How Is Abnormal Menstruation Treated
The treatment of abnormal menstruation depends on the underlying cause:
There are other procedural options which can help heavy menstrual bleeding. A five-year contraceptive intrauterine device , called Mirena®, has been approved to help lessen bleeding, and can be as effective as surgical procedures such as endometrial ablation. This is inserted in the doctors office with minimal discomfort, and also offers contraception. Endometrial ablation is another option. It uses heat or electrocautery to destroy the lining of the uterus. It is usually only used when other therapies have been tried and failed. This is because scars from the procedure can make monitoring the uterus more difficult if bleeding persists in the future.
It Can Shield Against Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
Pelvic inflammatory disease is a sexually transmitted infection of the female reproductive organs. Left untreated, it can cause chronic pelvic pain or infertility. And while the birth control pill doesn’t protect against the sexually transmitted infections that may cause PID, it can still offer protection by thickening your cervical mucus, making it more difficult for infected bacteria to make it to your uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries.
+ Birth Control Withdrawal Fertility Tracking Protocol
I recognize many women are hesitant to get off the pill because they arent yet ready to get pregnant, but luckily there are a ton of other fertility awareness methods on the market that can help you effectively track your cycle in order to prevent pregnancy.
PS If youre thinking about eventually getting pregnant down the road, getting to know and track your cycle now can really help prepare you for when that time comes . Its also a key indicator into any other imbalances you may be experiencing hormonally.
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Hormonal Imbalance And Weight Gain
Hormones play an integral role in metabolism and your bodys ability to use energy. Hormone conditions, such as Cushing syndrome, can cause you to become overweight or develop obesity.
People with Cushing syndrome have high levels of cortisol in their blood. This leads to an increase in appetite and fat storage.
Hypothyroidism, if the condition is severe, can also lead to weight gain.
Slight hormone imbalances can happen during menopause. During this transition, many people gain weight because their metabolisms slow down. You may find that even though youre eating and exercising like you usually do, you still gain weight.
The only way to treat weight gain from a hormone disorder is to treat the underlying condition.
During a typical pregnancy, your body goes through major hormonal changes. This is different from a hormonal imbalance.
What Could Cause This
One day periods, and even short periods, are a common thing among many women. The above explanations are the most common causes of these short periods. However, if you experience pain in your lower back along with your one day period, then it may be due to an underlying health condition. These conditions include uterine fibroids or endometriosis. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths inside the wall of your uterus. Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that usually grows inside your uterus begins to grow outside it as well.
One day periods can also be a sign of hypothyroidism, a condition that occurs when your thyroid gland is underactive leading to a number of symptoms including irregular and/or infrequent periods. At the same time, its also possible that you have PCOS , a condition that causes cysts to form on your ovaries.
Another possibility is that you could be pregnant although you may not realize it yet. If this is the case, then you should take a pregnancy test as soon as possible. A short period could also be a side effect of some medications and other medical conditions. It is possible that you are going through menopause although this is less likely since you are still relatively young.
Emergency Measures
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Show Your Liver Some Love
The liver is responsible for processing and packaging up hormones to get them ready for elimination from the body. Since the pill is introducing extra hormones into your body, your liver might benefit from extra support throughout the process of your body beginning to cycle on its own. Frequently consuming things like quality animal proteins, dandelion root tea, dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and antioxidant rich berries are all excellent ways to help support the liver’s ability to detox naturally. Talk to your provider about targeted herbs and supplements that help support hormone detoxification.
What Are Irregular Periods
Most women have menstrual cycles that last between 21 and 35 days. Up to one quarter of women experience irregular periods. This includes having periods that are shorter or longer than usual or periods that are lighter or heavier than usual. Some women who have irregular periods may experience abdominal cramping or a lack of ovulation. Amenorrhea is a medical term that refers to an absence of periods for at least 3 months even though a woman is not pregnant. Menorrhagia is the term that means excessive menstrual bleeding. Dysmenorrhea refers to pain and cramping during periods. Prolonged menstrual bleeding involves periods in which bleeding routinely lasts for 8 days or longer. Oligomenorrhea is a condition in which periods occur infrequently or more than every 35 days. See your doctor if you believe hormonal imbalance is affecting your menstrual cycle.
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Contact Doctor During Office Hours
- Home pregnancy test is positive
- You want a pregnancy test done in the office
- Sexual intercourse within the last 3 months
- Recent breast swelling, weight gain or nausea
- Has missed 2 or more periods and prior periods were regular
- Recent weight loss
Recent Stress Causing Late Period
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How Are Hormonal Imbalances Diagnosed
Healthcare providers typically order blood tests to check hormone levels since your endocrine glands release hormones directly into your bloodstream.
