I see so many women regularly with symptoms regarding their periods that they are concerned about but are told by others that it, “might just be your normal.” Regularly missing periods or having to miss work because of your periods is not “your normal.” Keep reading for the top 3 menstrual symptoms I would not accept as your normal and when you should talk to your health care provider for more investigation:
- Missed periods – If your period is longer than 35 days on a regular basis, this is not “your normal.” Underlying conditions that can cause missed periods should be ruled out such as PCOS, hormonal imbalances (hypothyroidism, high prolactin), fluctuations in weight, and stress.
- Very painful cramps and/or pain with your period – It is not normal to have so much pain that you are nauseated, experience vomiting, or have to miss work because of your period pain. If this is you, a complete menstrual history should be done and if suspected, endometriosis should be ruled out.
- Extremely heavy periods – If you are saturating a super tampon and needing to change them in less than 2 hours or experiencing menses for greater than 7 days, this can be due to fluctuating hormones but may be due to things like uterine fibroids or polyps.
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