long, irregular periods

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2008
long, irregular periods
2
Sun, 07-06-2008 - 9:34pm

hey all, i just wondered if anyone had gone through a similar situation/knew of someone who had and could offer some advice.


as background, i have a history of severe menstrual migraines and irregular periods.  i suffered from severe anorexia for several years and as a result had even more irregular periods and developed osteopenia (decreased bones mass).  due to the menstural migraines and osteopenia i was prescribed yasmin (low dose estrogen-containing birth control)....i took it continuously for 3 months and because i had a constant estrogen level i no longer got migraines and the estrogen prevented further bone loss.  i stayed on yasmin for 2.5 years and then (long story) had to have a PICC line placed during migraine treatment.  PICCs frequently cause people to develop a blood clot at the insertion site and, because i also have an inherited clotting disorder (Leiden factor V) which makes me more prone to forming clots, i got a clot/ DVT.  i was prescribed coumadin, saw a hematologist who said she was ok with me staying on the yasmin, went on with my life.  then 3 months later i started bleeding a lot and called my gyno....when he found out about the coumadin and DVT he insisted i go off the yasmin.  that was in january.


for four months i had completely irregular periods- sometimes as few as only 5 days between them, sometimes 5 weeks, and they typically lasted about 2 weeks.  i never knew what to expect and was extremely frustrated.  my gynecologist brushed off my concerns and said this was "normal due to going off birth control".  i finally switched to a new gynecologist.  as a result of my constant periods i was never able to reach therapeutic levels on my coumadin and so this new DR switched me to depo-provera in may after trying progestin only pills (unsuccessful). i am due to get my second depo injection at the end of this month but since the first i have had 3 excessive periods- lasting 12, 10, and now 13 days.  most recently i only had a week off between them.  i am obviously unable to take my coumadin half the time, which pretty much defeats the purpose of it.


i know that was a lot of information and very confusing, probably not very clear.  i am trying to figure out what should be done in this situation and it doesnt help that i feel like none of my doctors - the neurologist dealing with my migraines, the hematologist with the coumadin, my primary care, or my gynecologist are coordinating this and in the meantime my quality of life is suffering. 


thanks in advance for any help or thoughts you can offer!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2006
Wed, 07-09-2008 - 8:47pm

Hi there,

When the Depo shot goes bad, it's the pits. I strongly recommend you don't go and get another one.

I suggest you go back to your gynecologist about this, and I really think you need to tell your gynecologist and all your other specialists to consult with each other, so they can come to an agreement on everything. Particularly your gynecologist and haematologist.

Has your gyn done any hormone testing, ultrasounds or anything? There could be another issue there that screwing up your cycle.

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-23-2004
Wed, 07-09-2008 - 8:58pm

Hi cubbynurse and welcome to the board.


You definitely have alot going on and all those things can be working against you regulating your periods.


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