Thread: This much blood...?!

I'm twenty years old, and I've never had regular periods. That's just something I learned to accept. Sometimes it would come like clockwork, other times I would go two or even three months without a period. I never really worried about it until I stopped having periods for nearly -five months.- I tested on two very seperate occassion to see if I was pregnant, and the test was always negative...and yet, my boobs were terribly sore, I started gaining a little weight low in my abdomen, and I was pretty much convinced that maybe those tests were just false readings...

I would have gone to a doctor, but just as I was working up the nerve, I started spotting once or twice a week - just enough to tell I was bleeding. The boobs went back to normal, and I thought everything else would to. I was wrong...

The spotting soon gave way to real bleeding, but it was dark and disgusting and extremely heavy. Not only that, it was -painful-, as in the cramps were so relentless I wasn't able to make it to class one day. That was three weeks ago, and I'm still bleeding just as heavily, but nothing hurts. I bleed more in one day than I ever did during an entire normal period! Please tell me this is just a massive purge from going so long without a period...

I've made plans to see a doctor, but I'm -really- hoping the bleeding stops before I have to set an appointment in stone...

Rosemari -

Its very important you go to the doctor. You may be scaring yourself more thinking about what they'll tell you than finding out what it is. It could be a massive purge, but that's still not "normal."

I think it could be three things. First, it could be endometriosis, which is an abnormality in the uterine lining that causes very heavy periods and horrific pain and cramping. It makes conception very difficult. Its treatable.

Secondly, it could be uterine fibroids. I had them, and I had them removed because I would bleed so much from my periods that I couldn't go anywhere. I would soak through a super-plus tampon and overnight pad in one hour. I couldn't even go for long car rides. I ruined countless bedsheets. I lived like this for a long time, thinking it was normal. But then I had my period for 36 days straight, it went away for a week, and then came back again.

Also, I looked like I was three months pregnant - I had a small distended belly that wouldn't go away no matter how I exercised.

Fibriods are non-cancerous growths that some women get without symptoms, and some with. I was on the extreme side. Mine was right in the middle of my uterus. Ever since I had it out I have been fine, and have normal periods with no cramps and normal flow.

Thirdly, you could have been pregnant and miscarried. I only say that because of the amount of blood and cramping you mentioned.

Please write down everything you've experienced this year and bring it to the doctor with you. It's important to your health and mental health that this gets all straightened out for you.

Let me know how you do.