irregular periods

LegacyUser

maybe girls ye can help me out here.

since i first started getting my periods at 13 they have always been completely regular...no problems....but the last 2 months is different. first they were a week early...then 2 weeks early....i'm not on the pill or sexually active...the only thing i can think that might be causing it is i've started taking medication for my skin 2 months ago. only thing is doctor didn't mention this as a side effect and everything i've read about the drug - i've never seen this as a side effect.

i've been through a lot of stress lately but i thought that would delay your period, not make it a week or 2 weeks early.

i know this isn't a medical board but i'd appreciate anything anyone has to say. thanks.

samo

have been there, bought the t-shirt etc when it comes to strange goings on in this area!. Had a similar thing happen to me a few years back and was taking a medicine for skin which was a tetracycline - sorry cannot remember the name but I do remember it played havoc with periods - to be honest it only really settled down and has gone back to normal after I my 1st child 4 years ago so if its not agreeing with you and thats what you feel it is I would see your doctor straight away.

I was never early though having said that always late and had mad cycle for a long time of about 35 days which could be a little frightening! Stress in most cases has the effect as you say of delay but if its concerning you I would check it out with doctor as it will put your mind at rest.

sorry if this wasnt a huge help but I did have problems also regarding medication and if it is a tetracycline this could be the cause??? Hope you find out, good luck!

athena 2000

Stress can play all kinds of havoc with your cycle and make it late, early or not at all. It's not an abnormal reaction to stress, but check with your doctor as Samo says to put your mind at rest.

Victor

worried1981 wrote:

first they were a week early...then 2 weeks early

Do you mean your period were at an interval of something like :

a 19/06/2004 - 30 days
b 19/07/2004 - 30 days
c 18/08/2004 - 30 days
d 17/09/2004 - 30 days
e 17/10/2004 - 30 days
f 09/11/2004 - 23 days
g 02/12/2004 - 23 days

This would possibly indicate a change in pattern, not that f is one week early and g is two weeks early. I suggest that you either give your doctor a call about the medication or raise it with him on your next appointment when reviewing your meds.

GuanYin

worried1981 wrote:

maybe girls ye can help me out here.

since i first started getting my periods at 13 they have always been completely regular...no problems....but the last 2 months is different. first they were a week early...then 2 weeks early....i'm not on the pill or sexually active...the only thing i can think that might be causing it is i've started taking medication for my skin 2 months ago. only thing is doctor didn't mention this as a side effect and everything i've read about the drug - i've never seen this as a side effect.

i've been through a lot of stress lately but i thought that would delay your period, not make it a week or 2 weeks early.

i know this isn't a medical board but i'd appreciate anything anyone has to say. thanks.

It sounds like your doctor thinks your skin problems may be hormone related. Did it flare up around the time of your period? If so, your probably on a hormonal medication which would obviously influence your cycle.

If you post the name of your medication, or better yet PM me, I'll explain to you exactly whats happening.

elivsvonchiaing

Sounds like your flatmate is synching your periods - this happens. I don't know from your circumstances if this is the case, but women together - one synchs the periods of the others - heard some scientific basis for this, but can't quote - just heard this too often to think it wasn't the truth.

If this isn't the case you probably should see a gynocologist.

GuanYin

elivsvonchiaing wrote:

Sounds like your flatmate is synching your periods - this happens. I don't know from your circumstances if this is the case, but women together - one synchs the periods of the others - heard some scientific basis for this, but can't quote - just heard this too often to think it wasn't the truth.

If this isn't the case you probably should see a gynocologist.

The evidence is tenuous at best. In any case, when the cycles "synch" they still remain regular.

If you take any two womens cycles, even hypothetically, they will synch after several cycles briefly and then go apart again. Try it on Excel, put two starting dates any amount of time apart you like and then incriment them regularly by a number close to 28 ( say 23 for one and 28 for the other). The will gradually synch for a couple of cycles and then drift apart.

