irregular periods roughly every 2-3 months - had one, then another 27 days later but different from usual flow. Anyone else?

[KittensMittens]

Hello

First of all, sorry it could be a long one but I will try to be as brief as possible.

Been TTC since January 2009. Irregular periods since October 2008, about 2-3 months apart. My GP initially put it down to stress as last year was a bit of a crazy one but since I had not had a period between the end of April and July I made an appointment to see her again. Ironically AF visited the day before the GP visit (July 13th) so I had blood tests taken the next day. I have not received the results yet as she has been on holiday and I have been away. I am due to see her on Tuesday. I know that I will hopefully have some feedback then but thought that I would see if anyone had experienced a period like the one I am on now. I had what I thought was the usual pre signs of a period but after a few hours I only had brown spotting. There was no blood, the next day there was pretty much the same and I think the day after that I had a little clot. After that there was very faint sight of blood (if there was spots of blood, it was sort of mixed with clear fluid) and after about 6 days it seemed like it was going to stop. I thought that I was having a light period as my cycles are so out of kilter. This Friday gone I had a gentle therapy (I had informed the therapist of my irregular periods and that I was experiencing a light period which was ending. Also that I was TTC) whereby the therapist put her hands on my stomach and (without any pressure, no massaging of the stomach involved) moved her hands over it. Later she told me that it would have helped open my fallopian tubes a bit. I thought nothing of it until after an hour or so returning home I appeared to be having something of a normal flow. It still is not heavy but I a still bleeding and this is now 9 days since the first signs of AF starting.

Has anyone else experienced this? It could be that my body is starting to chug its way into a shorter cycle but even with my periods being so irregular they start and finish in the same pattern and way.

Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated, many thanks.

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

I would ask on Tuesday about your LH and FSH test results if these were taken; ensure that these are compared against each other. These two hormone levels are important as they kickstart the ovulation process; if these are awry then ovulation will be affected.

You should be fully aware of what blood tests are being done and why they are being done.

What you should have had done in terms of blood tests would be a day 2 to measure LH and FSH levels. Ideally these two should be the same.

I would not think stress is the underlying cause here for the overall irregularity of periods (having had similar problems myself). Normally such problems are caused by hormonal imbalances; in this regard a condition called polycystic ovaries is a common culprit. Another possible reason is thyroid imbalance.

You should be referred to a gynae at a subfertility clinic as a matter of course. Any bleeding between periods should be mentioned to the GP to ascertain the cause.

[KittensMittens]

Hi Attila

I have indeed been referred to a gynae.

Many thanks for your advice.