Periods were all irregular for months after shot

[Gale]

I wasn't sure where's best to post this, its a serious thread... maybe bio would've been better, but i figure moonbear is always in GD too... so, I'm not really sure who I'm expecting to answer my questions... but I've talked to my mum, and some girlfriends... not so helpful. I've also googled... but ya... so just in case someone here can help.. i'll try.

So, two questions or topics i guess.
First, during my period i get wicked knee pain. I thought it was sort of random, but then I've started physical therapy lately, and my therapist asked "do you get knee pain during your period?" and i was like, "holy, you i do, tons, it hurts so bad..." and i went on about the pain, and never thought to ask if it was normal or why it happens. i will ask her when i see her next... but I'm on my period now, so i'd rather know now...

Second, and maybe this is really too general. cause I've looked at a few articles and they're all over the place, but birthcontrol and your period... effects? i went off the pill and then didn't have a period for 2 and a half months. My friend was on the shot, and her periods were all irregular for months after. We both were formerly very regular girls. No one ever mentioned anything about it to me before i went on the pill, and i talked to my doc about it a lot. i even took the low dose cause i was worried about side effects. i mean, maybe it was just stress for both of us... or something i dunno... but I'm wary, hormones went in, then weird stuff happened... i hate medicines for exactly that reason...

anyways... i need to get another ice pack, some midol, and some chocolate, else i'll be cranky!

 

[klusener]

Is this a PG (-13?) forum?

 

[dextercioby]

I read "Masturbation". :tongue2: What a dissapointment.

One advice,honey,get pregnant,there's no better cure... :tongue2:

Daniel.

 

[brewnog]

Is this a PG (-13?) forum?

One advice,honey,get pregnant,there's no better cure...

When a woman's on the blob, these are not the kind of thing you want to say.

Gale, my ex used to get terrible joint pains when she was PMTing. Doc said it was likely to be the PMT inducing water retention, which in turn put pressure on the nerve endings. He put her on anti-inflammatories, and I think they talked about diuretics too.

Have some more chocolate.

 

[Gale]

i didn't say anything that was inappropriate. what makes it not PG? there have been way worse things said then a serious question about a woman's period.

Daniel, get your head out of the gutter! i haven't posted about masturbating in ages. and i just missed a period thanks. that was stressful enough, I'm 17, i don't want a baby just yet, especially when there's no daddy to speak of! must be nice though to be so detached from femine problems though.

i didn't think of that brewndog. perhaps that makes sense. I'm wondering if knees in particular are significant, since my therapist asked. or maybe because i have so many leg problems... i don't know. i'll have to ask her. i hate it though, once a month i sprawl on the bathroom floor and writhe in pain, screaming for ice packs and heating pads, and then stressing about whether to put it on my back or knees, or what. BAH!

its a good thing we just bought a ton of hershey's bars for s'mores. I'm eating them up...

 

[hitssquad]

Supplements for joint inflammation

If my knees were regularly getting inflamed, I would take supplements that are known to protect against inflammation.
lef.org/protocols/prtcl-013a.shtml#osteoarthara

• Nettle Leaf
  
• S-Adenosylmethionine (SAMe)
  
• Nexrutine
  
• 5-Loxin
  
• Ginger
  
• Glucosamine
  
• Chondroitin Sulfate
  
• Willow Bark
  
• Omega-3-Oils (Omega-3-Fatty Acids)
  
• Antioxidants
  
• Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA)
  
• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

BAC and iHerb are two internet sources for cheap supplements.

[EDIT (6:15 PM 6/7/2005):]
easycart.net/BeyondACenturyInc./
http://www.iherb.com/store.html
[END EDIT]

I would also consume a variety of Italian and Indian culinary herbs and spices, especially turmeric (this has to be eaten with black pepper to allow your body to absorb its important flavonoid curcumin). These tend to contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. You can find these at low cost in the bulk section of your local natural foods store.

 

[Moonbear]

Okay, the knee pain is a new one to me, so I can't really help there. I'd have to ask my ob/gyn friends (though if DaveC is around, his wife might be able to give an answer faster than I could get around to running into the ob/gyn folks).

