Period FAQs

why is my period taking so long to come

by Frida Kohler Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

Your period may be late for several health-related reasons (4,5,6,7):

  • Stress
  • Obesity
  • Very low body weight/extreme exercise
  • Eating disorders
  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
  • Birth control
  • Chronic conditions (such as diabetes)
  • Peri-menopause
More items

If your period is only three to eight days late, it might just be – late! Believe it or not, things like stress, diet, exercise, and illness can impact your cycle length. If your period is less than two weeks late, then it may very well just be that you had a long menstrual cycle this time around.

Full Answer

Why is my period lasting longer than normal?

Why is my menstrual cycle lasting longer than usual?

  • Hormone imbalance. Some women suffer from an imbalance of hormones, wherein the ratio between oestrogen and progesterone is off-kilter, which puts them more at risk of suffering from nasty symptoms ...
  • Peri-menopause. ...
  • Poor diet. ...
  • Stress. ...
  • Hormonal birth control. ...
  • PCOS. ...

What causes long periods and when to seek help?

If you are below 4o years, then you may have pain and prolonged periods. If your doctor finds uterine polyps as the cause of your prolonged periods, a D&C will be advised. 4. Cancer of the endometrium. Cancer that affects the endometrium of the uterus can cause bleeding in women especially after 40 years.

Why my period only lasted two days?

  • It could be pregnancy, implantation bleeding
  • Stress
  • hormonal imbalance
  • infections
  • poor diet

What to do if your period does not stop?

This is what you need to do:

  • Mix some amounts of lavender oil and sage oil
  • Into the mixture, add three some amount of warm almond oil
  • Use the oil to massage the abdominal and pelvic area
  • Do this twice or thrice to stop your period

Why is my period shorter after an abortion?

How long do menstrual cycles last?

Why do doctors prescribe a pill for menstrual cycle?

What are the early signs of pregnancy?

How long is a cycle?

What causes late ovulation?

What happens if you take the morning after pill?

See 4 more

About this website

image

Why is it taking longer to get my period?

Your body is not a clock, and variation in your menstrual cycle is normal, especially if you are a teenager, breastfeeding or nearing menopause. Stress, travel, diet, illness and medication (including birth control) can also affect your cycle length, symptoms and the length and heaviness of your period.

How much delay in periods is normal?

If you don't have any known condition affecting your menstrual cycle, your period should start within 21 to 35 days of your last period, depending on your normal cycle. Regular periods can vary. If your regular cycle is 28 days and you still have not had your period on day 29, your period is officially considered late.

Why is my period late but not pregnant?

Menstrual irregularities, such as missed or late periods, occur in 14–25% of women of childbearing age. They can result from a range of conditions besides pregnancy, including hormonal imbalances, hormonal birth control, stress, weight loss, trauma, and certain health conditions.

How long should I wait for my period to come?

Menstrual flow might occur every 21 to 35 days and last two to seven days. For the first few years after menstruation begins, long cycles are common. However, menstrual cycles tend to shorten and become more regular as you age.

What are signs of late period?

Symptoms of a late period and pregnancyFatigue. During the first trimester (weeks 0 to 13 of pregnancy), your body produces large amounts of a hormone called progesterone. ... Spotting. Implantation bleeding is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. ... Breast Changes. ... Headaches. ... Missed Period. ... Nausea. ... Frequent urination.

What are signs your period is coming?

Common signs that your period is approaching are:You're breaking out. Acne is a common problem at this time of the month. ... Your breasts are sore or heavy. ... You're tired but you can't sleep. ... You have cramps. ... You're constipated or have diarrhea. ... You're bloated and gassy. ... You have a headache. ... You're having mood swings.More items...•

How long can stress delay a period?

Stress can delay your period, but the good news is that stress shouldn't completely stop your period (like, forever). If you've gone more than six weeks (the amount of time it takes to classify a period as fully “missed”) since your last period, it may be time to see a doctor and make sure everything is okay.

Can your body skip a period?

There are many reasons why a woman may miss her period, or why periods might stop altogether. Most women have a period every 28 days or so, but it's common to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this (from 21 to 40 days). Some women do not always have a regular menstrual cycle.

Can stress delay your period?

Yep! Stress can affect your hormones in a way that changes your menstrual cycle. Other things can delay your period, too, like being sick, exercising a lot, having a low body weight, using a hormonal birth control method, or taking certain other medications.

Can period be delayed by 10 days?

If next cycle starts from 28 +/- 7 days from the first date of last menstrual cycle then it is considered a normal cycle. A delay of 10 days is not normal and may need evaluation.

What kind of infection stops period?