Certain hormone levels vary drastically throughout the day, so providers may order other tests to measure your levels, such as a glucose tolerance test or insulin tolerance test.
Your provider will also ask you about your medical history and symptoms and perform a physical exam.
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Risks Associated With Hrt
As well as its side effects, HRT has more severe risks associated with it. HRT has been linked to a number of serious conditions including:
- Cardiovascular disease
To avoid the sinister side effects of prescribed treatments, there are a number of non-hormonal ways to address hormone imbalance. Such treatments include simple lifestyle changes, herbal medicines, and bioidentical hormone replacements. Click here for more information on prescribed hormonal treatments and alternative treatments for hormonal imbalance.
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Increased Risk Of Cancer
Synthetic estrogens like the ones found in birth control pills can increase your risk of developing certain types of cancers, such breast, uterine, and cervical cancer. Studies show that women who take birth control pills, and even women who have recently stopped taking the pill, have a 20 to 30% higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who have never used the pill.
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Replenish Your Nutrient Deficiencies
Unless you want to read a whole book here, I cant discuss entire dietary protocol for repairing the nutritional deficiencies caused by hormonal birth control. Replenishing nutrient deficiencies are key to regaining hormone balance. Besides focusing on a real food diet and reading the details in Quit PMS, these three time-honored foods provide potent nutrient-building properties:
- Homemade bone broth, rich in minerals Drink 12-16 oz. per day.
- Himalayan salt helps your body balance hormone production and use the vitamins and minerals from your food. Take as much as is pleasant salt all your food to taste and add a pinch to your drinking water.
- Liver from pastured animals although viewed as gross or old-fashioned, properly sourced liver is perhaps the most powerful food for rebuilding nutrient deficiencies. Chicken liver boasts the mildest flavor. Sauté in butter or enjoy in homemade paté and enjoy a 2-3 oz. serving twice per week. Alternatively, you can opt for dessicated liver capsules.
It Helps With Premenstrual Syndrome
Over 90 percent of women experience PMS symptoms usually a week or two before their period, which may include fatigue, mood swings, irritability, bloating, and breast tenderness. And theyre typically caused by a change in hormones, says Dr. Raj Vito Shah. Its not that a woman is high or low in those hormones, but its the change or drop in hormones, he says. When theres a change from the first half to the second half of the cycle, thats what induces symptoms of PMS in its most severe form.
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Because the pill delivers a steady dose of estrogen and progesterone throughout the month, it can help reduce the hormone fluctuation that causes PMS, Dr. Shah explains.
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Something To Be Aware Of
Balancing your hormones increases your chance of pregnancy, compared to the pill.
Why?
Womens bodies are made to function a certain way when it comes to reproduction.
- Start our period
- The menstrual cycle starts over.
Estrogen increases after our period stops, falls, and progesterone rises as we ovulate, drops and then our period starts again.
This is the normal cycle and promoteshealthy hormone levels and fertility.
When our hormones are out of balance , this cycle falls apart. We miss cycles altogether, gain/lose weight, emotions fluctuate, and we have labeled it PMS.
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How Is A Hormone Imbalance Diagnosed
Diagnosis for a hormone imbalance typically begins with a physical exam at your doctors office. During this exam, your doctor will ask you to describe any symptoms that you are experiencing and when these symptoms tend to occur.Your doctor will likely also want to know about any recent changes to your:Diet or exercise regimeSleeping patternsMoodBased on your individual symptoms and situation, your doctor may want to run further testing to assess your hormone levels and overall health. This could include any of the following: a blood test, pelvic exam, ultrasound, thyroid scan, MRI, x-ray, and/or biopsy.
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What Are Hormones And How Do Birth Control Pills Affect Them
Hormones are chemical messengers, traveling throughout the body, delivering critical information to cells enabling them to do what is needed to keep the body healthy and functioning properly. Hormones can also be produced within organs for use on site. Once they have done their job in target cells to activate estrogen and progesterone receptors, hormones need to be removed from the body and new hormones made. All of these functions can be immensely altered by synthetic hormones used in birth control pills, with great negative consequences.
Birth control pills interfere with a womans key function her ability to have natural hormonal production stealing her inherent and necessary rhythms, and making her infertile, by substituting manufactured chemical mimics for her real hormones.
Increased Risk Of Sleep Apnea
The risk of obstructive sleep apnea increases in women during and after menopause. Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious condition that causes people to stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. OSA occurs when muscles in the throat relax and block the airway during sleep. People who have this type of sleep apnea often snore. Researchers who performed one study found that perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who had lower estrogen levels were more likely to suffer from obstructive sleep apnea than women who had higher estrogen levels. More studies are needed, but women who feel tired or who have unrefreshing sleep should see their doctors to assess hormone levels and discuss risk factors and testing for sleep apnea.