As for menstrual irregularities while on the pill...did you really mean while ON the pill, or at some point after stopping it?
I think you were referring to menstrual irregularity after stopping using the pill. That is normal. Your body takes a little time to readjust to needing to produce hormones on its own again after removing the outside control (via the pill) of them, so it can take anywhere from 1 to 6 months, as an average range, to become regular again, if you were regular to begin with (some women are never very regular). If you are at all sexually active during this time, be especially careful because the irregularity can make it difficult to realize you're pregnant.

While ON the pill, your cycles should be VERY regular because they should be regulated by the pill. Your menstrual flow may be much lighter while on the pill and not last as long as if you were not taking it, but it should happen like clockwork, once every 28 days. If you're irregular while on the pill, check with your gynecologist. You may not be responding to it properly (and use extra protection if you engage in intercourse; if the pill isn't working, you're not protected against pregnancy as well as you might think you are).

As for your friend getting "the shot," I assume you mean Depo Provera. That works differently than the pill, so on that, a woman generally doesn't have periods at all, but may have some irregular bleeding. Again, if your friend has any questions or suspects something doesn't seem quite right compared to what was explained should happen, she should call her gynecologist and make sure everything is okay. As the Depo Provera loses effectiveness, but is still circulating in low doses, it seems reasonable to me that would disrupt cycle length but possibly not be sufficient to disrupt ovulation and later menstruation entirely.

Since it sounds like you have pretty bad back pain as well as leg pain, it could be that whatever pre-existing condition you have with your knee that you're seeking physical therapy for is being aggravated by the prostaglandins released during menstruation (that's what gives you that crampy feeling; they're the same class of compounds that are involved in inflammatory responses). Do anti-inflammatories relieve the pain? (i.e., does your Midol work for your knee as well as your back?) And does the knee pain worsen at the same time your back pain appears, or does it start at a different time relative to the back pain? Like I said, I don't really know the answer to that one, but maybe understanding more precisely the timing of it, we could figure out some likely culprits.

Was the pain any less when you were on the pill? There are a lot of women who go on the pill not just as a contraceptive but because it reduces a lot of their PMS symptoms (acne, severe cramping, moodiness).

 

[Smurf]

How do you ALWAYS write so much about everything? What are you a walking encyclopedia?

 

[Gale]

yes moonbear, i meant the irregularity came after the pill... i think i said that... and thanks, i wasn't positive going off the pill would cause irregularities, and i was VERY stressed when i missed a month since i'd always, ALWAYS been regular. I've been taking pregnancy tests like a madwoman. i think my doctor should've mentioned that before i went on the pill. When i went on the pill, i was basically assured nothing would be different at all, and especially no after effects. grrr...

anyways, yes the knee pain comes exactly when i get the back pains. that's what makes it so horrible. the back pain starts, and then my knees get sore, and i just collapse and curl into the fetal position. I'm probably a bit of a drama queen though...

and yes, my pain was less on the pill... that was one of the reasons i went on the pill. I'm very not into taking pills or medicines. i don't like the idea of putting things into my body. i don't usually even take midol, but sometimes i have to in order to function at all. i prefer herbal treatments, but my mums teas and stuff don't always do the trick... plus many of them taste nasty.

Thanks for the response though, maybe its the milkshake i just had, or something, but I'm suddenly feeling quite euphoric and appreciative to talk to a sane woman... (my mum is pre menopausal... UGH...)

 

[Moonbear]

How do you ALWAYS write so much about everything? What are you a walking encyclopedia?

:rofl: Remember, my area of research is reproduction. I always have plenty to say on that topic. When I taught med students, I'd always get one or two coming up after class to ask these same types of questions (though always about "a friend" ), so I have ready answers for those questions.

 

[Danger]

:rofl: Remember, my area of research is reproduction.

Professionally as well?

 

[Moonbear]

yes moonbear, i meant the irregularity came after the pill... i think i said that

Yeah, I think I just read that part too quickly.

