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Heavy periods: Do you have heavy periods regularly? A heavy period is defined as soaking a pad or tampon every hour for more than 3 hours, or bleeding for longer than 7 days. There may be large clots in the menstrual flow, cramps, back pain and extreme tiredness and shortness of breath (signs of anemia). See, menorrhagia.
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| Missed periods |
There are many reasons for absent periods, including menopause and pregnancy. If these are ruled out and your periods do not return within 6 months, you may have amenorrhea. Consult your doctor. Common causes include stress, PCOS and thyroid disease. See, amenorrhea.
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| Irregular periods |
Irregular periods are defined as periods which arrive later or earlier than is typical for the woman concerned. If periods occur at greater intervals than 35 days with only 4 to 9 periods per year, this is medically diagnosed as oligomenorrhea. Women with oligomenorrhea are prone to infertility problems. Common causes include PCOS, fibroids and diabetes. See, oligomenorrhea as well as what can cause a change in my monthly cycle?
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| Painful periods |
Most women experience some menstrual cramps during their period, but when pain is so bad you need to take time off work or school, you may have dysmenorrhea. Symptoms are not necessarily bad every month, but when in full swing, they are debilitating. See, dysmenorrhea.
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| Irregular periods and hot flashes |
Periods become irregular and you start to experience hot flashes. These are typical signs of menopause. See, hot flashes.
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| Irregular periods with excess facial hair |
Irregular or absent periods, noticeable facial hair, oily skin and acne, and difficulties in losing weight are all signs of polycystic ovary syndrome. See, PCOS symptoms.
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| Irregular periods with increased thirst |
Periods become irregular, you are thirsty all the time and may experience unexplained weight loss. See, symptoms of diabetes.
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| Heavy periods with constipation |
Heavy periods, a permanent feeling of fullness, sometimes constipation and pain during sexual intercourse. See, symptoms of fibroids. Also, do fibroids cause pain?
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| Heavy periods with weight gain |
Moderate weight gain (10-15 pounds), heavy periods, dry skin and thinning hair. See, underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism.
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| Light periods with weight loss |
Periods become lighter, you experience diarrhea, unexplained weight loss despite eating more, sweating and fatigue. See, hyperthyroidism.
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| Changes in periods |
Periods which suddenly become heavy or spotting between periods or after menopause should be checked for signs of endometrial hyperplasia. This condition is a precursor to endometrial cancer. Symptoms can be confused with other uterus disorders like endometriosis or fibroids. See, endometrial hyperplasia.
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| Painful periods with constipation |
Painful periods, cramps occurring 1-2 weeks before period is due, constipation, and pain during sexual intercourse. There may also be bouts of diarrhea, nausea and proneness to frequent yeast infections. See, endometriosis symptoms as well as how can I relieve period cramps?
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| Piercing pain between periods |
Piercing pelvic pain between periods, bad cramps during your period, bleeding between periods and possibly heavy periods with clots. These are all symptoms of adenomyosis, a condition which is often present with endometriosis.
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| Bleeding between periods |
If you start to bleed between periods, or your periods become irregular or heavy, or you start bleeding after menopause, ask your doctor to check for uterine polyps and cervical polyps. These are small, usually harmless, growths in the uterus or cervix. They are more common in women between the ages of 40 and 50.
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| Brown Spotting |
Brown vaginal discharge which can occur at the end of a menstrual cycle. This is a natural process where the vagina is cleaning itself out. After the age of 35, periods may become lighter, to the point where only spotting occurs. See, perimenopause. See also, what causes brown spotting?
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| Painful periods with shoulder pain |
Periods may become irregular (becoming heavier, or less frequent), there is pain during sexual intercourse, bloating and sometimes pain in the shoulder. These are all signs of ovarian cysts. There may also be pressure on the rectum and severe pelvic pain if the cysts rupture or twist. See, ovarian cysts.
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| Abnormal bleeding with bloating |
Bleeding between periods, blood-stained vaginal discharge, dull abdominal pain, and bloated or distended tummy. Rule out symptoms of fallopian tube cancer.
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| Bloating and feeling full quickly |
Persistent bloating in the abdomen, the need to urinate more frequently, pelvic pain and feeling full quickly after a light meal are signs of ovarian cancer. There may also be excess gas, unexplained weight gain/loss, breakthrough bleeding and back pain that gets worse over time. See symptoms of ovarian cancer.
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