Period talk: Questions and advice

Nicole Stewart54 said:I’m dealing with something similar. I went to my OBGYN back in November, and everything came back perfect. But since then, my PMS has gotten way worse. The breast pain is driving me crazy starting about seven days before my period. Then, once the period actually starts, it only lasts four or five days instead of the usual six or seven.

Same here. The breast tenderness is real, though for me, it kicks in about two days before my cycle starts. The duration of the period itself seems normal for now, but I have no clue why things changed. I haven't been sexually active for about a year, but I doubt that's the cause. I'm not on birth control or anything like anti-seizure meds either... 🤷 It's frustrating...
Thanks for sharing. It helps knowing I'm not the only one going through this. 😉

Thanks, I think I feel the same way too. It just feels like things are starting up again, so if it doesn't settle down soon, I guess I'll go see my OB-GYN.

I used to deal with this whenever life got particularly stressful...🤷
It passed, just like it always does.🤣

restlessheron42 said:Thanks—I was thinking along those same lines... though if this doesn't settle down soon, I'll definitely be making an appointment with my OB-GYN.

You should go—stress can absolutely wreak havoc on your cycle 😉 but you really never know until you check.

Maybe you're hitting menopause... not sure how old you are... but once women hit a certain age and get close to that stage, cycles tend to get messy. For instance, a friend's mom is 49 now and her cycle is all over the place. She'll have two periods in one month, then nothing for a few months. Just an observation based on what I've seen.

I'm 30, so I guess it might be a little too early.🙂

Ladies... has anyone else dealt with their period being late after a round of antibiotics or a particularly nasty bout of the flu😢? A week or two before starting the antibiotics, I took Plan B 😢...it was back on May 1st, right when I was feeling absolutely miserable from the virus. My cycle has stayed regular since then, but now, nothing is showing up 😢...I have been sexually active, specifically on January 8th, where there was one instance of unprotected contact followed by withdrawal 🙄—which we all know isn't foolproof—though it was during my non-fertile window. Now I'm dealing with these incredibly annoying breast pains, some pelvic discomfort, bloating, and indigestion... yet still no sign of my period
...

So, I'm 31. Up until recently, my gynecological health has been pretty much textbook—nothing ever really went wrong, and my periods have always been regular, usually lasting about seven days.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve noticed things getting a bit heavier on the second and third day, though honestly, it didn't feel like anything out of the ordinary or even particularly extreme.

This month, everything seemed to start on schedule—day 28—and lasted for eight days. By day eight, the discharge was just that typical brownish stuff I usually see. But then, on day 10 and 11, I started noticing this light pinkish discharge when I went to the bathroom or checked my underwear. It wasn't a ton, but it was definitely enough to make me feel uneasy.
By day 12, it had almost completely cleared up, but then I had sex with my boyfriend and experienced some bleeding—it was bright red, looking almost exactly like the heavy flow I get on the second day of my period. That really spooked me, so I called my doctor right away, though I can't actually get in to see them until Thursday.

To give a little more context, I've lost quite a bit of weight lately—maybe around 20 pounds—and I've been dealing with a massive amount of stress, both with work and my personal life.

Naturally, my mind is jumping straight to the worst-case scenarios (I guess I'm just a chronic overthinker by default 😁), so if anyone has any words of comfort or maybe some insight to share, I'd really appreciate it. 🙂

Maria James88 said:I am 31. To date, I have experienced no gynecological issues; everything remains consistent, including a regular seven-day cycle.

Over the last few months, my cycle has become slightly heavier on the second and third days. Nothing unusual or excessive, really.

My cycle arrived on schedule this month—day 28. It lasted eight days. On the eighth day, the discharge was brown, which is typical for me. However, by the tenth and eleventh days, I noticed some light pink spotting on my underwear and when wiping. It wasn't a heavy amount, but it was enough to cause concern.
The spotting on day twelve was negligible. However, during intimacy with my boyfriend, I experienced bleeding—bright red, much like the second day of a period. It was unsettling. I requested an appointment immediately, though I am stuck waiting until Thursday.

I have lost some weight recently—about twenty pounds. Between work and my personal life, the stress levels have been quite high.

Of course the worst-case scenarios are racing through my mind. I am a worrier by design. 😁If anyone has any words of comfort or even just a passing comment, I would be grateful. 🙂

Stress might be the culprit. I haven't typically dealt with painful periods—just the first day—nor have I ever felt much ovulation pain. But now, facing an intense period of personal stress, everything has become an issue. Painful ovulation. Terrible PMS.

