memory is absolute trash. So, I’ve been on Yasmin for a while now. I started my last pack and was doing fine, taking my 9th pill on Thursday. Then, out of nowhere on Friday, I had to go on a trip, and everything was such a chaotic mess that I completely forgot to take my pills. Basically, I missed both Friday and Saturday. I finally took one on Sunday when I got back, and then yesterday and today I’ve been right back on schedule, but now I just realized I’ve started bleeding. What am I supposed to do? Should I just keep going? Should I stop entirely, count out seven days, and then restart on the eighth day? I honestly have no clue what the move is here.

Hey. I don't really get how you managed to start bleeding if you only missed two days... usually, you don't see that until the fourth day of missing them.. hmm. You should definitely ask your OBGYN. From what I remember reading in the pamphlet, if you miss a dose by less than 24 hours, you just take it immediately, but if it's been more than 24 hours, you still take it, but you absolutely have to use backup protection like condoms... oh boy.. seriously, try not to let this happen again.. 🙂 personally, I take mine at noon, and even if I'm running late, it's never more than a couple of hours.. 🙂

redpilot37 said:A 25-day cycle feels pretty much normal to me, but a 21-day one? That’s definitely suspicious when you're looking at fertility. It could be that the second phase is too short or there's just not enough progesterone...🤷

Chloe Gomez6 said:So my cycles were 21 days for three months straight, and now this fourth one hit 25. And honestly... I could've sworn I was just ovulating yesterday...😕 If you were that stretchy, gum-like discharge... I had it for about a week before my period hit. All while dealing with those dull aches and being a total nervous wreck...😁).

Thanks for the input. My cycle usually runs about 31 to 34 days, but this feels different... 😕 I'm gonna go check it out just to be sure... 🙂

redpilot37 said:Why don't you head to the OB-GYN? Twenty-one days is just a little too soon.☕

I'm worried it might be due to breastfeeding. My cycles were actually quite regular before I gave birth, though.🙄She's gone. What now? And honestly, 21 still feels like we're in the clear—it's basically the baseline.😁.

I could use a little guidance here. I think I suffered a massive migraine attack during my period. It was enough to wake me from a dead sleep—this unbearable, pounding headache accompanied by nausea and vomiting. My blood pressure even spiked to 160 over 100, which is quite a shock because I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. The doctor on call gave me an injection of Ketorolac and Lasix, though he did point out that my reading wasn't actually that high, per se. Unfortunately, I ended up throwing up all the oral pain medication I took. Is it possible this is a menstrual migraine, and is it directly linked to hormonal shifts? I’m honestly lost, so I would truly appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with this. I’ve done some reading online, but I find I much prefer hearing firsthand accounts from other women. I should mention that the Lasix injection didn't seem to kick in until about three or four hours later. During the peak, my sense of smell was completely off and light sensitivity was through the roof. Thankfully, today feels like nothing ever happened.

Hey there.
I was catching up with a close friend yesterday, and I felt like I needed to bring this here because I’ve been spinning my wheels thinking about it.
We ended up talking about menstrual health, and she confessed that it actually took her about eight years for her cycle to finally stabilize. 😲
In the beginning, she was barely getting two or three periods a year. She went to see her doctor, and they prescribed some kind of medication that managed to kickstart a few cycles, but as soon as she stopped taking them, everything just shut down again—I think they were hormonal supplements rather than birth control, but I can't remember the specific name.
Now, her cycle still isn't exactly what you'd call regular; it tends to run about two weeks late most of the time. 😕
I guess I'm wondering if there are any long-term consequences for her health? Like, could this affect her ability to have kids later on, or anything else like that?
She’s really dear to me, so hearing all that just left me feeling pretty heavy-hearted. 😢

Hey ladies. My period started on October 14th and wrapped up by the 21st—though the last few days were just light spotting. I was totally clear on the 22nd, so I took my very first birth control pill then.
Then, out of nowhere, I got hit with a HEAVY flow again yesterday.
Does anyone know if the pill is just completely throwing my system out of whack?🤷

I went through the exact same thing while I was on those Estary birth control pills, where I ended up dealing with two periods in a single thirty-day window.
After that mess, I decided to take a break from them based on what my gynecologist suggested, and everything settled back down to normal after that...