... and thanks, i wasn't positive going off the pill would cause irregularities, and i was VERY stressed when i missed a month since i'd always, ALWAYS been regular. I've been taking pregnancy tests like a madwoman. i think my doctor should've mentioned that before i went on the pill. When i went on the pill, i was basically assured nothing would be different at all, and especially no after effects. grrr...

At the least, they should have mentioned it when you went off the pill. Of course the stress can make you even more irregular.

anyways, yes the knee pain comes exactly when i get the back pains. that's what makes it so horrible. the back pain starts, and then my knees get sore, and i just collapse and curl into the fetal position. I'm probably a bit of a drama queen though...

Well, then the main thing that comes to mind are the prostaglandins. Darn nasty little chemicals our bodies make. Wish I had a definite answer for you. Next time you see your physical therapist, ask...I want to know too now.

i prefer herbal treatments, but my mums teas and stuff don't always do the trick... plus many of them taste nasty.

If you're taking any other medications, or if you go back on the pill, check with your doctor before using any herbal treatments. Some won't really do anything (though just hot tea might be relaxing to sip regardless of whether it has any medicinal value), but the ones that really do have active ingredients in them could interfere with the effectiveness of the pill, or cause drug interaction problems with other things you're taking.

Thanks for the response though, maybe its the milkshake i just had, or something, but I'm suddenly feeling quite euphoric and appreciative to talk to a sane woman... (my mum is pre menopausal... UGH...)

Chocolate milkshake I presume? Ah, your mom is nearing menopause, no wonder you're having so much trouble at home! When my mom went through menopause, she had to go on HRT for ALL our sanity!

 

[Moonbear]

Professionally as well?

Smart*** :grumpy: I'm going to send the menstrual Gale over to beat you up for that.

Unless you really didn't know that's my area of research, then I'll call her off. :tongue2:

 

[Gale]

Smart*** :grumpy: I'm going to send the menstrual Gale over to beat you up for that.

hah! you mightn't even have to send me, if he takes my thread off topic, i might be forced to beat him anyways... don't mess with a girls menstruation thread while she's still menstruating! i may be in crippling pain, but i assure you, when that subsides, i'd be more than willing to make someone feel as awful as me! [/death threat]


ANYWAYS,

Well, then the main thing that comes to mind are the prostaglandins. Darn nasty little chemicals our bodies make. Wish I had a definite answer for you. Next time you see your physical therapist, ask...I want to know too now.

If you're taking any other medications, or if you go back on the pill, check with your doctor before using any herbal treatments. Some won't really do anything (though just hot tea might be relaxing to sip regardless of whether it has any medicinal value), but the ones that really do have active ingredients in them could interfere with the effectiveness of the pill, or cause drug interaction problems with other things you're taking.

i rarely take any medications at all, ever. most of the herbal stuff comes straight from an herbalist who knows what she's doing. she tells us if there's anything that'd interfere with meds. but again, i don't really take many anyways... cept during my time of the month...

but ya, i'll ask my therapist... I'm curious too... hence why i asked. I'm also wondering if the work she's doing on me will help. i just saw her yesterday, and she rolfed me, and then my period magically shows up... but prostaglandins eh? so would the supplements hitsquad mentioned be worth looking into? if prostaglandins cause inflamation, and those supplements prevent that... hmmm

Chocolate milkshake I presume? Ah, your mom is nearing menopause, no wonder you're having so much trouble at home! When my mom went through menopause, she had to go on HRT for ALL our sanity!

Yes, as if having one female in the house with issues wasn't enough... Worst part is, i think she doesn't want to be menopausal... she's totally in denial. Today was my 'rents silver anniversary, and she's all happy and making dinner, (a rarity!) and then she couldn't get the grill lit, so she freaked out, and started getting really upset, and my dad was like "did you turn it on?" and she tweaked and got red faced and mad... i was like, "god, wicked mood swing mum..." and she got even madder... then we're eating, and she's like, "its so hot in here, open some windows, I'm sweating..." ...it was pretty cool today... so I'm like "hot flash... someone's menopausal..." and again with the freakage... OY! "I AM NOT MENOPAUSAL!" ya.. ok mum..

frankly, this menstruating crap sucks... i won't miss it when i hit menopause...

