When Your Period Signals a Problem
In her 20s, Theresa Lauigan experienced heavy bleeding and painful cramping during her menstrual cycle. Her doctor told her she had fibroids, noncancerous growths in her uterus, and termed it a "wait and see" situation. A few years later, when the menstrual pain became unbearable, Theresa pressed her doctor to further investigate the matter.
Turns out, she has endometriosis -- a gynecological condition in which the lining of the uterus, which is usually shed monthly, is present outside of the uterus. The condition is associated with chronic pelvic pain and can be associated with infertility. Endometriosis can be asymptomatic and found incidentally.
Theresa has had two surgeries to take care of the problem.
Theresa's menstrual pain is now more manageable, but she wishes the endometriosis had been found earlier. Because of complications that developed, doctors say her ability to have children is impaired. Her best bet for pregnancy is in vitro fertilization within the next few years.
"If the endometriosis was found earlier, I might have planned my life better," says the 33-year-old, who urges women with severe menstrual problems to speak up. "If a woman feels like something is really going on (with her body), she should really push her doctor more on it."
Many women experience menstrual problems such as heavy bleeding, severe pain, and irregular cycles. Most of these problems aren't usually serious and most are temporary. However, in some cases the ailments may actually signal problems in the body.
"For a woman, the menstrual cycle is a really good indicator of her overall health status," says Saralyn Mark, MD, senior medical adviser for the Office on Women's Health, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Women with eating disorders may not have periods. "The body senses that it's not a good time to get pregnant," says Mark.
WebMD compiled a list of common menstrual problems, and asked the experts whether they should be causes of concern for women.
But first, it's helpful to know what's considered "normal," and what women could do to help their doctor better pinpoint trouble.
The Healthy Zone
A regular menstrual cycle means different things to different women. Age, for example can affect what's described as a normal pattern. When adolescents first get their periods, they can expect irregular cycles for a year or two as sex hormones stabilize. The menstrual cycle becomes erratic again before menopause. During this time, ovarian hormone levels begin to fluctuate. Woman again experience irregular cycles.
Yet between adolescence and menopause, women can expect to have regular monthly cycles. That is, of course, barring pregnancy, illness, medications, stress, and other problems (such as ovarian cysts) that may change the pattern.
It's also not uncommon to have a variation in one month.
del.icio.us
Important Safety Information
- KAPIDEX may not be right for everyone. You should not take KAPIDEX if you are allergic to KAPIDEX or any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions have been reported.
- Symptom relief does not rule out other serious stomach conditions.
- The most common side effects of KAPIDEX were diarrhea (4.8%), stomach pain (4.0%), nausea (2.9%), common cold (1.9%), vomiting (1.6%), and gas (1.6%). KAPIDEX and certain other medicines can affect each other. Before taking KAPIDEX, tell your doctor if you are taking ampicillin, atazanavir, digoxin, iron, ketoconazole, or tacrolimus. If you are taking KAPIDEX with warfarin, you may need to be monitored because serious risks could occur.
Uses of KAPIDEX
- Persistent heartburn two or more days a week, despite treatment and diet changes, could be acid reflux disease (ARD). Prescription KAPIDEX capsules are used in adults to treat heartburn related to ARD, to heal acid-related damage to the lining of the esophagus (called erosive esophagitis or EE), and to stop EE from coming back. Individual results may vary. Most damage (erosions) heals in 4–8 weeks.
Talk to your doctor or healthcare professional. Please see full Prescribing Information for KAPIDEX.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
KAPIDEX™ is a trademark of Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc., and is used under license by Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc.
LPD-00767
Sponsored
Content under this heading is from or created on behalf of the named sponsor. This content is not subject to the WebMD Editorial Policy and is not reviewed by the WebMD Editorial department for accuracy, objectivity or balance.
-
1
-
2
-
3
-
4
-
5
-
6
-
7
-
8
-
9
-
10
-
11
-
12
Ob-Gyn Laura Corio explains why women should not try to diagnose their own yeast infection.