You contracted pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). As the infection spreads to the cells of the uterus, it can lead to problems with menstruation. The Office on Women's Health lists irregular menstrual cycles (like late periods) as one of the symptoms of PID.

Should I be worried my period is 5 days late?

It's important to remember that if your period is more than five days late, you should consult your health care provider.

Can period be delayed by 10 days?

If next cycle starts from 28 +/- 7 days from the first date of last menstrual cycle then it is considered a normal cycle. A delay of 10 days is not normal and may need evaluation.

Should I be worried my period is 5 days late?

If your period is slightly irregular, and you are often 2-3 days early or late, then being a few days late is neither here nor there. The general consensus is that if your period is late by up to 5 days, there isn't usually cause for concern as yet.

How many days late can a period be before worrying about pregnancy?

A period is considered late if it hasn't started within seven days of when you expect it. Most pregnancy tests will be able to give you accurate results by the time your period is late.

Is it possible to miss a period for a month?

Yes, you may have a missed period for many reasons other than pregnancy. The reasons why you miss your period for a month may include stress, low body weight, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), use of birth control, certain chronic diseases, early perimenopause, and thyroid issues.

7 Causes Of Longer Periods & When You Need To Worry - Bustle

Periods are annoying enough as they are, but it can be worrisome when they're suddenly really long. A heavier or lengthy period isn't always cause for alarm, as there are a number of causes for ...

10 Reasons Why Your Period Lasts Longer Compared to Before

Even though it's sometimes quite annoying, the monthly period is an integral part of life for most women. It is common for young girls to feel curious and concerned about their periods – they even become worried when it seems they are going to bleed to death.

Period Lasting for 3 Weeks or More- What Could be the Reasons?

Periods lasting for 3 weeks or more can indicate serious medical issues. Prolonged period could be the result of PCOS, or body weight issue

How long does a period last?

You probably learned in health class that the typical period comes around once a month and lasts for about three to five days. But that's not always how it works—the length of a period varies from person to person and cycle to cycle.

What medications can cause a high hormone level?

Certain medications, like thyroid medication, steroids, and antipsychotics, can also disrupt your hormone levels. If you're on any of these meds, make sure you're taking it correctly, and talk to your doctor about alternatives if the problem persists.

How to stop estrogen from being absorbed?

To curb the effects of environmental estrogens, eat a diet high in fiber, which prevents excess estrogen from being absorbed, and go for produce without pesticides and hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat and dairy when possible. If you're still wondering, Why is my period so damn long? Dr. Maita recommends downloading a period-tracking app so ...

Can stress cause a period to stop?

You're super stressed out. Stress can affect your menstrual cycle in pretty much every way possible. It can sometimes lead your period to stop altogether. But other times, it can make your period longer or heavier or lead to mid-cycle bleeding.

Why does my period last longer?

If your hormones aren’t at a normal level or if your body doesn’t ovulate during your menstrual cycle, the uterine lining can become very thick. When your body finally sheds the lining, you may experience a period that’s longer than normal.

What does it mean when your period is longer than a week?

Your doctor may refer to a period that lasts longer than a week as menorrhagia. You may also be diagnosed with menorrhagia if you experience unusually heavy bleeding that lasts less than a week. Five percent of women have menorrhagia . A long period may be a sign of a serious underlying health condition, such as:

What is the term for a buildup of tissue in the uterus?

Adenomyosis is another type of tissue buildup. The condition occurs when your endometrium, or uterine lining, embeds itself into the muscles of your uterus. This can lead to a long or heavy period.

How to stop bleeding during period?

In some cases, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to alleviate long periods. Dilation and curettage can thin the layer of your uterus and reduce how much you bleed during your period. If you’re no longer considering having children, you may undergo endometrial ablation, resection, or a hysterectomy.

What to take for a long period of time?

Your doctor also may advise you to take medication that reduces pain or discomfort you experience from the prolonged period. These medications may include over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, such as Advil or Motrin. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to alleviate long periods.

How to get iron levels back to normal?

Your doctor can use results from a blood test to diagnose anemia. If your iron levels are low, your doctor may recommend boosting your diet with iron-rich foods and a possible iron supplement to get your levels back to normal.

How to treat a long period?

Your doctor will treat the underlying cause. They may also recommend a treatment to reduce your current bleeding, regulate your period, or relieve any discomfort.

Why is my period so long?

Having too little thyroid hormone can cause your period to be super long and heavy, the OWH explains. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, and hair loss, so if you're experiencing any of those, along with longer-than-normal periods, bring it up to your doctor, says Dr. Ross. 8.

Why does my period last forever?