 

[hitssquad]

Interfering with PGE2, and Paul Wakfer's regimen

prostaglandins eh? so would the supplements hitsquad mentioned be worth looking into? if prostaglandins cause inflamation, and those supplements prevent that... hmmm

One thing you can do to give yourself more useful decision-information is look up any given supplement you are interested in on PubMed. PubMed abstracts often mention which specific inflammatory pathways a given anti-inflammatory interferes with.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=Display&DB=PubMed

Prostaglandins get mentioned a lot there, on the LEF site, and on sci.life-extension.
groups-beta.google.com/group/sci.life-extension
http://www.lef.org

If you research the supplements that Paul Wakfer takes, you will find that many of them interfere with pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.

 

[Moonbear]

so would the supplements hitsquad mentioned be worth looking into? if prostaglandins cause inflamation, and those supplements prevent that... hmmm

If it's just the inflammation, the Midol you're already taking should do the trick. I didn't look carefully at his list, but some of the supplements he listed are just generally intended for other joint issues, basically preventing other things that would cause irritation or inflammation. The ones I recognized immediately could help, or might not (there's mixed evidence). Someone I know gave their dog chondroitin, and it did seem to relieve joint pain so that she could walk better again (she had been limping from joint problems due to aging and loss of cartilage, and then regained a good deal of mobility with the chondroitin)...I trust the dog better than I trust people, since people can be influenced a bit by placebo effects and report improvements that really aren't there.

Your doctor and physical therapist should be able to advise you specifically if any are worth trying for your specific condition/injury. If you have a torn ligament vs bone spurs vs cartilage loss vs nerve damage vs stress fractures, the approach would be different for each possible source of pain. So, on just a diagnosis of knee pain, I wouldn't be able to say what might or might not work in your case. The cause of the knee pain is what is more important for determining that.

 

[Danger]

Unless you really didn't know that's my area of research, then I'll call her off. :tongue2:

You've never mentioned it. I got the impression that you're working on brain neurophysiology.

But I would have said that anyhow.

 

[Moonbear]

You've never mentioned it. I got the impression that you're working on brain neurophysiology.

But I would have said that anyhow.

I have, but probably before you arrived here. Currently my research is focused on neuroscience (neuroendocrinology to be more precise), but my overall research area is reproduction (I'm one of the few who studies the control of reproduction from the neck up rather than from the waist down).

 

[hitssquad]

Your doctor [...] should be able to advise you specifically if any are worth trying for your specific condition/injury

This might be true in the odd case, but medical doctors are notoriously ignorant of current medical research.

 

[Gale]

wahoo! we're on page two on a topic about menstruation! quite a few views as well...

anyways, the causes of knee pain I'm unsure about. i have plenty of aches and pains, but they're mild and i believe all caused by my rotated hip rotation and hyper mobileness and stuff like that... something about my core muscles being um... too tight or something... like, my balance is all off, so certain muscles have like, been working over time? i dunno... but she loosened them up i guess, and then my period came. so i think that's pretty cool, and i hope inductive that she's a good therapist who'll help me overall.

i don't know why all these problems and my period are linked the way they are... i mean, i don't know why the knee pain only occurs once a month... but i'll ask my therapist i guess... i don't think its important enough to call my doctor about.

Also... i don't have a gyno... do you think i ought? actually i don't even get those invasive test thingies done... maybe i ought get those too?

 

[DaveC426913]

I'd have to ask my ob/gyn friends (though if DaveC is around, his wife might be able to give an answer faster than I could get around to running into the ob/gyn folks).

shucks! I am flattered-by-proxy.

Alas, Mrs. DaveC has to confess more info is required. Is it bone pain? Muscle pain? ligament pain?

Best guess in leiu of info is iron deficiency.