Hey... I have a question and really need some advice or just an opinion from you guys...
So... my first period started when I was around 13 or 14 and it’s never been regular. It would skip months entirely. Everything stayed pretty much the same until I saw my OBGYN at 17 and found out I have PCOS. I was prescribed Diane, which I took until five months ago (I'm 19 now). I decided to take a break from them—plus, my boyfriend actually said he'd rather I didn't take them because of all the side effects people talk about. The month I stopped, my period was three weeks late. We were worried even though we're careful, so I took a pregnancy test. It was negative, and then my period showed up two or three days later. Since then, it’s usually just a few days late every month... nothing major. But this month, it was supposed to come around October 4th, and it hasn't happened. After a week, I started panicking. Stress isn't helping, especially with my boyfriend breathing down my neck asking when it's finally coming. A week after that, it still wasn't here, and the stress just doubled because of my finals. I am terrified of how these exams are going to go. I took another pregnancy test last week and it was negative. My exams are still going on so I'm stressed, but my period is nowhere to be found... even though I have all the PMS symptoms. I'm honestly scared 😢 my boyfriend is putting pressure on me again waiting for it to start... I'm seeing my doctor next week, but I could really use some comfort or advice from you all. Please =)
Sorry for the novel, I'm just freaking out 😢

Olivia Baker5 said:Hi everyone... I have a question and I really need some advice, an opinion, or just anything at all...
It goes like this... I had my first period when I was about 13 or 14, and it has never been regular. It would skip months quite frequently, and it was always a bit unpredictable. Everything remained largely the same until I saw my gynecologist for the first time at age 17, which is when I discovered I have PCOS. My prescribed treatment was Diane-35, which I took for five months earlier this year (I am 19 now). I decided to stop taking them because I wanted to take a break from the medication—and honestly, my boyfriend suggested it too, as he’d heard they cause all sorts of issues. In the month after I stopped, my period was three weeks late. Naturally, we were worried, even though we are extremely careful, so I took a pregnancy test; it was negative, and then my period arrived two or three days later. Since then, it has been late by a few days every single month, but nothing ever seemed serious. This month, however, it was supposed to arrive around October 4th, but it hasn't come. After a week of waiting, I started getting anxious. The stress is piling up, especially since my boyfriend keeps hovering over me, asking when my period is finally going to show up. A week after that, the anxiety intensified because the period still hadn't arrived, and on top of that, I am terrified about my upcoming college finals—I am absolutely dreading how they will go. I took another pregnancy test last week and it was negative. My exams are still ongoing, so I am still incredibly stressed, but my period is nowhere to be found. I have all the PMS symptoms, and I'm just scared 😢 my boyfriend is putting extra pressure on me regarding my cycle... I am seeing my gynecologist next week, but I wanted to reach out here for some comfort or advice from you all... please =)
I apologize for this novel, but I am feeling quite desperate 😢

First, if this sounds blunt, forgive me: tell your boyfriend to go play some video games or something and give you some space. While it is kind of him to care, men often cause more harm than good with their "knowledge" regarding hormonal pills. Also, you mentioned being "careful." Does that mean you aren't using condoms?

Beyond that, here are a few observations: breaks from birth control are neither necessary nor required. You shouldn't feel obligated to take them, and if you truly insist on a break, perhaps do so once every two years for about six months. I see you took a break after being on them for a long time, which is fine.

PCOS is a chronic condition; birth control doesn't cure it, it merely manages the symptoms. Therefore, your irregular cycles are perfectly "normal" given the circumstances, especially considering the immense amount of stress you are under right now.

You should check out the PCOS discussion threads to see what other women are using. It isn't mandatory to stay on heavy-duty pills like Diane-35; there are much milder options available that might suit you better (for instance, a friend of mine with PCOS uses Loestrin and finds it works wonders). Talk to your gynecologist, get all the necessary tests done, and perhaps try a different formulation.

And yes, even when you take your next break, you will likely face delayed periods again. You simply have to be prepared for that reality.

There is always a possibility of pregnancy, as it is difficult to track ovulation accurately with your condition. However, based on the negative test and everything else you've described, it is highly unlikely.

Use condoms if you aren't already. Let your boyfriend worry if he must, but you are the one who makes decisions regarding your own body. Try to calm down; once you get through these finals—which I am sure you will handle fine—your cycle will likely settle down, and everything will be alright. Go to your appointment and discuss all your options with the doctor.
Understood?
😉

stormymaker24 said:Look, this might sound harsh, but: just let the guy have some Lego sets or whatever to play with and leave him alone for a bit. It’s nice that he cares, but honestly, guys with their "knowledge" about pills usually end up doing more harm than good. Also, you mentioned being "careful." Does that mean there wasn't any protection used?

thanks =)
To answer your question: we used condoms, but not every single time. 🙈.. and I know this delay feels like a punishment because we weren't being smart, 🙂 but even when we didn't use one, he was being really careful...

Olivia Baker5 said:thanks so much =)
answering the question: we used condoms, though certainly not on every occasion.🙈.. and I am fully aware that this delay feels like some sort of cosmic retribution for our lack of foresight, 🙂 but even during those times when we were unprotected, he was incredibly careful about everything...

I only asked that question to get you thinking about the possibilities. These things happen to everyone, provided you don't let it become a recurring pattern in your life.
Best of luck 😉