Period talk: Questions and advice

I wasn't quite sure where to turn for advice, so I figured I’d just pose the question here.
My period is already over three weeks late. It isn't a pregnancy issue—that's been ruled out—and I actually dealt with this exact same three-week delay just two months ago.
However, this month was different; I ended up fighting off a bladder infection and had to go through a course of antibiotics. Is it possible for an infection like that to throw my cycle completely out of whack, causing a delay or even skipping a month entirely?

I am definitely feeling the symptoms, though. Everything from mood swings to those annoying breakouts. I’ve even been running a slight fever in the evenings.

Hey guys.
I'm 16 and I think something's up with my period. It started 5 days ago, and usually, it lasts about 5 days—so today should be my last day of cleaning up. But now everything's gone weird; it’s technically day 6, and I just went to the bathroom and saw blood on my underwear.
Can I get a woman to tell me what the deal is? THANKS

So, my period has never really been on a predictable schedule, but what’s happening right now is actually starting to freak me out a little bit. Back in May, I got my period two weeks earlier than usual—I'm thinking maybe it was just the crazy weather shifts, you know, going from sea level straight up to 8,000 feet in like twenty-four hours—but then, after only three weeks, it decided to show up again. This time around, it’s way heavier than what I'm used to, and honestly, the pain is pretty intense; it feels almost like full-on cramps, plus I've been dealing with nausea and felt like I was about to pass out. To make matters worse, everything is hitting me right in the middle of finals week when my stress levels are already through the roof. I guess I was wondering if anyone has any advice or tips for dealing with this?

I deal with this pretty often myself—it’s not just nausea, I actually end up throwing up. There isn't much you can really do besides just power through it, unless you're dealing with stuff like ovarian issues or something similar. Grab a heating pad, curl up in the fetal position, and just try to hang in there. Seriously though, if you haven't checked in with your OB-GYN about this yet, you definitely should🙂

So, here’s the deal—I know there probably isn't a magic fix for this, but I just want to be sure about something... 😕 Swimming season is officially kicking off, and I’m out here at the beach. My friends keep calling me over to jump in the water, but my period is starting. I can tell it’s coming; I just have that feeling, and it’s always pretty much right on schedule. It’s not even that I don't know how to tell them why I'm sitting this one out—that part is easy, I could just make some excuse to brush them off—but it’s the FOMO that’s killing me. I honestly can't stand just sitting here watching everyone else have a blast while I'm stuck on the sidelines. I really don't want to mess around with tampons because I've literally never used one in my life, and even those tiny mini ones just don't feel like an option for me right now. Does anyone have any ideas or solutions?

Look, if you wouldn't be into using tampons, then there isn't really another way out 🤷—you just have to sit there on the beach and deal with it, while you're stuck thinking about all the reasons why you're avoiding them in the first place 😬

And honestly, just try to picture it—watching all your friends having the time of their lives, laughing and sharing these little inside jokes, while you’re just sitting there, totally sidelined, feeling completely bored out of your mind!

Yeah, honestly, I have no clue what all the fuss is about—I just pop in a tampon and head straight for the ocean 🤷

Just put in a tampon and go take your bath. 🙂

So, what’s even your excuse for not using a tampon?

Dana Brown12 said:hey everyone.
I'm 16 and I think I might have an issue with my period flow—specifically, I started five days ago, and normally my cycle lasts about five days, so today should just be the final cleanup phase. However, there's a bit of a hiccup: nothing happened on day five, but now that I've hit day six, I went to the bathroom and noticed some blood on my underwear.
I'm hoping some woman out there can tell me if this is actually a problem. THANKS

It's probably nothing at all; these things happen from time to time. Nothing to panic about.

silentgardener20 said:My periods aren't usually regular to begin with, but this has me a little worried. Back in May, I got my period two weeks early—likely due to the sudden change in altitude (going from sea level to 8,000 feet in a single day)—and now, after just three weeks, it's back again. This time the flow is heavier than usual, and I'm dealing with intense pain (bordering on cramps), nausea, and I nearly fainted. To top it off, I'm right in the middle of finals week and under a massive amount of stress. Does anyone have any advice?

