SO... ladies... this thread might be a little too much information

But have any of you had your TOM for an ENTIRE month?

I use to have one every year, or every 6 months... they were rare. Asked a doctor, he didn't seem too interested in hearing that when they came they were PAINFUL and I bled a bucket and a half an hour (Or so it seemed)...
He just said I was regulating...

I can't get a pap until August 22nd ish... so I'm just wondering...

Normal to skip periods like that for years then suddenly have one that lasts 4 weeks? (It doesn't hurt this time, and there isn't a lot of blood.......)

I'm interested to see what people say, because my TOM has always been slightly irregular, but has gotten weirder since I gained more, and then has gotten even weirder since I began exercising, meaning sometimes it lasts a couple weeks, but is just spotty. I used to have horrible cramps and LOTS of bleeding and it would last 7 days.

Mine was like clockwork until I got on the pill. About a year later, I didn't have a job and couldn't afford the pill anymore and got off it. Once that happened, I seemed to have my period every other week. I had it three times in one month!! Even though I am back on the pill, I seem to try and start it every other week. The pill is the only thing that is keeping it at bay!

kurisitaru I'd get another opinion. Could be fibroids bleeding out. My mom has them and its like a painful period, but none of the other icky mess that comes with the bleeding. It was just super heavy bleeding without a break.
The doctor wanted to cauterize some of them, but I haven't talked to my mom since she told me a few weeks ago, so not sure if she was gonna do it.

Find another doc and let them see what is going on.

I had one that lasted 53 days and finally a doctor prescribed provera for me to "restart" my cycle. It was definitely abnormal. About 6-months later I had freak-breakthrough heavy bleeding, literally went from nothing to sudden heavy bleeding. I even went to the ER because it was so heavy and so abnormal. Fast forward about another year later and at my ultrasound with my second baby, the doctor pointed out a fibroid on my uterus. He said it wasn't problematic but it was larger than he likes to see them.

I googled when I got home about fibroids and learned that it was likely the cause of all that bleeding. It's something you could see on an ultrasound if it's the problem, so if you want to look into it, you should!

Have you looked into the possibility of PCOS??

My periods used to be like that. I bled for an entire month several times...then went several times without it for 6 months to two years.

I know what you mean about the extreme pain. I wound up in hospital the first time I got my period after a nearly two year absence. I didn't know what was wrong then, but I was screaming my head off. People walking by the hospital room thought I was having a baby! lol.

I know why it's so painful now though. Through all the time that you don't have your period, the lining in your uterus (what you bleed out during our period) is still building upon itself, month after month. And (according to my doctor) the longer the lining stays, the more attached it gets to the uterine wall. When your period finally decides to show up, the cramping has to be very aggressive to rip the lining from the wall. By 'aggressive', of course, I mean "holy h***, it feels like my uterus is being torn apart from the inside with a jagged, broken bottle", lol.

Nobody's period struggles to 'regulate' for years without there being something wrong. Your doctor should NOT have ignored this. It sounds like PCOS, which is what I have, and the cause of my messed up periods. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. There's tons of information online. I'd go to a different doctor and have them test you for it.

Of course, there are other things it could be, I'm no doctor. It sure sounds like PCOS, though. Either way, it's not normal. I strongly suggest you find a doctor willing to look into it. Good luck!

My mom used to get periods that caused her to lose a lot of blood and would last long periods of times sometimes going away for a week and coming right back, it was so bad it made her anemic.. (not sure how you spell that). I would make an appointment with a gyno if and see what they say.. that doesn't seem very normal and it could to problems.

I had my period for 6 weeks once and then didn't have it for 6 months. I went to the doctor and yep, like a lot of people have said, i have PCOS.

PCOS... scary ><
I'll look into it. I'll check in with a different doctor as well. The one I went to seemed only half interested to begin with.......

I have to wait for August though. Insurance issues. ><

At least this one isn't PAINFUL like before.

Definitely check with a gynecologist. It could be one of many different things. Possibly endometriosis or fibroids or just the way you're made. Don't worry too much, but do talk to a professional who will listen to you. Good luck!!

Yep, sounds like PCOS...I'm betting you don't have any kids yet? It can be very difficult to get pregnant only ovulating 1-2 times/year. Because if you aren't having regular periods, you aren't likely ovulating. Anyway, it would be good to get on track...good luck!

It is NOT ok in any case (except if you only just had a kid) to be bleeding more than 85 ml for 5-7 days once a month.

If you have 30 days of bleeding something serious is going on that can cause you even more serious problems later on if you don't check it.

If your gyno ignores it further get a doctor that will look into it because that is not normal/healthy/typical. Yes every woman is different, but some differences are pathological.

Good lord, no, none of that's normal, and I see you're 22. "Regulating" my arse. Get a different doctor, maybe find a Well Woman clinic or something else where they will know more about all of this, and there may be an option which will be affordable right now instead of having to wait for months. (I'm in the UK, the US medical system confuses me, but someone will know more about this.)

Start keep records of your bleeding patterns. You may want to try learning the Fertility Awareness Method, it's good for showing up various hormonal problems (e.g. whether or not you're ovulating, if your temperatures are particularly low or high which can indicate thyroid trouble), though doctors don't generally want to hear about it so don't go in waving a FAM chart. Get yourself a good iron supplement for when your period does show up, that much bleeding is likely to be making you anaemic.

How much are you actually bleeding? I'm assuming that "a bucket and a half an hour" is poetic description, but I'm concerned that even with that taken into account, you may be experiencing the sort of haemorrhaging that necessitates an immediate hospital visit. Also do you have access to decent pain relief?

Go slow with the weight loss, too. As I'm learning the fun way, not only does excess weight interfere with your hormones, but losing weight can send them spinning all over the place as the fat cells release oestrogen on their way out. So don't do anything drastic there.