Is my period normal?
Our menstrual cycles can say a lot about our health, so it’s important to understand how to start tracking your menstrual cycle, what’s considered ‘normal’, and what to do about irregularities.
What to track?
Cycle length - number of days between periods
Period length - number of days of bleeding
Amount of blood - proxy using number of period products used eg number of full tampons
Symptoms - any PMS related symptoms (cramps, mood swings, anxiety, tender breasts etc) so you can see if there’s a pattern
You don’t have to track every sign and symptom on an on-going basis. Instead, track the basics and when you notice something’s wrong, gather information to communicate to your doctor to get the most from your consultation
What is considered ‘normal’?
Cycle length between 21 - 35 days (or 45 for teenagers)
Regular cycles that may vary by of a couple days each cycle
Period length - 3-7 days
Period volume - 25-80mL (25mL equivalent to 4 light tampons, 80mL equivalent to 10 super tampons)
It’s important to establish what is normal for you, so that if something changes, you can notify your doctor.
Cycle lengths can vary as we age
Teenagers: usually have longer cycles due to longer follicular phases owing to lower levels of FSH (follicle stimulating hormone - the hormone that matures eggs for ovulation)
Reproductive years (ages 20 - ~45): ovulation and menstruation should be fairly regular
Older women (40s): produce more FSH as peri-menopause starts, so expect to have shorter and more varied cycle lengths
When should we see a doctor?
No periods or irregular periods for more than three consecutive months
Cycle lengths that last less than 21 days / longer than 35 days for an adult or 45 days for a teenager
Bleeding for more than 7 days
Estimate you’re bleeding less than 25mL or more than 80ml of blood each cycle (i.e. using less than 4 light tampons or more than 10 super tampons each period)
Bleeding through 1 or more tampons every 1-2 hours at peak flow
Menstrual clots larger than a 10p coin
Pain between periods
Period pain that is so severe you can’t carry out normal activity
Bad-smelling vaginal discharge
Bleeding after sex / between periods
If you experience any dizziness or weakness
Lifestyle factors that can affect our cycles:
Smoking
Stress
Poor diet and nutrition
Caffeine
Exercise - lack of or overtraining
Being under or overweight
Certain medications including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen
Stress causes the adrenal glands to release cortisol (nicknamed the stress hormone), which can disrupt our body’s endocrine system and impact how our body communicates with reproductive hormones such as oestrogen, affecting our menstrual cycle.
Diet and nutrition play an important role in regulating our menstrual cycle; ensuring we have sufficient energy and nutrients to ovulate and replacing key nutrients lost during menstruation.
Other resources:
Book: Period Repair Manual by Dr Lara Briden
Where can you get help?
If you would like support with regulating your periods, please get in touch. Use the link below to arrange a free call where we can get to know each other so I can understand where you are in your journey and we can chat about the best route forward for you. It’s also a chance for you to ask any questions about working with me.
Disclaimer
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