 

[Gale]

shucks!
Mrs. DaveC has to confess more info is required. Is it bone pain? Muscle pain? ligament pain?

i'm going to say muscle pain... maybe ligament?... not sure how i know the difference... i'd say its around the top of my knees, and maybe other places down my legs. its very directly related to my cramps and back pain. if my back hurts, my knees hurt, the worse my back is, the worse my knees are. i really never thought it was a big deal, (well i mean, it hurt like hell, and it was a big deal to me, but i was never too curious about it,) 'till my therapist actually asked about it out of the blue. i though maybe it was normal? though its seeming like maybe its not i guess... i have no clue now...

 

[Moonbear]

Also... i don't have a gyno... do you think i ought? actually i don't even get those invasive test thingies done... maybe i ought get those too?

You're somewhere between 17 and 18? Then, yes, it's a good time to start seeing one. The recommended age is 18, or when you become sexually active, whichever comes first. Since you've been on the pill and taking pregnancy tests like crazy when late for a period, I would suggest it's time. Since you have cramping or back pain that leaves you doubled over like a drama queen :tongue2:, that's another good reason to get advice from a gynecologist rather than just the family doctor. The good news is they've recently changed their recommendations that once you've had a few PAP smears come up normal, you can reduce the frequency of visits for those. Of course, you could wait until you go back to school in the fall and use your college health clinic if that's free. My experience has been that the gynecologists at campus clinics are really more in tune with issues young women face, which are quite different from the problems older women have, and are more up-to-date on their knowledge.

Hitssquad does have a reasonable point that doctors aren't always up-to-date on the latest research findings. We all wish they would be, but there's a lot of new stuff all the time and if it isn't published in JAMA, they don't pay any attention. Those working on or near university campuses, though, do seem to be more up-to-date because they are interacting more with the researchers. So, if your doctor can't answer something and you come across information on PubMed that he linked for you that you aren't sure about, or just want some opinion if the study shows what the researchers says it shows, feel free to head over to biology with the reference citations and ask away.

 

[Moonbear]

i'm going to say muscle pain... maybe ligament?... not sure how i know the difference... i'd say its around the top of my knees, and maybe other places down my legs.

Hmm...you didn't mention that it hurt further down your legs too before. Perhaps something related to the sciatic nerve? The nerve runs from your back all the way down your legs, and can be associated with both back and leg problems. Though that doesn't quite explain why it would be worse during your period.

Now, when do we suppose DaveC is going to convince his wife to join PF too? She seems to be contributing fairly regularly, but he has to do all the typing for her. :tongue2:

 

[Danger]

Though that doesn't quite explain why it would be worse during your period.

Could water-retention in a specific tissue mass be exerting pressure on the nerve?

 

[cronxeh]

http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/2d20a.htm

...
Theories abound over why women suffer more knee injuries, but there has been little objective proof. The U-M research team, led by orthopaedic surgeon Edward M. Wojtys, M.D., evaluated 40 young females with acute ACL injuries and discovered a disproportionately high number of the injuries occurred during the ovulatory phase of the athlete’s menstrual cycle. The ovulatory phase typically occurs during days 10-14 of the cycle and is marked by a significant rise in estrogen levels as well as high levels of a hormone called relaxin.
...

 

[Gale]

Hmm...you didn't mention that it hurt further down your legs too before. Perhaps something related to the sciatic nerve? The nerve runs from your back all the way down your legs, and can be associated with both back and leg problems. Though that doesn't quite explain why it would be worse during your period.

Now, when do we suppose DaveC is going to convince his wife to join PF too? She seems to be contributing fairly regularly, but he has to do all the typing for her. :tongue2:

I think she should... having couples on pf is soo cute!

Anyway, i think it may go down the rest of my legs, but its definately concentrated around my knees. honestly, the only times i think the rest of my legs get sore... and really that's what it is, it feel very very sore, like how cramps feel sore instead of say, burning pain, or like knife being stabbed into me pain... actually sometimes there are sharp pains, but generally its sore feelings...

And ya, pap smears, that's what they're called... never had one, but my doc hasn't recomended one, and i was sexual active and she knew that... sooo...? i had some test thing done when i had loads of UTI's, she said it was similar to a pap, but not quite... so aside from going to my college clinic, how else would i go about getting a gyno? actually, I'm not sure how to really go about it even through my school...
oh, and are pap smears only given by gynos? cause i know my mum gets those at the family doc... hmm... actually if paps are given by my family doc... what do i see a gyno for exactly?