This occurrence is known as "intermenstrual bleeding," and it happens as a result of the slight dip in estrogen that happens around ovulation, which can cause spotting. If the bleeding lasts a few days or happens close to the end of your last cycle, it may seem like your period is continuing forever. It's not normally something to worry about, but if it changes suddenly or if you have serious pain, see your doctor.

How long does a period typically last?

There's a pretty big range of normal when it comes to period length. "Usually, it can last anywhere between five to seven days, " says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a minimally invasive gynecologist in Dallas. "But there are times at which it can be a few days longer or shorter."

What happens during the menstrual cycle?

Here's a little Menstrual Cycle 101: During each cycle, your body's sending hormones to thicken the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to make it a nice little home for a potentially fertilized egg. About midway through your cycle, one of your ovaries releases an egg, which then travels down the fallopian tubes to this newly plush uterus where, if it's not fertilized by a sperm, it flows out of the body, along with the uterine lining that built up.

What is menorrhagia in gynecology?

How Gynecologists Soothe Their Own Period Cramps. Simply put, menorrhagia is when bleeding is too heavy and interferes with your quality of life or requires interventions like blood transfusions, iron transfusions, medications or surgical procedures, Dr. Shepherd explains.

How long does it take for a period to return to normal?

Sometimes the only sign is an extra-heavy or long period. Your menstrual cycle length should return to normal within one to two cycles; if it stays abnormally long after three cycles, call your doctor, Dr. Toth says.

When does menopause start?

Menopause, which technically means you've gone 12 or more months without a period, hits women around age 50. However, your body starts the natural decline in hormones that leads up to menopause (a.k.a. perimenopause) as early as 35, says Christiane Northrup, MD, author of Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. Related Story.

What causes a long period?

Underlying health conditions that can cause long periods include uterine fibroids, endometrial (uterine) polyps, adenomyosis, or more rarely, a precancerous or cancerous lesion of the uterus. A long period can also result from hormonal imbalances (like hypothyroidism) or a bleeding disorder.

How to manage long periods?

This can include things like removing an endometrial polyp or correcting hypothyroidism. Hormonal contraceptives (things like the pill, the patch or a hormonal IUD) are commonly used to help regulate abnormal cycles resulting from a wide variety of causes. Most of these methods take three to six months before you’ll notice some improvement.

How long does a period last with birth control?

The birth control pill tends to produce a regular period that occurs every month and lasts for three to five days. A hormonal IUD usually results in a lighter period (less bleeding) or no period at all.

How often does a woman have her period?

You probably learned in high school that a woman’s period occurs every 21 to 35 days (with most women’s cycles occurring every 28 days).

Is it okay to have a period longer than a month?

It’s important to note that there is likely nothing is wrong with you if your period is a little longer or shorter than others. It’s also perfectly fine if your period varies a bit from month to month. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.

Is it normal to have a period?

There’s really no such thing as a “normal” period. Sure there are general guidelines, but every woman is unique and different. Some women have unpredictable cycles, while others experience regular, clockwork menstruation. It’s important to note that there is likely nothing is wrong with you if your period is a little longer or shorter than others.

Does Paragard cause periods to be longer?

A copper IUD (such as Paragard®) may have no effect on bleeding patterns or may cause heavier and longer periods for some women. Progestin-only methods like the injection, medroxyprogesterone acetate (such as Depo-Provera®), and the implant, etonogestrel (such as Nexplanon®) are associated with irregular spotting as well, but most women report lighter and shorter periods.

Why does my period take so long?

There are several potential reasons for this, including the use of birth control and the presence of underlying health issues.

How long does it take for a period to stop?

The amount of blood and tissue can vary from day to day, but the period typically stops around 2–7 days after it starts. Occasionally, a period may take longer than usual to stop.

How long does a period last?

Blood disorders can cause heavy bleeding and periods that last for longer than 7 days. Other symptoms of a blood disorder include: anemia. heavy bleeding after surgery and childbirth. bleeding for more than 10 minutes during a nosebleed. bleeding for longer than 5 minutes after a cut.

How long does a miscarriage last?

Pregnancy loss, or miscarriage, often causes bleeding or spotting. This bleeding can be light or heavy and may last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.

How long does it take for a period to go away after IUD?

However, in most cases, heavy or prolonged bleeding should go away after 3–6 months.

Why does my pelvis hurt during pregnancy?

Abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain during pregnancy may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which can cause serious complications.

When does menopause start?

Though menopause often occurs when a female approaches the age of 50, the body’s hormone levels can start to change several years prior. This stage is called perimenopause.

Why do women have periods?

