Period Irregularities

[yukia]

Ever since my first period they have been irregular, ranging from once every 3 months to as little as a half week. Weight fluctuation did not cause this to change. I was quite fit and had a nearly entirely muscle physique previously and now a more chubby less muscular physique. Going on the nuva ring only added a couple unusual changes, brown discharge, previously I had off-white, tan or clear. The brown discharge smells like an outhouse. The nuva ring also caused decreased sex drive as well as decreased blood flow and cramping during periods. Previously the blood flow was so severe that I would get faint spells and the cramping was so painful that with taking extra strength painkillers it would still cause me to end up on the floor clenching my stomach. Recently, I had one period then a week and a half without bleeding then another period then half a week without bleeding then yet another period. These periods are full 7 day periods with the usual cramping and lower back pain, although lessened by the effects of the nuva ring.  Furthermore, although I believe this is unrelated I get severe bloating and gas issues, which I think is caused by my excessive chocolate intake. Without such a daily chocolate intake, however i get constipated as well as irritable... Any ideas as to solutions for this confusing list of symptoms?

[yukia]

I saw a doctor on about a different matter the other day and the only problem with the nuva ring was too low of a dosage resulting in breakthrough bleeding and the other symptoms nearly everyone on birth control get those. In regards to soda, I haven't drank any in the past 5 years or so as I can no longer tolerate how unhealthy it tastes and makes me feel. My stomach muscles are fine(if I wished to I could easily still do a couple hundred situps, they're some of my strongest muscles) and in that regard I am regular so to speak. The only liquid I really drink is water and I tend to drink quite a bit. About the diet thing, in my opinion eating something that tastes awful is not worth eating, aka just extra weight. I've tried eating whole wheats and salads but I can't stand the taste it literally tastes like sand or dirt. I do eat healthy, excluding my chocolate. I dislike eating much for sugary foods, fatty foods overly salty foods, I eat a healthy variety of things. The only sugary things I drink(rarely) are homemade smoothies with only fruit and ice. Stretching does not help me personally with joint pain, I've had arthritis since about the age of 7 or 8 and for 6 years I was doing 8-13 hours of vigorous excersize a week until injuries caused me to discontinue those activities. During that period of time I suffered just as much if not more from arthritis pain not to mention the pains associated with working out muscles etc. In regards to the yoghurts and what not, they're highly expensive here, nearly 5x the price of plain youghurt just for the extra probiotics. My sister has no joint issues, the only reason for my arthritis is growing too quickly, I was 5'7 by the age of 10 and now 5'10. In regards to seeing a gyn, you can't get emergency visits with your family doctor, for any sort of emergency you go to the ER and there they don't treat ongoing issues unless it's say a broken arm, something life threatening etc, otherwise you go to your family doctor, for medications for a cold or flu you go to your family doctor or a clinic. (not 100% accurate but a quick explanation). Family doctors deal with most gyn problems here, papsmears, pregnancies etc etc, so seeing an actual gyn here you'd have to get referred by them. If I tried to get an appointment through the ER, I would be waiting approximately 7 hours and I would only get to see a general practictionner unless a blood/urine or x-ray test proved necessary to see a gyn. (I was in the ER yesterday due to a different issue and was there 7 hours and brought up the situation while there and they had no answers for me nor did they give me a referral or suggest  seeing a gyn) I apologize if anything I said sounded rude or defensive, I had no intension to do so.

[ggreg]

YUKIA,  While you wait to get in to see a GYN, stop using the Nuva Ring, please.  It is causing you MORE trouble than it is helping you!  There are other ways to regulate periods, since your sister has the identical problem, but I cannot recall what medicines help, but a good GYN will know what to do, just be sure to advise her that external methods haven't help you or your sister.

You can drink regular sodas, the carbonated water will make you burp, and that will get rid of at least some of the gas, I used to drink gingerale to settle my tummy.  The reason I suggested exercise is because of your digestion.  The three standard things to improve digestion are:  Exercise, water, fiber.  Exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles, which therefore helps the bowels move more smoothly.  Extra water, maybe five glasses a day, will also help the body break down food.  Fiber includes slowly adding those foods to your regular meals, like oat cereal in the morning, whole grain bread at lunch, and a salad with dinner.  