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Youre Really Stressed Out
Stress can screw with just about everything in your life, so its hardly shocking that it can mess with your cycle, too. High levels of stress can cause an increase in the production of cortisol which in turn can cause a disruption in the way our bodies function normally, Dr. Wider says.
Under normal times, your brains hypothalamus produces chemicals that trigger your pituitary gland to signal your ovaries to release estrogen and progesterone, she explains. With an increase in cortisol from stress, that axis can get messed up and the menstrual cycle can become irregular, Dr. Wider says.
The less estrogen, the less stimulation of the lining of the uterus, so less bleeding, Dr. Minkin adds.
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Natural Remedies To Cure One Day Period
If you find that your period change isnt from pregnancy or other medical conditions, there are some remedies that can help you get regulation. These arent for use during your period, but during the rest time of the month. It is always advised that you speak to your physician before trying a home remedy.
1. Ginger
It can reduce period pain and help make your period more regular.
- Use 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger, boil it in water for 5-7 minutes and drink.
- This tea should be enjoyed three times a day, after every meal.
- For the best results, continue this for a couple of months.
2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon can help your body maintain heat, therefore helping regulate periods. It also has hydroxychalcone, essential for healthy insulin levels which can also affect how regular your periods are.
- One half teaspoon in a glass of milk is all that is needed.
- Continue this for a few weeks or you can enjoy it as a tea or sprinkled over food.
3. Jaggery and Sesame Seeds
Jaggery helps with menstruation regulation because of its warming effects on the body. Sesame seeds aid in hormone balancing.
- Sesame seeds and jaggery can be eaten before your breakfast.
- You can make a jaggery and ginger juice to enjoy with your breakfast.
- This is best used two weeks before you start your period.
- A teaspoon of sesame seeds steeped in warm water twice a day is another way to take this remedy.
4. Papaya
- You can drink the juice or enjoy a ripe papaya every day.
- This remedy should be avoided during your period.
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The Zrt Laboratory Blog
I watch a bit of television now and again, and repeatedly see a commercial for a birth control pill. It looks quite glamorous to be taking it. Granted, at the tail end of the commercial it states many of the bad things contraceptive pills are widely recognized to cause. But the real impact of what birth control pills do to female bodies is never discussed and what is discussed is completely glossed over.
The true nature and impact of birth control pills is very concerning and prevents me from prescribing them in good conscience. All women should come to grips with the sad reality that this rampantly prescribed group of drugs can be harmful, and therefore unacceptable.
It Can Save You Money On Foundation
Pimples can often be cleared up by contraceptives. The same thing goes for the few stray hairs on your chin. Those two nuisances are often caused by an excess of androgens, a type of hormone , in the body. When youre on birth control pills, your liver makes a protein that prohibits testosterone from floating around in your bloodstream, lowering acne and unwanted hair growth, says Dr. Dweck.
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+ Birth Control Withdrawal Self
Effectively eliminating birth controls side effects can take some time and require some patience initially.
Thus its important for you to take care of yourself as much as possible during this transition in order to rebalance your hormones and help you feel better. Self-care should be individualized and looks different for every person but these ideas can help you build a solid foundation:
+ Minimize Stress Try deep breathing or meditation techniques, getting out in nature, reading a good book, going for a walk, connecting or calling a friend
+ Get Restorative Sleep One of the biggest things you can do to improve sleep quality is to be off all electronics at least two hours before bed. Also try winding down with a nightly ritual
+ Consistently Exercise This is not only great for detoxing the body of synthetic hormones but helps mitigate stress and increases the amount of beta-endorphins you produce . Try a gentler form of yoga if youre dealing with bad cramps and more intense exercising in your first half
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How Can Birth Control Help Manage Pcos Symptoms
While there isnt a cure for PCOS yet, hormonal birth control along with lifestyle changes can help you manage PCOS symptoms. In fact, for many women symptoms disappear.
At WestMed Family Medicine, we may recommend birth control pills that contain two hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Combination birth control pills increase estrogen, lower testosterone, and keep your female hormones in balance. As the level of testosterone and other androgens decline, symptoms tend to improve.
For some women, birth control containing a single hormone, typically progestin, may be used instead of combination birth control pills. Often called minipills, progestin-only birth control is less likely to cause side effects than combination birth control. Both options work the same way, by reducing the amount of male hormones your body produces. Lowering testosterone is key to relieving symptoms of PCOS.
Lifestyle measures, such as losing 5-10% of your body weight and controlling carbohydrate intake can also help manage PCOS symptoms.
Appropriately managing PCOS symptoms can significantly improve your quality of life and reduce the risk of metabolic problems. To learn more about available PCOS treatments, call our Westminster, Colorado, office to schedule an appointment or request an appointment using our online booking system.
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