The powerful mix of stress and poor sleep is the reason for many women’s period problems. Trying to do it all and have it all leaves us stressed out, overworked, over-caffeinated, sugared up and fatigued. Our high-stress lifestyles take a toll on our kidney/adrenal organ system.

What happens when you lose a link in your cycle?

When this chain reaction loses a link you get symptoms that show up in your period or at another time in your cycle. Ovulation every cycle is the key to avoiding these health issues. To ovulate, your body needs the right nutrients and the right kind of care.

Why does my obgyn not come back?

There are many reasons – stress, pregnancy, hormonal imabalance. If it doesn’t come back regularly, please schedule an appointment with your Obgyn.

What does it mean when you have cramps?

Cramps indicate not enough progesterone(the “soothing” hormone) produced to balance out high estrogen levels.

What happens if you don't have ovulation?

Communication between your ovaries, uterus, and pituitary gland (the hormone pump in your brain) goes awry.

How to get ovulation going?

To get ovulation going, you need to rebuild energy in your kidneys. At your local health food store you’ll find plenty of herbal remedies and supplements for building kidney energy, but your body won’t effectively process the delicate herb essences if your diet and lifestyle do not also support you.

How do you know if you are not ovulating?

Light, irregular or missing periods are classic signs that you may not be ovulating. If your period isn’t coming and you are a young, active woman with no baby plans on the horizon, you might be thinking, “Why should I care?”

How Are Heavy Periods Treated

The choice of treatment will depend on the cause of your bleeding. If a reason for the heavy bleeding is found, such as a fibroid, this will be treated.

Period Lasting 2 3 4 Weeks With Brown Discharge

If you continue to see your period for 2 or 3 weeks, then its abnormal. Common causes are a miscarriage, uterine fibroid, vaginal infections or cancer. If you are above 40 or already stop seeing your period, then this type of bleeding may be due to cancer. However, in your

Can Excessive Menstruation Be Treated

If your doctor finds stress or birth control pills as the cause of your excessive menstruation, you will be advised or other contraceptive methods used. Also, vaginal infections and other causes will require further testing. Vaginal infections gonorrhea and chlamydia, can be treated with antibiotics.

Your Life Is Disrupted

If your period pain is so bad that you need to call off work on a regular basis, you should speak to your doctor. The condition is not rare. But its not normal, either.

The Best Time To Take A Pregnancy Test

If you have a regular menstrual cycle , then you are only at risk of pregnancy if you had unprotected heterosexual sex or had a high risk of sperm touching your genitals during your fertile window. This is the six days leading up to and including ovulation, usually around the middle of your cycle .

Is It Normal To Have A Period For 2 Months

The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long but can vary from 24 to 38 days. If a menstrual cycle is shorter, a person can have a period more than once a month. While occasional changes in the menstrual cycle are not unusual, frequently experiencing two periods in a month may indicate an underlying issue.

Any Changes To Menstrual Cycle Seem To Be Short

The stories collected by Lee and Clancy usually describe only brief disruptions to menstruation. “From what we have seen so far, it appears that the changes to the menstrual cycle seem to be short-lived, just a couple of cycles,” Lee says.

Why is my period shorter after an abortion?

The first period after an abortion can be shorter (if you had a surgical abortion) or longer (if you had a medical abortion) due to the process of your body returning to its normal hormone levels. Pregnancy hormones can also stick around for a few weeks after your abortion, causing a delay in menstruation.

How long do menstrual cycles last?

No two menstrual cycles are exactly the same. Some periods can last one day while others last a week, and the time in between periods can vary too.

Why do doctors prescribe a pill for menstrual cycle?

Some doctors actually prescribe the pill to those with a heavier flow, as the hormones can affect the growth of the uterine lining prior to menstruation.

What are the early signs of pregnancy?

One of the earliest signs of pregnancy is a missed period. Light spotting or vaginal bleeding can also occur, mimicking the signs of a menstrual cycle.

How long is a cycle?

Cycles can range in length from around 21 days to as long as 35 days. Cycles shorter than 21 days typically signal that ovulation may have occurred earlier than normal or not at all. Cycles longer than 35 days indicate that ovulation isn’t occurring or it’s occurring irregularly.

What causes late ovulation?

Late ovulation is caused by a variety of things, such as stress, thyroid disease, PCOS, breastfeeding, and some medications.

What happens if you take the morning after pill?

If you recently took a form of emergency contraception (sometimes referred to as the morning after pill), you could notice a change in your first period after ingestion. The pill prevents pregnancy by delaying ovulation. This can disrupt the length of your normal menstrual cycle, causing irregularities in your next period ...

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9