Symptoms — irregular periods
Frustrated by spotting, heavy, or irregular bleeding?
Periods usually start to change long before menstruation finally
stops. It is different for different women. Some women whose menstrual
periods have been like clockwork for their whole lives find they
can no longer predict. Other women who always had irregular periods
start having them like clockwork. For some the time between periods
lengthens; for others it shortens. Many women see similarities between
their menstrual cycles during their forties and during adolescence.
The bleeding can become heavier or spottier or even some combination.
These changes before the big change are all a normal part of perimenopause.
It is rare that a woman has perfectly regular periods and then one
month stops forever. Periods can start to change and continue changing
for many years before they stop. Often they are accompanied by other
symptoms of perimenopause, such as difficulty sleeping, night sweats, irritability or hot flashes.
We tell our younger patients that having two irregular periods
a year is still considered normal. If you experience more than that,
it’s a good idea to have yourself checked out.
Technically to be menopausal a woman needs to not have had a period
for one full year. We have seen many women stop having periods in
the fall or around November and think that they are finished menstruating,
only to start again in the spring. This may happen for a couple
of years, but it usually means that the end is in sight.
The cause is related to our ovaries and how they are functioning.
Before menopause, each month our ovaries produce and send out an
egg in a process called ovulation. When this happens, usually 10-14
days after your last period started, the hormones estrogen and progesterone
are excreted in high doses in case that egg gets fertilized. If
the egg is not fertilized and implanted, the excess hormones are
not needed and a woman has a period.
Due to many factors, some known like emotional or physical stress
or poor diet, some not understood, the ovary does not always produce
an egg and the hormones excreted are not at their usual levels.
Often there is less progesterone secreted to counteract the estrogen.
This can create heavy bleeding from the uterus.
(You can learn more in our Library article on irregular periods.)
Changes in your menstrual cycle should always be discussed with
your health care provider. Having an annual pelvic exam and Pap
smear is good preventative health care. If you are having very heavy
menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) or bleeding or spotting between
periods, extra tests should be done. Blood tests for anemia and
thyroid function are helpful. While rare, unusual bleeding can be
a sign of a malignancy and an ultrasound, endometrial biopsy or
a D&C should be performed. Some doctors use birth control pills
to control the irregular bleeding and these can work well. Many
women we see in our practice have no need for contraception and
do not want to take a pill every day and instead feel comfortable
just better understanding what is going on.
We recommend making some diet changes, finding some sort of regular
exercise you can enjoy and reducing stress. Along with our Personal
Program’s multivitamin and
mineral supplements which are designed to support and promote
more optimal and normalized hormone levels. All these factors can help regulate ovulation, balance hormones and normalize menstruation. Of course beginning
early on our Personal Program can only help ease the transition
into menopause.
Our Personal Program is a great place to start
The Personal Program promotes natural hormonal balance with nutritional supplements, our exclusive endocrine support formula, dietary and lifestyle guidance, and optional phone consultations with our Nurse–Educators. It is a convenient, at-home version of what we recommend to all our patients at the clinic.
- Start by assessing your symptoms with our on-line Hormonal Health Profile. It’s easy, informative, and free.
- To learn more about the Program, go to How the Personal Program Works.
- For further reading about your symptoms and other health topics, go to Explore Our Knowledge.
- If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-800-798-7902. We’re here to listen and help.
Last Modified: 01/10/2008