I guess I need some advice.... four months ago my period was a few days late, but for the last three months, it’s been coming five days early.... and the cramps are intense... has anyone dealt with this?? Also, I get urinary tract infections right before and after my cycle—should I be worried about this?

Sandra Howard48 said:I could use some advice. Four months ago my period was a few days late, but for the last three months, it’s been five days early... and the cramps are intense. Has anyone dealt with this? Also, I get breakouts right before and after my cycle—is that something to worry about?

Breakouts are a standard PMS symptom. As for the timing shift, I can't say. Was your cycle perfectly regular before this?

Mine has always fluctuated. It’s ranged from 24 days (rarely, years ago) up to 35. Lately, it stays between 27 and 31.

Linda Lopez26 said:Hey ladies... has anyone ever had their period completely disappear because of a heavy course of antibiotics or a really nasty bout of the flu😢?

Yeah, this happened to me back when I was eighteen. I dealt with strep throat for nearly six months straight and eventually needed my tonsils removed. But for the surgery to be safe, they required me to be fever-free for three weeks—which was basically impossible for me since I was sick for half a year without a break. I think my system was just totally fried 🤣. Long story short, I was swallowing mountains of antibiotics, and after the surgery, my period skipped about four months entirely 😢. Honestly, I thought I’d somehow been blessed by a miracle 😬. I ended up seeing a gynecologist who prescribed some hormones to jumpstart things, but my cycle never really returned to normal 🤷

Yeah, right after that, I started a serious relationship and became sexually active. Life suddenly got pretty intense (😁) so I decided not to overthink things and just headed to my OB-GYN to get on birth control. Back then, I wasn't living in the States; I was abroad where women are treated with extreme caution. My doctor was incredibly thorough—he ran blood work, checked my hormone levels, and went over my entire medical history. I didn't have to take an IQ test just to get the pills 🤣, but he did grill me about whether I smoked. He warned me that if I gained more than a few pounds, I needed to stop immediately because, in my specific case, there’s a risk of blood clots 😕. Anyway... I stayed on them for almost four years (with a two-month break every year) and everything was fine. I could actually predict my period, which was great. Since my prescription only lasted three months at a time, I had to go back for a checkup every quarter. As soon as I stopped, everything fell apart—cramps, nausea, irregular cycles... just a total mess. But according to my doctor, there isn't any physical cause for it 😕

rustybison87 said:Hey, would you mind sharing which pads you use?

I can't say too much—apparently, I’ve been "accused" of being a walking advertisement—but the truth is that most pads out there have a plastic backing. And honestly? That stuff is a nightmare for women; it’s basically a breeding ground for bacteria and infections.

There are actually those high-tech pads with a Gore-Tex-style moisture barrier—the ones that leak if you wear them for more than a month or two—but once you get past that, they honestly don't cause any pain at all.

Edit: I'm so sorry to hear you're dealing with that kind of pain.

Always ultra night—you’re honestly the only one who can help me stay sane through this because it’s just too much. To be real, I’m already starting to panic a little just thinking about having to face it all again in three weeks.

I've got a bit of a situation here... please, someone help meeeee.... the thing is, my period was supposed to show up by January 29th (and now I'm nearly two weeks late!)—is this just because I was meant to be on my second cycle or could it be something else entirely???? please, I need some help!!!!

restlessheron42 said:Has anyone ever dealt with something similar?

About three weeks ago, I had my period just like usual, lasting about 7 days, though the flow was lighter than what I normally get. Then, two weeks later, I had some light spotting again—mostly brownish rather than red—which lasted for maybe five days.

I don't want to panic or rush to the doctor right away, but I am a little confused.

I ended up seeing my OBGYN because things wouldn't stop. They put me on some hormone pills—like birth control, but I'm taking them a bit differently than you would for contraception—and I have a follow-up in 6 weeks.

Lisa King28 said:I have a problem... please help me.... My period was supposed to arrive on January 29th (it's almost two weeks late!) Is this because I just started getting them, or could it be something else???? Please help me!!!!

Are you saying you just started having periods? It's perfectly normal for cycles to be irregular at first. There is nothing to worry about. Have you had any sexual intercourse?

Maybe it's just because it's your second one, assuming you haven't had sex before, I guess.

Lisa King28 said:I have a problem... please help meeeee.... the thing is, I was supposed to get my period by January 29th (it's almost two weeks late!) is this because it's only my second one, or could it be something else???? please help!!!!

If this is only your second one, then honestly, it's totally normal. I know people who didn't get regular cycles for two whole years—for me, it's only been late three times in the thirteen years since I started, and every single time was different.