Irregular Period

I started spotting before a few days before my period and then I got my period and had it for a few days then started spotting again for a few days.  I thought at this point it was over because I always end with some brown spotting but this past weekend I got really crampy Saturday and Sunday morning and started bleeding for a short time each day.  It has since stopped and I am again just spotting a bit.  I am not on birth control could this just be an irregular period?  I had a physical back in September and had a pap smear and full blood work done and everything was normal.  I also had a pelvic ultrasound a year ago that was normal.  Any advice would help I have an anxiety disorder that causes me to really stress when things like this happen!

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
If you were my patient, I would do a pregnancy test first.  I ALWAYS do a pregnancy test.  Depending upon the results of that, I would decide what to tell you.  If negative, I would advise a watch and wait approach.  It is quite common for women to have a "weird" period every so often.  If this becomes a pattern for you though, I would investigate further.  My next step would probably be a saline ultrasound.
Good luck!
Dr B

[EriCon]

Forgot to mention I am 29 and did have unprotected sex the Sunday after my period but my boyfriend pulled out.  

[EriCon]

Dr. B

Thanks for your response.  I have since had another period since this has happened and everything seemed normal except I had worse cramps than normal and I did pass a piece of tissue that was purple on the outside but looked white when I tried to separate it.  I took a preganacy (pregnancy) test like you suggested and it was negative.  Once this passed I was fine.  I have been off the pill for about a year could this finally be my cycle becoming normal because other than the tissue it was a more normal period flow wise than I have had in long time without the weird spotting that I was experiencing.  Thanks again for your help