Since you mentioned they aren't regular, it’s likely a hormonal thing affecting your ovaries—it could even be a cyst (though, given how much stress you're under right now, that's a possibility too). It would probably be best to see a gynecologist and make sure you get an ultrasound done.

Chloe Roberts95 said:...does anyone have a solution! 😕

Just stay home.
If your period is winding down, maybe just relax and head to the beach for a bit.

This is actually the first time in my life I've had two periods in a single month... and for the second time now, it's been really heavy.😕

My period is already two weeks late 😕 I actually went in for my regular OB-GYN checkup right after my last cycle—had an ultrasound done, and everything with my uterus and ovaries looked perfectly fine. I've had a pretty stressful month lately, and some stomach issues meant I could barely eat anything for a week, which resulted in losing about six pounds. I'm not pregnant. I realize that stress and sudden weight loss can cause a delay, but I suppose I am starting to get a little worried 😢 Is it possible for it to be this late because of those factors?

I really hope someone can help because this is starting to freak me out a little... My last period was totally normal back when I was 5 months along... But then I got sick—sinus issues, fever, coughing, the whole deal—and my period came way earlier than usual. It was super weird too, just light spotting, kind of brownish or mixed with blood... I had some mild PMS symptoms before it hit, but since I was dealing with a cold, I didn't think much of it... The bleeding lasted about 6 days like always, just lighter, so I just used liners... I was taking some antibiotics for the infection and I've been pretty stressed lately, so maybe that's playing a part? Anyway, about a week ago, it happened again... I had those PMS feelings, so I knew it was coming, even though it's never early like this since my last one ended only two weeks ago... I'm kinda worried... It's the same thing all over again, just this brown-black discharge that looks more like spotting, and it's really light... It's been 8 days now and I'm just lost... My OB-GYN is on vacation for another two weeks... Has anyone else dealt with something like this?

Help needed! 🙂

Does anyone know if there are any pills to help jumpstart my period early? I don't take any birth control, but I really need to "speed things up" this month because of some stuff coming up... is there anything out there that actually works?

My period usually drags on for at least 7 or 8 days. This month, things started out normally, but then after just two days, the flow tapered off and completely cut out by day 5. It doesn't seem like a massive shift, but it’s never happened before. I’m wondering if there could be any connection to tampons? I use them occasionally, but this time I was using them constantly—except during the night. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? I see so many women online linking these kinds of shifts to pregnancy, so I’m feeling a bit paranoid 😁 even though my boyfriend and I always use condoms and haven't had any issues with them 🙄

Bleeding isn't actually about whether you're using tampons or pads... it's more about the thickness of the uterine lining that's shedding...

brightotter21 said:Help me out here! 🙂

Is there any kind of pill that can help me start my period earlier? I don't take any birth control, but I really need to "speed up" things this month because of some upcoming plans... does anything like that actually exist?

There are pills that can delay your period, but you’ll definitely need a prescription from your OB-GYN first. Your best bet is to reach out to them ASAP so you have enough time to start taking them!

So, if you're taking those pills to push back your period, do you need to be extra careful during sex? And do they actually boost your fertility or anything? 🙏

Basically, I've been on my first pack of birth control pills and I've already had this period for 16 days straight. Before, it usually lasted about 10 days, but now it’s day 16 and the flow hasn't even let up—it's just the same intensity every single day. If it were lighter, I might be able to deal, but it's just constant.
My mother told me she has no idea why this is happening, suggesting it might just be because things haven't stabilized yet.
What I really want to know is: if this keeps going, I still have 6 pills left in this pack. Even if it stops today, am I going to bleed again once I hit that seven-day break? And why on earth is this lasting so long? My uterus is aching, my ovaries hurt... I'm feeling this sharp, stabbing sensation.

I understand that stress can cause a period to be late or even skip a month entirely, but is it possible for it to arrive early for the same reason?
In my case, my last two cycles were both about a week shorter than usual, and I can only attribute that to the stress mentioned above.🤷