Eg Woman 1 (23 Day Cycle), Woman 2 (28 Day Cycle) Both move in on the 1st of January
01/01/2002 10/01/2002
24/01/2002 07/02/2002
16/02/2002 07/03/2002
11/03/2002 04/04/2002 Synch
03/04/2002 02/05/2002
26/04/2002 30/05/2002
19/05/2002 27/06/2002
11/06/2002 25/07/2002 Synch
04/07/2002 22/08/2002 Synch
27/07/2002
19/08/2002

Etc etc Nothing magical happened, just the way the dates fall.

Now don't be scaring the girl saying she needs to go see a gynocologist!!!!

fozzle

You don't say how old you are, so I'll assume from your username (wooried1981)that you're early twenties.

There's a whole lot of reasons for periods to go nuts, stress is a biggie. There's no rule to say it has to make you late either, so it could well be that. And unfortuneatly, the more stressed about it you get, the longer it can take for your body to settle down.

Also, a lot of women find that they have regular periods for a while, maybe even years, and then they slow down or stop for a while. This isn't usually a big deal, most women have a period (no pun intended) of irregularity before they finally settle down, and lots of women have cycles that are never fully regular. Oh, and remember, periods don't follow calender months, I think the average cycle is ~28days, so maybe you're just miscalculating?

There are also a number of "syndromes" that can upset your periods, without being of any actual harm.

The best thing to do if you're worried is to go to a doctor and get some blood tests and a scan done. It's hopefully (and probably) nothing to worry about, but it's best to lay your mind at rest, so that you can get on with your life.

Best of luck.
fozzle

fozzle

syke wrote:

Now don't be scaring the girl saying she needs to go see a gynocologist!!!!

Nothing wrong with her seeing a gynaecologist, Syke, most women should. She may need to go to a GP before she can get an appointment though.

GuanYin

fozzle wrote:

Nothing wrong with her seeing a gynaecologist, Syke, most women should. She may need to go to a GP before she can get an appointment though.

No I agree completely, but no need to send her to one specifically for this just yet.

I would hold off suggesting anything is wrong until I know what the drug is.

Hormone based drugs are common for acne treatment and nothing will throw off a period like hormone medication....

LegacyUser

thanks everyone.

syke...the medication is called erymax.

cajun_tiger

hey worried,
best thing to do is do a check list...
1.what am i eating
2.what am i drinking
3.what has changed over past3 months
4.have i been run down
5.is anything else off(eatting, toilet habbits ect.)

if you've introduced a new food or drink this can cause a hormone imbalance which can effect your cycle. also certain foods can effect certain drugs which cause slightly altered side affects. if your run down or stressed you can either be early or late or they could stop altogether. have you put on weight or lost weight? this can also effect your cycle. put 2 + 2 and try and get 4 if your in dublin go to the guide clinci get a check up std wise it can also cause irregluarity. always if your worried go to a doctor , feel free to pm me. have had alot of experience in the lower area... many many gynaecologist have talked to me explain stuff to me... feel good soon xx

GuanYin

worried1981 wrote:

thanks everyone.

syke...the medication is called erymax.

Right, its an antibiotic, mycins "can" cause thrush which could lead to an irregular period but you would also be suffering vaginal discomfort so I imagine you may have mentioned it (if not you're looking for itching/burning and a white discharge). Its very treatable so if this is athe case go see a GP now.

Option two is that you are on some other medication you have not mentioned. Are you astmatic or is there any other medication you may be on?

The third guess is is a long shot, but erymax is known to leech certain vitamins from the body and vitamin deficiency is know to cause cycle fluctuations, this may be especially pronounced if you are stressed and maybe not eating a balanced diet.

Either way, go back to your GP, if you were on a hormonal drug I would have said it was probably a result of hormone regulation but in the case of erymax you're better off getting check up and being safe rather than sorry.

cajun_tiger

thrush isn't always detectable

GuanYin

cajun_tiger wrote:

thrush isn't always detectable

Depends on the cause and the nature of the infection. In this case it should be noticable.

cajun_tiger

true just stated that not in all case's you know (butt coverage and all)