Early period?

[tea]

So, I have my period a week early and this hasn’t happened before! I was wondering if this is normal and if anyone else has had this experience?

Some history: I had my IUD out in August last year and haven’t been taking any contraception since. My period has never been irregular and I use the Clue app to track my period. According to the app, my cycle length is 26.5 days, period length is 3 days and cycle variation is 2.2 days.

Is this normal? Should I be worried?

[champagnepapi]

I’d wait for nurse nettie to answer but maybe to answer your “is this normal” part, I think it is! My periods are always pretty regular but I do have delays/early ones from time to time. I think it’s a lot to do with what’s going on hormonally, as well as lifestyle factors.

What do you think @nursenettie?

[champagnepapi]

Sorry! @nurse_nettie

[Nurse_Nettie]

Hi @tea, if it’s a true period, I’d agree with @champagnepapi. Even if you’re usually pretty regular, a week early or late can be normal. However, bleeding between periods can be a sign of infection. If the bleeding is much lighter or heavier than what’s usual for you or if you’re experiencing pain, especially pain with penetrative sex, then it’s best to visit a doctor.

[champagnepapi]

@nurse_nettie while we’re on this topic I thought I’d ask about something that’s quite confusing for me. I log my periods in an app and I’ve noticed that every 6 months my cycle seems to do a “reset” kind of thing where I’ll have an unusually long cycle (more than 40 days) and then the following cycle will return to 28 days for the next few months. It’s quite bizarre. Do you have any idea what that could mean and whether I might need to visit my GP and look into it further?

[Nurse_Nettie]

Hi @champagnepapi, it’s great that you’re keeping a log of your periods & are keeping aware of changes. Having a period is a result of a complex hormonal cycle that ranges over 4 to 6 weeks (21-42 days). In fact no period cycle is exactly the same as the one before. It may mean that every 6 months your cycle lasts longer.
A common reason for no periods is pregnancy. Particularly if your cycle varies & you’re unsure when ovulation may occur. If you’re not taking contraception & having condomless sex, it’s important to have a pregnancy test at 2 weeks after your period was usually due.
It’s ok to visit your GP if you’re unsure as there may be ways to help regulate your cycle.

[champagnepapi]

Thank you for your response @nurse_nettie, it was very helpful. I’m not currently sexually active so I’ll chalk it up to hormonal fluctuations.

[tea]

Thank you @champagnepapi and @nurse_nettie! Good to know it’s normal. With pain, I quite often will have intense stabbing pains in my left side, which happens on and off my period. I’ve had an ultrasound and there are no cysts but I think it could be PCOS or maybe endometriosis related? I haven’t been diagnosed with either, and my gynaecologist hasn’t said anything, but the pain won’t go away? What should I do?

[Nurse_Nettie]

Hi @tea, it’s great that you’ve already had an ultrasound, but if the pain has continued it’s important to go back to the doctor. I can’t say what’s causing your pain, but your doctor may assume that’s it’s no longer a problem if you don’t return. Endometriosis is a common cause of pelvic pain and people often suffer symptoms for a long time before they get a proper diagnosis. But if your gynaecologist didn’t find a problem, it’s also possible it’s not related to your reproductive system at all. Your regular doctor (GP) can advise you what to do next. Hope you can find some answers.

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