Believe it or not, even a short and simple stretching routine several times a week will actually make your joints feel better, and it will release tension...which you reported feeling irritable sometimes, and it will give you more strength to withstand this GYN problem & digestive issues you have until they can be resolved, and may even improve your symptoms.  One more thing, sometimes when people get lots of gas and bloating, they will get probitotics in them, which is "good" bacteria to balance the intestinal flora, so you can eat special yogurts like Activia and special milks like Acidophilus or Kafir, consume one of those for one week or so, and that might help your digestive issues, too.

I'm thinking you and your sister may have a general health issue that causes this trouble with your female hormones, and if your sister also has joint issues, could be the two are somehow connected, might even be an inherited tendency to have a vitamin/mineral deficiency, or a malabsorption issue, or even that some abnormality in your hormone centers is causing all these symptoms.  But yes, I think it's significant your sister has these same troubles, and it points to an inherited disorder of some kind.  

Since it shows itself mainly as a GYN thing, that is why you must go see one of those docs.  Find out if your sister has joint or arthritis trouble.  Then I think you could take that bit of info, too, along with you all's hormonal issues, and post this stuff over in the GYN forum, I forget what it's named, but you can find it.  Could be you all's situation has a name to it and a specific treatment, as an inherited issue, someone over there might know, while you wait to see the doc.

Now, I understand the situation in Canada, where you need a referral to see specialists, but I THINK seeing a female doc is just like seeing a general doc, it's basic health care and you may be able to just go ahead and see a GYN without a referral, please check on that when we can all get back on the phones tomorrow!  Also, you CAN ask your regular doc for an emergency squeeze-in appointment, so this can be taken care of faster, OR you can go to an Urgent Care or ER clinic becuz, after all, the Nuva Ring has now created some discoloration and odor, which is a sign of infection, so if doc can't see you right away for referral, you can maybe go the emergency route.  Keep us posted and keep asking whatever you want.  GG

[yukia]

Due to me being in canada it may take a couple weeks to get to see a gyn, as you have to talk to your family doctor to get an appointment with one and getting an appointment with my doctor takes up to a couple weeks as is. I got on the nuva ring in order to regulate my cycle, which it did for the most part for about 3/4year then it returned to normal, getting periods without even removing it. Could it possibly be a dosage issue? I don't think my irregular periods is caused by strictly physical defect, is there some sort of heriditary thing that may cause this? My sister has similar issues she can go without a period for up to 9 months(no not pregnant). She went on Mirena and it's somewhat improved but she's had issues with it getting lost etc. I personally don't think that method would work for me, I asked my doctor if it would be possible to used the nuva ring continously no breaks for periods(changing every 3 weeks) she said there should be no issues. So I tried it but once I was on the 3rd one in a row I was getting hotflashes etc going into an almost menopausal state. Therefore, I went to one period every 2 rings and it worked out well for about half a year and then my period starting going back to every couple weeks regardless of whether the ring was in or not. On the alka seltzer note, I appreciate it but I can't stand the taste of it especially if I had to use it on a daily basis. And it's too cold out(even inside) to excersize I have arthritis in all my joints.

[ggreg]

First, if you haven't already, get rid of the Nuva Ring.  Find another less invasive way for birth control.  Next, go to a gynecologist, you need a complete workup to make sure you don't have some internal abnormality creating these period problems, aside from the new ones caused most likely by the Nuva Ring.  This doctor at the very least should do an ultrasound, and should probably order a scan.  This same gynecologist can recommend a better form of birth control that that dang ring, especially since she will know your history.  Just be abstinant until you get something new going.  

Anytime you get gas and bloating, just drink an ordinary Original Alka Seltzer, it will release the gas and return your pH to an alkaline state.  Go ahead and do at least a simple exercise habit three time a week, like stretching, taking a walk, or doing aerobics in front of those TV exercise shows.  Let us know if the gyn finds anything out of the ordinary and what her plans are to treat you.