Topic: Reasons for lighter periods? (warning: too much info)
Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
I am not sure if this belongs in Medical or General.
I put a "too much info" warning for those who don't want to hear in detail about my menstruation.
Okay, if you're still reading, I'm assuming it won't bother you.
Is it normal and okay to have a noticably lighter period, when mine are already much lighter than most women's?
The last period I had, it was like the pads I wore barely got used (no tampons either). Maybe one of them had some blood, but with the other ones, I recall being able to catch any blood when I wiped after peeing, and the pads went basically unused all day.
I assumed that was a "period," and it happened on the scheduled day, so I didn't think to test for pregnancy right away, but a couple days ago I took a pregnancy test to be safe, and it was negative. And at this point I would be 7-8 weeks pregnant, because I just started my second period (which came early, on day 22).
I know I should probably wait to see what this period is like, before posting this and wasting everyone's time. Because if this period is normal, maybe nothing is wrong hormonally, etc.
But I just wanted to know if there were any medical causes of lighter periods....like a deficiency in a hormone.
The start of this period is also seeming "light" to me.
I'm thinking there is no way I'm pregnant, but if this period isn't normal I will take another test.
But what would other causes of this be? Thanks!
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Have you ever had any endometrial type issues?
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"Just Demand your Rights" Posts: 869 | From nor - cal | Registered: Apr 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
Okay...this is kind of scary. Does anyone think this is a possibility, or am I worrying too much?
"A tubal pregnancy can be life-threatening, and sometimes the only symptom is bleeding around the time your period is expected. Often, the period may be lighter than usual. Sometimes a home pregnancy test will be negative, and the pregnancy can only be detected by checking blood hCG levels."
I don't have the pain in the abdomen that is common with that, but this is making it sound like you don't need to have that symptom.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
lies,
I dunno...like what?
It is possible I have endometriosis because I have had some very painful periods in the past, but they were never heavy, just very painful.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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massman
Unregistered
posted
Since heavy periods + most endometriosis are due to too much estrogen compared to progesterone, this may be due to too much progesterone.
The ratio is what matters
Tubal pregnancies can be tough. Almost lost a friend to one. Not trying to scare you but make sure your doc checks for it thoroughly.
I know...some people here will wonder what a chiro knows about this. At school we were trained in Ob / Gyn etc. Chiros in some states can legally deliver babies etc. In Oregon one day met a chiro that had delivered about 600 kids !
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posted
I literally just went to my OB yesterday because of the same reason... I missed my period this month & neg pregnancy test. I'm so regular, it's ridiculous... so I was a little worried.
She put me on 1 week of progesterone (the drop in this hormone will kick start my period evidently). She ran some tests for yeast and recommended getting my thyroid/ hormone levels checked etc.. but didn't seem overly concerned and thought it was hormone-related in my case (I'm 40).
She said Lyme can wreak havoc on your hormonal balances (along with stress, which she knows goes hand and hand and I'm definitely a worry-er). She also said that chronically ill patients in treatment, your body can have a way of saying this is not the time or the place to get pregnant = no ovulation = no period)...makes alot of sense to me. I hope she's right
Tubal Pregnancies usually cause alot of pain. Try not to worry too much, follow-up with your OB and your Lyme Doc and have someone do a work up on your Thyroid. It could also be a simple case of you just not ovulating.
posted
I think you're probably ok but get the tubal thing checked out so you can stop worrying.
My period has been going bananas too. From what I've read, natural progesterone cream might be something for you to look into. There's a book called Everything You need to know About Pre-Menopause. It discusses the whole too much estrogen in relationship to progesterone thing and why you shouldn't take prescription synthetic hormones--especially bad is unopposed estrogen, something-marin--can't remember the name.
Posts: 702 | From North Eastern USA | Registered: Dec 2009
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nefferdun
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posted
Progesterone is the hormone higher during pregnancy to keep you from aborting. It is the "feel good" hormone - you sleep well etc. During your cycle it reaches its peak when you are fertile and then if you don't conceive, it drops off, causing you to shed the lining. This drop causes PMS symptoms.
So if your progesterone is too high you might also feel sleepy a lot. And you might have skimpy periods but I think you would also feel bloated. No expert though.
Another thing that can cause this is an overactive thyroid and the third reason would be not eating well enough. A tubal pregnancy is extremely painful. Check out the side effects of the drugs you are using.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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sutherngrl
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posted
Don't know your age; but this is a symptom of early peri-menopause.
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merrygirl
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posted
you can have this type of thing when implantation of an embryo happens.