 

[Gale]

Could water-retention in a specific tissue mass be exerting pressure on the nerve?

oh ya, i wanted to ask what you thought of brewndogs water retention thing. that seemed pretty simple and reasonable...

 

[Danger]

oh ya, i wanted to ask what you thought of brewndogs water retention thing. that seemed pretty simple and reasonable...

I'd actually forgotten all about that post. I was just skimming because I had no intention of getting involved in this thread. To me, and I'm sure as hell no authority on the subject, the specific tissue thing would fit the symptoms of specific pain locations. If it were body-wide nerve-ending stimulation, it should hurt everywhere.
Oh yeah... the other thing that crossed my mind briefly also dealt with water retention, but in a different way. I was wondering if your uric acid levels might be elevated and causing a mild form of gout.

 

[Gale]

I'd actually forgotten all about that post. I was just skimming because I no intention of getting involved in this thread. To me, and I'm sure as hell no authority on the subject, the specific tissue thing would fit the symptoms of specific pain locations. If it were body-wide nerve-ending stimulation, it should hurt everywhere.
Oh yeah... the other thing that crossed my mind briefly also dealt with water retention, but in a different way. I was wondering if you uric acid levels might be elevated and causing a mild form of gout.

what... Danger's not an expert on menstruation! actually... somehow I'm not exactly surprised heh...
what's gout?

 

[Moonbear]

so aside from going to my college clinic, how else would i go about getting a gyno? actually, I'm not sure how to really go about it even through my school...
oh, and are pap smears only given by gynos? cause i know my mum gets those at the family doc... hmm... actually if paps are given by my family doc... what do i see a gyno for exactly?

If your family doctor does the pelvic exams and you're comfortable with that doctor, then you don't really specifically need a gynecologist unless you have something abnormal the family doc can't handle. Not all family doctors will do pelvic exams, they sometimes just refer their patients to a gynecologist. If you ever have anything show up as abnormal though, then I'd suggest getting a gynecologist rather than just the family doc for a second opinion/consulation. Physicians in each specialty tend to be much more up-to-date on their own specialty than all the others, so a gynecologist will know more about the latest options in birth control than your family physician might. Considering your family physician didn't think about warning you that your cycles might be irregular after going off the pill, it might suggest you'd be better off locating someone who is more of a specialist. You can certainly ask your family doctor for a referral, or if you have friends you know have begun to see gynecologists, ask them if they like theirs. You have to find someone you are comfortable talking with.

I don't know how your university's health system works specifically. The universities I've been at all have had on-campus health centers and all I had to do was call and ask for a gynecology appointment. I found they were much easier to talk to (most of them were women and on the younger side) than say the old male gynecologist my mom used.

 

[Danger]

what... Danger's not an expert on menstruation!

Yeah, well... we all have our limitations.:tongue:
(I'd expect you to know by now that I'm not an expert on anything.)

what's gout?

This gives a pretty good answer in the first paragraph: gout

 

[Math Is Hard]

something that I've noticed about periods is that it will intensify a pain that may not normally be very annoying. The magnitude of a normal headache or muscle ache will be about three times stronger for instance - in my case at least. I can't help but wonder if the knee/back pain is something mild and chronic that you just don't normally notice.

I think it's a good time to find a gyno that you like and trust so you can talk about these things openly. Just go and get the routine pap - it's important. It's quick and it doesn't hurt a bit (you get swabbed with a big ol' Q-tip, that's it) and you'll feel peace of mind knowing that you've done it. HPV (warts virus, essentially) is extremely common and it can lead to very serious health issues if not treated.

 

[cronxeh]

as someone put it wisely somewhere..

"i don't trust anything that bleeds for a week and doesn't die"

:uhh:

 

[Moonbear]

as someone put it wisely somewhere..

"i don't trust anything that bleeds for a week and doesn't die"

:uhh:

Hey gals, let's find out if we can trust cronxeh!