What should I do if my period is very irregular?

Irregular periods can be caused by many different things, including weight loss, increased exercise, stress or drug use. They can also indicate serious health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases and polycystic ovary syndrome. When you have an increasingly irregular period, you may notice that you have only spotting once a month, or no period at all. Irregular periods can also come twice each month or occur suddenly and randomly.

Contact a Physician

Contact your doctor if you are experiencing very irregular menstruation. If you have a regular gynecologist, visit her instead of your primary physician as she has more experience with treating irregular periods. If you don't have a regular physician, you may want to try a clinic that specializes in women's health, such as Planned Parenthood.

Explain all of your symptoms to your doctor. The doctor will ask you a series of questions about your eating habits, stress and exercise levels. He will also ask you whether you're sexually active and if you take any drugs. All of these aspects are relevant in determining the cause of your irregular period. Be completely honest when answering their questions. While it may be embarrassing to admit that you have been sexually active without the use of contraception, this is something that the doctor needs to know.

Medical Testing

With all of the information the doctor has collected, your doctor may ask to perform further tests to figure out what's causing your irregular periods. If you're not getting your period anymore, your doctor will likely have you take a pregnancy test. Pregnancy tests are determined by analyzing a sample of your urine.

Physicians will often perform a full physical including a pelvic exam if they don't know what's causing your irregular menstruation. They'll check your blood pressure and test if you are anemic. They'll also look at your blood count to see if a low count is causing your condition. During the pelvic exam, the doctor will have a look at your cervix and feel the quality of your uterus to check for any abnormalities.

An irregular period can become a big problem for women trying to get pregnant. If this is the case for you, you should visit a fertility specialist. The physician may run more tests to see if you can still conceive. She may also have advice for how to get your period back to normal.

Source:

Women to Women: Irregular Periods

Epigee: Irregular Periods