ITs probablly nothing to be alarmed about, but I think you would be in a heck of a lot of pain with a tubal pregnancy.
maybe you are prego!!!
good luck hoos.
melissa
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Carol in PA
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posted
Hoos, When I began taking Rhodiola, my periods returned to normal.
Rhodiola helps to balance the HPA axis, which Lyme disregulates.
If your period began early, it's because you ovulated early.
Carol
Posts: 6956 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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Hoosiers51
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posted
Thanks for the ideas.
My doctor put me on natural progesterone about 6 months ago, just because it can end up converting into other hormones he thinks I need....
...but then my periods started getting REALLY close together, so LLMD told me to stop taking it.
This was awhile ago though, that I stopped it.
I also lately have gotten a skin condition on my face called melasma, which is sometimes referred to as "the mask of pregnancy"...the cause is usually attributed to "hormones" and is normally seen in pregnant women. I haven't looked into it more beyond that. But I am not pregnant!
So maybe I DO have too much progesterone.
Also, I'm 26 years old, so I don't think it's perimenopause.
I had my progesterone tested right before my doctor put me on the progesterone, though he wanted me to start it regardless of the results, so I never ended up seeing them. I should check that out. Maybe it's high. Maybe it's low. Who knows!!!!
Also, my period seems to have picked up slightly, but it is still light for me which means very light for most women.
To sum it all up, these are my symptoms: light periods, periods close together (22-23 day cycles), melasma on face (associated with pregnancy though I'm not pregnant).
I eat pretty healthfully (milk/meat is organic with no added hormones)...don't restrict any foods except processed food and soy/GMO's, I am normal weight but small body type.
My LLMD is currently checking some pituitary hormones and is considering giving me HgH if I need it. He thinks my hormonal problems might be "higher up" than just adrenal burn out....meaning he wants to work on the pituitary, and he thinks there could be something more wrong than just typical stress.
Surprisingly, my thyroid and adrenals check out much better than most Lyme patients. But my sleep schedule has a tendency to get messed up (skewed later), so LLMD still thinks something is wrong hormonally/neurochemically.
I just don't seem to fit any of the normal patterns yet of typical hormone issues.
I have bad fatigue, but the adrenal glandulars don't help much. Haven't tried Rhodiola yet but am planning on it.
We'll see how the pituitary testing comes back (IGF-1), I could end up on growth hormone.
When I was taking the progesterone, it wasn't helping me, so I'm thinking it's not progesterone deficiency. Maybe I AM one of the few women that actually needs MORE estrogen.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hoosiers51
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posted
ps--also, maybe there's nothing wrong with my hormones and I should just be okay with the fact that my periods are light and my cycles are close together? But that still leaves the melasma which can't be normal. Hmmm.
I have heard of one woman non-pregnant woman getting rid of her melasma with Maca root.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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Hoosiers51
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Member # 15759
posted
Merry--
Last night I couldn't sleep because I was so worried I might be pregnant (I read you can get a couple light periods in the first few months of pregnancy)....
...but today the period has picked up a tiny bit, which is making me a little more inclined to believe the neg pregnancy test.
However, I'd be about 7 weeks pregnant (7 weeks from last real period/5 weeks from ovulation), and I read the dollar store brands can STILL be neg at that point depending on the woman (though it's rare). So I am still keeping pregnancy in mind as a reason. I just don't have the money for the expensive pregnancy tests and I'm pretty sure I'm not.
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blinkie
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posted
hormones. I think adrenal function?
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TF
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posted
Lyme caused me to have virtually non-existent periods. I just spotted every month. This went on for years. It went away with good lyme treatment.
So, just to let you know, if the lyme is attacking you gynecologically, it can cause these very light periods. It can cause the periods to stop. It can cause the ovaries to shrink up to very tiny. Mine did.
I was told I was in menopause, and really it was the lyme attacking me gynecologically. (See Burrascano's list of symptoms--"unexplained menstrual irregularity"--can mean a lot of things including what you are experiencing)
I had to take hormone replacement for years. My diagnosis was menopause! Yep, and then it turned out it was all from lyme disease.
Since you know you have lyme disease, I believe this is the most likely cause of your symptoms rather than a tubal pregnancy.
I also had melasma for years and years. It finally went away on its own. Since I had lyme disease undiagnosed for so long, looking back I figure that this must have also been caused by lyme disease.
If this goes on month after month, you will have your answer.
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merrygirl
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posted
I am glad you still have this in te back of your mind hoos.
I definitely think it is odd all of a sudden to have a real light period. WOuld you make hcg hormones if the embryo hadnt attatched yet?
and how many weeks in does implantation happen.
those are questions I would investigate.
any other prego symptoms>?
I hope I am not freaking you out more.
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