Irregular monthly cycles, bleeding between cycles and other similar problems can be a sign of a more serious problem. Although it would not bother you if the monthly cycle went far away, never to return, there are some problems that you must not dare ignoring. If you have the following problems, be sure to visit your gynecologist!
1. Excessive bleeding
If you need to change tampon or lady pad on every hour or two, you have excessive bleeding!
Most women bleed 2 to 3 tablespoons of blood every month, while women who have excessive bleeding can lose 5 or more tablespoons of blood per month.
With excessive bleeding, you also lose iron. Your blood needs iron to produce hemoglobin, the molecule that helps red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Without enough iron in the blood, the number of red blood cells is reduced leading to anemia (weak blood).
If you frequently experience heavy bleeding, visit your doctor sp it can check your blood counts, especially the level of iron in the blood.
Among the conditions that can cause excessive bleeding there are polyps, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, change of oral contraceptive, use of certain medicaments, problems with blood coagulation and even cervical cancer.
When you should visit a doctor?
Each cycle, which is different from the usual, is a sign that you should visit a gynecologist, especially if the inconveniences you experience prevent you from doing the usual activities.
2. Bleeding between cycles
Smaller bleeding, or bloody dots between cycles, we can be just a benign appearance (especially if you use birth control pills or as a result of irritation in the vaginal area), but, anyway, you should consult with your doctor. This may be a sign of a cyst, infection, polyps etc.
3. Skip in monthly cycle
If you miss two or more monthly cycles (and you are 100% sure you are not pregnant), it may be due to a range of different and not so good things.
Reasons for skipping the monthly cycle varies depending on the age. If the monthly cycle is absent when you are 25 years, it is quite different from when it is absent when you have 50 years.
Women in the 40’s and 50’s often experience perimenopause – a forthcoming period to menopause. During this period your ovaries stop producing estrogen, so the cycles become less frequent. Cycles can be shorter and less heavy. When the monthly cycle is absent for 12 months, then you are in menopause.
The average age of entry into menopause is 51 years.
Absence of the monthly cycle means something else when it comes to younger women.
One of the reasons may be intense exercise. On average, 5% to 25% of female athletes experience absence of menstrual cycle when they have intense exercise. Intense exercise can affect the production and regulation of hormones involved in the menstrual cycle.
Also, women who suffer from eating disorders experience absence of menstrual cycle. Restrictions on the amount of intake of calories can reduce the production of hormones that the body needs in order to ovulate.
Other reasons for the absence of monthly cycle are thyroid problems, stress, obesity, disturbances of hypothalamus, oral contraception polycystic ovary syndrome etc.
4. Sudden intensive or worsen cramps
Usually, this discomfort is mild and is lost after a day or two. But in some women, these symptoms are so bad that they cannot even get out of bed.
These painful monthly cycles are called dysmenorrhea and may be accompanied by symptoms such as dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache and pain in the spine.
Sometimes the pain is a result of the monthly cycle, and in some women it may be caused by conditions such as fibroids or endometriosis. In order to find the source of the problem you need to do gynecological and Pap test.
Also, visit a gynecologist if:
– You bleed longer than 7 days.
– Cycles stopped within 12 months in a row (menopause) and you bleed again.
– Your menstrual cycle gone from regular to irregular.
– Your menstrual cycle occurs before 21 days, or less than 35 days and this is repeated for several cycles in a row.
– You need to change tampon or lady pad in one hour, several hours in a row.
– You experience very painful cycles.
– Bleed between monthly cycles.