# Really short cycles?



## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

AF came back in November. Since then, I've had 2 ~30 day cycles, and the rest have been ~14 days.

Mostly what I read here on AF and breastfeeding is long cycles.

Is this normal? While I appreciated 17 mo of no AF, this "catching up" is getting rediculous!


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Geofizz_
*AF came back in November. Since then, I've had 2 ~30 day cycles, and the rest have been ~14 days.

Mostly what I read here on AF and breastfeeding is long cycles.

Is this normal? While I appreciated 17 mo of no AF, this "catching up" is getting rediculous!*
Before I got pregnant with Eli, my cycles were about 20.5 days long and very regular. AF came to visit me 3.5 weeks after he was born, so I didn't miss any time to catch up on. I ovulated about two weeks after that. My first few cycles were longer (28-34 days); the fifth was 28 days and then they went back to 20.5 days.

Are you living with a menstruating woman? Some women seem to spill hormones more than others. In my family, it was me; when I moved into my mother's house both her cycle and my sister's regulated themselves to match mine. This was somewhat irritating to my sister, who had just gotten used to her 26 day cycles and especially irritating to my mother, who was just annoyed that she was still menstruating ("I'm too old for this stuff!!" every single month since she turned 50. :LOL) When I got pregnant, their cycles both became 28 days long, seemingly by magic. :LOL

At any rate, if you're living with another woman or you're regularly in the company of another woman, it could easily be messing with your cycle. It's much more likely to happen to young teenagers with irregular cycles (I can remember going to camp with two or three boxes of pads, knowing that I would get my period and that the three or four other girls in my cabin would start bleeding and be totally unprepared) or women in their peri-menopausal years (again, with unpredictable hormones) but it can happen at any time.


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

Good suggestion, but I don't think that's it. I spend my time either by myself in my office or at home with DH and DD. Last I checked, DH isn't menstrating.

I'm also struggling with a weird ammonia smell after I go running. A google search tells me that's an indication of burning protein instead of carbohydrates. Looking at my diet, neither is in short supply, but I wonder if this frequent menstrating is somehow related or the cause.

So is super-frequent menstrating unusual when breastfeeding? I'm pretty sure I was ovulating this last fall, but I don't know that I am now. Oh, and they've all been HEAVY.


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## kofduke (Dec 24, 2002)

Well, the exact same thing has been happening to me. I'm going to my dr. tomorrow for an annual exam, and am planning to ask, I'll let you know when I get back.


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

Bump.

I spent some time with google last night, only to find *no* information. All I found was this:

"Frequent menstruation or excessive bleeding is most often caused by nutritional deficiencies, endometriosis, ovary dysfunctions, cancer, fibroids, thyroid problems, and stress."

But I found no information on possible relationships between frequent menstruation and breastfeeding.


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## kofduke (Dec 24, 2002)

Thanks for bumping - I couldn't find the thread to tell you about my appointment.

Anyway, the nurse practitioner I saw said it was totally, absolutely normal for periods to be very irregular, and come at shorter intervals, while extended breastfeeding, particularly since I'm on the mini-pill. She said her only concern was anemia - which, after I thought about it, concerned me too, since I've been really sick recently (3 bouts of the flu, 2 bad colds, and pinkeye since the new year).


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

I'm currently thinking about anemia as well. I just noticed that my finger tips are not as pink as they normally are. However, I've been running and feeling very, very good. When I've been anemic I feel like I'm running through honey.

I called the midwife this morning. I'm still waiting for a call back.

Thanks for reporting.


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## lauraess (Mar 8, 2002)

Ladies, Im experienceing the same sort of thing and have been trying to link it to my age-36- and still nursing and stressed.
How old are you all?
anyone having night sweats???
Laura


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

I'm 29, other than the super-frequent menstruation, I'm feeling very good. Yes, I'm a tad stressed, but there is nothing new there. Nursing 7-10 times a day.

I had a good chat with my midwife yesterday. She's not immediately concerned as long as I'm feeling good. At this point she said the main thing I need to consider is iron intake, and actually recommended that I start taking prenatals again. Yuck.

However, since it's been ~4 months now, if I get 2 more periods before mid April, then she wants me to make an appointment and "they're run tests." She wouldn't tell me what tests...


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## eilonwy (Apr 3, 2003)

Geo, they're probably going to check you for fibroids or for signs of endometriosis, which are the two most common causes for very short cycles.

I never worried about mine, because they were very regular and while they were short they weren't too far outside of the normal range. I do tend to get anemic, but it's not from iron deficiency so it's all good.







Oh, and I'm 26. :LOL I certainly don't think it's an age thing for me!


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

Thanks.

"they're probably going to check you for fibroids or for signs of endometriosis"

My mom had fibroids, so I know that may be a risk. My quick google search says there may be no symptoms, but of the list I see, they don't fit. I also looked up symptoms of endometriosis, and while I would use many of those symptoms to describe my periods before getting pregnant, I haven't experienced any of it since DD was born.

You're probably right in what my mw was thinking about with respect to testing -- the list of symptoms I found for both fibroids nad endometriosis were they questions she was asking me.

kofduke and lauraess -- are you both taking micronor? I see kofduke mentioned the mini-pill. Could this be a side effect? I guess it may be time to take out the magnifying glass and reread all the warnings.


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

kofduke and geofizz--have either of you had the simple blood test for anemia? Don't just run out and take massive dose iron pills if you are not anemic.

And as far as as all the sickness kofduke, 3 bouts of the flu, 2 bad colds, and pinkeye since the new year, yikes! Do you take a good multi-vit and probiotics? I get mine from the health food store, and I really think they boost the immune systme.

My multi-vit also contains green food. I take the iron free kind as I am perimenopausal and hardly bleed in my moontime. I take Now brand Iron-Free EcoGreen Multi, but my teen dds take Now brand Special Two. (the label recs 4 a day, but the health food store owner says it is not neccessary to take so many. In fact, they can be constipating if you take too many.)

My pro-biotic is called PB8, with 8 probiotics and a pre-biotic called inulin from chicory root which promotes the growth of the healthy bacteria in the gut. Healthy gut=stronger immune system. Eating grocery store meats can wipe out healthy gut bacteria b/c of all the antibiotics commercially raised cows and chickens are given.

I do not trust drugstore brand prenatals. Many commercial vits just pass thru the system undigested.


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## kofduke (Dec 24, 2002)

I have not been taking any vitamins at all. I just got a women's health one with iron at whole foods a few days ago, and quite honestly I am feeling stronger - maybe it's just in my head, though.

I'm on the generic kind of micronor (camilla).


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## Geofizz (Sep 25, 2003)

kofduke--If your frequent illness are indeed due to anemia, then your blood iron as well as your reserves are likely pretty low. It takes ~6 weeks for your reserves to respond. Glad you've been feeling better, though.

DaryLLL -- I'm actually not thinking I'm anemic at the moment, nor do I plan to take prenatals at the moment. I consider prenatals to be expensive pee. I battled anemia through much of puberty into early adulthood, and I've found that I can tell when my hemoglobin levels drop even just a tad below the normal range. I don't feel that right now. I am, however, taking steps to avoid becoming anemic, by boosting my food-based iron and food-based vitamin C.


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