medical/female question

[jenniferlee]

I have a question about my cycle - I thought maybe someone here might be able to help. I'm 35, I have 5 children and my youngest is just turning 4. So this is by far my longest gap without being pregnant. I used to have 28 day cycles. Since about my 3rd or 4th child, my cycle has gone down to around 25 days give or take a day - very consistently. Not my favorite, but not too bad.

The last two months, they have been 23 days! And very heavy flow. Much more than I am used to. I'm afraid this is some new trend and I don't like it.

Is something wrong? Can I remedy it?

Thanks for any thoughts

Jen

[IdahoHomeschooler]

Sounds like a hormone imbalance, possibly low progesterone. You can have hormone levels tested and treated. One of the better ways to monitor what is going on with your cycles is to actually, well, monitor your cycles. The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is a really good resource for this. Having concrete cycle charts to take to your doctor can be helpful in determining what is wrong.

[NancyNellen]

Listening carefully - I could have written that post - I'm 35, 5 kids, youngest is 3 1/2 - all other details are the same. Even the 23 days - weird!!!

[jenniferlee]

I do chart my cycles very carefully - we use NFP for birth control. That is why I have noticed the difference so quickly.

I have thought about a hormone imbalance, but I just don't know whether I should go the Dr. route. I don't have one at all - haven't been to see a dr. for more years than I can remember. I did midwife/homebirth for all the pregnancies and havent' had any other issues come up that needed medical attention.

Don't have insurance either, we' re self employed. So do I just pick a family practice Dr. out of the phone book and ask to test my hormone levels? Is it expensive?

See where I am? Clueless:tongue_smilie:

thanks for any more help

Jen

 

ps nancy- that is so funny about our same situation. Want to do a house swap? I'd love to spend some time in sunny socal. we live in cloudy pacnw:D

[IdahoHomeschooler]

Oh, NFP, sweet! I never assume anybody knows about it, lol. What are your LP lengths? What method of NFP do you use? Feel free to PM me if you don't want this public. Ideally, you ought to find a NaPro practitioner, as they are the most experienced in working with NFP and treating the cause of the problem rather than covering it up with birth control pills. http://www.fertilitycare.org/ This a link to find a practitioner in NaPro technology, as well as some info about it, if you are interested in that route. If you would rather stick with a regular ob/gyn, you would just go in for a routine physical and a pap, bring your charts and show them your shortening cycles, and ask to have your hormones checked. There are usually certain days during the cycle that are better for checking for certain hormones.

 

I just read for comprehension, and noticed that you haven't been seen for a while. You should have an exam to rule out anything physical. Contact your midwife and see if this is a service she can provide or if she recommends anybody. At 35, you most likely have some perimenopausal wackiness just starting. If you can look back at your charts and notice a shortening in your LP, this strongly correlates with a low progesterone. This can be treated. You can supplement with a natural progesterone cream after peak until CD1. I am totally blanking on the name of a pretty reputable brand at the moment, sorry. If you went with a doctor, they could prescribe Prometrium or something similar. If you happened to have a high estrogen, and I'm not sure how that would look on a chart, I believe the treatment is pretty similar to treating a low progesterone. I don't know about treating a low estrogen, that pretty exhausts my knowledge of NFP and cycle irregularities. If you want more info, I'd be happy to provide a link to a message board that could help.

[TravelingChris]

YOu could be having a thyroid problem. If that is so, that is not a problem you self treat. PLease see a doctor first, get checked out, have a few tests run to make sure it isn't something serious, and then you can use alternative or complementary medicine.

[Sara Mac]

:lurk5: I'm a "me three" for this thread. Just turned 36, 28 day cycles after last baby (4.5 years ago) then 26 days for the last 4 months. Thankfully I haven't dropped to a 23 day cycle .... yet!

[Pippen]

What you describe were some of the first signs of perimenopause for me.

[jenniferlee]

thanks for the info - my luteal phase is 14 days almost like clockwork. occasionally 13 - actually it was 13 this month. It's the front of my cycle that has been shortening over the years. That's actually how I got pregnant with #5. Not paying very close attention since I was only 7 months PP and assumed a longer cycle on the front end. Ovulation on day 11 - oops - well he's a fabulous boy and I'm so happy to have him! sorry - OT

 

I'm not sure which method I use. It's been sooooo long since we took the classes. I think it was based on the billings ovulation method? Classes were offered through a local catholic church/hospital. I learned temp/cerivx and mucous signs, but I don't do temp or cervix anymore because my cycle has been so regular for so long now. Until now, I guess.

