Why Is My Period Late?

Spread the love

A late, irregular, or missed period can indicate anything from simple stress to a serious medical condition. Most women usually get their periods every 28 days. However, any menstruation cycle ranging from 21 to 35 days is also considered normal. Sometimes, a slight change in the cycle can occur due to change in workout regime, illness, stress, or minor hormonal imbalance. Moreover, if one is experiencing either onset of the menstrual cycle or menopause, irregular periods become almost inevitable given the changes that the body goes through during these times.

Some of the reasons for late and irregular periods are listed below.

1. Obesity or low body weight

Women who are underweight usually suffer from disordered functioning of the body. For an underwent weight body, it is difficult to keep up with overall process ovulation. Late or missed periods can also be associated with health disorders like anorexia in skinny girls. Therefore, in such conditions, health experts advise women to gain appropriate kilos to regulate the overall functioning of the body. On the flip side imbalance in hormones can also lead to irregular periods in overweight women. More often, obesity in women can point towards other health complications like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) that directly affects period cycles. Therefore, in every case maintaining a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) is suggested.

2. Stress

While uninstalling social media apps like WhatsApp and Instagram may help one to be at peace for some time, stress may lead to a more serious mental health issue by directly affecting hypothalamus- a part of the brain that is responsible for regulating the periods. Moreover, stress can impact both weight loss and weight gain that leads to an imbalance in the menstruation cycle. If you haven’t been taking care of yourself lately add up some meditation and exercise in your schedule.

3. PCOS

During PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) your body starts producing more male hormones or testosterone. As a result of hormonal imbalance, ovaries develop a layer of a cyst and make ovulation irregular.

4. If you are on birth control pills

If you keep going on and off on birth control pills, you may experience a change in your menstruation cycle. Birth control pills are rich in hormones like progestin and estrogen that helps in preventing your ovaries from releasing an egg. Moreover, other kinds of birth control that are either injected or implanted can also cause missed periods.

5. Early menopause

Unlike other women who experience menopause at the age between 45-55, some experience it around their early 40s’. If the periods are being irregular or missed altogether and you are around 40s’ you might be just experiencing early menopause. However, getting a period after a year of menopause calls for an immediate medical checkup.

6. Thyroid issues and chronic diseases

Long-lasting diseases like celiac disease and diabetes can also impact your menstrual cycle and can easily be cured with medical assistance. Moreover, an underactive or overactive thyroid gland could also be responsible for missed or late periods. These issues can be treated with proper medication and periods are likely to return back to normal.

7. When to schedule a doctor’s visit?

In most of the cases, irregular or missed periods are normal and are not to be worried much about but one must seek a doctor’s visit in all cases of unusually heavy bleeding, nausea, bleeding that lasts longer than seven days, high fever, or extreme pain.

Spread the love

I got my first period at the age of 13. Always painful, heavy and irregular. My gynaecologist said the condition will improve with age. And yes, it did. The irregular periods were gone by the age of 16-17. But what never left my company was this pain, this unmerciful and burning pain. I remember sometimes I used to faint because of the pelvic pain and heavy bleeding. I see many girls who play, swim, party and lead a normal life even when they are menstruating. I would say “Girls you must be God’s favourite”.

So, I considered myself a not so favourite of God and started leading my life accepting the monthly challenges. But then my life took another turn. When I was 26, I started getting random cramps. Cramps like mini ninjas were trying to kill me from inside. Getting down from my bed in the morning became like a battle. I rushed to my gynaecologist. And after all the scans and tests, I was diagnosed with Endometriosis, a chronic illness I have to live with.

I had not heard of endometriosis before nor had any member of my family. I had to do my own research by consulting the internet and doctor. Endometriosis is a disorder in which tissue similar to the endometrial tissue (tissue that forms the lining of your uterus) grows outside of the uterine cavity, on ovaries, fallopian tube, bowel, and tissues lining your pelvis. Some of the symptoms I suffered from were:

chronic pain during or in between cycles
heavy bleeding during periods
Fatigue/lack of energy/weakness

Some days can really be hard when the pain is to the extent that I cannot stand up straight or walk properly as the pain is down my legs and up my back. Lying curled up in bed in the fetal position around a hot water bottle becomes a common way of coping.

The treatment my doctor suggested is of combined oral contraceptive pills. These pills contain a mixture of estrogen and progesterone and works by suppressing ovulation and affects the production of female hormones in the ovary. The hormones in the Pill cause the uterus lining to become thinner, causing periods to become shorter and lighter, thus reducing endometriosis symptoms. I have been taking this treatment from past 3 years now with planned breaks in between. I can say that in my case the treatment did not work as effectively as expected. Instead it brought some side effects like weight gain and mood swings.

This is when I had to bring some changes in my lifestyle. And trust me these changes work as add-ons to the treatment.

Yoga and workout: There are yogasanas which are specially for Endometriosis pain relief. Workout is important because this treatment can cause an unproportionate weight gain.
Avoid dairy products: As suggested by an ayurvedic doctor because dairy products contain hormones which can affect the natural hormone generation of the body.
Add green vegetables and fruits in your diet.
Positive attitude: This illness can sometimes play with your mind and you can feel sick and on your own. Don’t fall for it. Go out, spend time with people and try to lead your life as normal as you can. Just take one day at a time.

People often say, “You don’t look sick”. But I am not surprised, even I was not aware of it before. A surprising fact is that approximately 10 per cent of women in India are suffering from this debilitating illness, still, no one knows about it till they suffer themselves. So, I just want to bring this awareness among girls who are suffering from lethal pelvic pain or any other symptom. Don’t spend half of your life assuming that it is just normal period pain and go see your gynaecologist for correct diagnosis before it’s too late.

Share your story with us & we will share it with the world! #MyStory