 

I guess I should call my midwife and see what she thinks. I hadn't thought about that.

 

And I'll look into the thyroid possibilty.

 

The only other thing that has changed recently has been some weight gain this last year. Almost 8lbs. Which is very depressing since I haven't changed any eating or exercise habits. Previously I have been the same weight since high school (excepting pregnancies :001_smile:). I'm just so used to never worrying about my weight, so it's very bothersome to start thinking about trying to change it. could hormones be affecting it as well?

 

Thanks again for the help

 

Jen

[IdahoHomeschooler]

In addition to monitoring mucus, are you also monitoring sensation at the vulva, i.e. dry, slippery, lubricative, etc? This is a Billings thing. I'm just trying to determine who would be the best person I could direct you to of the various NFP instructors I know online.

 

I think it would certainly be good to get a full physical. This would include some blood work, like thyroid levels.

[KS_]

My cycles started getting shorter, too, a few years ago (about the time I was 35-36). I started taking chaste tree (or Vitex) and that helped get them back to what was "regular" for me. In the last year, I started taking Enzymatic Therapy AM/PM PeriMenopause Formula(to also help with hormonal headache issues, too):

 

http://www.vitacost.com/Enzymatic-Therapy-AM-PM-PeriMenopause-Formula

 

And I've also had the similar weight gain that I just can't seem to shed - I'm sure it's also hormonal. . .

[jenniferlee]

KH- how much vitex have you been taking and how long did it take before you saw results? (I'm really bad at sticking with supplements if I think they aren't helping me) Oh, and what brand?

 

babynurse- I only do mucus signs. And I 'm sure you're right. I just need to bite the bullet and go in and get a complete physical. It's been way too long. But it helps to have some ideas of what to ask for/where to start.

 

Thanks again,

Jen

[KS_]

KH- how much vitex have you been taking and how long did it take before you saw results? (I'm really bad at sticking with supplements if I think they aren't helping me) Oh, and what brand?

 

 

 

Before I started the Perimenopause formula (which has Vitex in it), I was putting the Vitex berries in with my tea (steeping it with the tea bags), and was using about 1 T of berries per day. It takes a couple months to see the full benefits - I started using Vitex originally because I was having issues getting pregnant (then stopped using it once pregnant), but within a couple months of starting it (after 2 years of trying), I got pregnant with ds.

[cillakat]

While I agree that it's time for a physical and thyroid tests, here are some things you should start now regardless:

 

• a multi - a high quality, high potency broad multi like

Natrol, My Favorite Multiple, Take One Multivitamin, 60 Tablets

iherb: $9.51 msrp: $18.49 (48% Off)

 

• sufficient vitamin D. Unless you're getting summer sun on most skin, it's common to need 1000 IU per 25lbs body weight per day to maintain levels in the middle of the reference range. Nature's Answer, Vitamin D-3 Drops, 15 ml $9.17 $17.95 (48% Off)

 

You may also need additional, calcium, magnesium or zinc depending on various dietary factors but the multi and D? Well, it's the rare person who woulnd't benefit from those.

 

10-13 servings fruit/veg (just a few fruit, mostly veg) can go a long way in balancing hormones as well.....try to get 2 servings per day of cruciferous veggies.

 

All the best,

Katherine

Edited March 23, 2010 by cillakat

[cathmom]

Get the book Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon.

[jenniferlee]

cathmom- wow that looks like a great book. I am really into fixing things with diet, so I will definitely read that.

 

cillakat- Thanks for the supplement ideas. I do take vitamin D, but not anything else.

Like I said, I am bad at supplements.

 

KH- Where do I get vitex berries and are they gross? I hated all the red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy and I just don't know if I could force myself to drink any more nasty tea for my health.

 

Jen

[KS_]

KH- Where do I get vitex berries and are they gross? I hated all the red raspberry leaf tea during pregnancy and I just don't know if I could force myself to drink any more nasty tea for my health.

 

Jen

 

I order my bulk herbs from Ameriherb:

http://www.ameriherb.com/

 

I got used to the taste and blended them with black and green tea, but they're pretty bitter and strong. I'd recommend some other form, especially if you didn't like the raspberry leaf (which I think is pretty mild).