thicking of the lining of my uterus

I'm 26 yrs old and this year I'll be turning 27, and as far back as I can remember I've always had problems with my period, 8 years ago I had surgery to remove pulups because of irregular bleeding in fact I almost died because I lost so much blood the doctor put me on birth control pills to regulate my period and i took them for about a year and everything was good after that for quite some time......then last September08 I missed my period and I thought I was pregnant but all the tests were negative I had no period for 3 months it finally came in December08 but last all through January09 I went to the ER one day because i felt really weak and again they give birth control which stopped the bleeding and the doctor told me my lining was very thick but since this year started i just got my period and the cramps are so horrible not like regular cramps  please help  

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
In the first half of your cycle, the hormones work like fertilizer on your house plants, to cause your lining to grow.  At midcycle you are supposed to ovulate, and then the hormone balance shifts, and the lining stops growning, and prepares for pregnancy,  If you don't conceive, the lining sloughs off as your period.  

If you don't ovulate, the whole thing falls apart, and the lining just keeps on growing.  That is why when you don't have a period for awhile it is a real whopper when it does finally come.  That is where you are at now.

A great plan would be to take progesterone for 14 days to clean the lining out.  You then need to decide what to do to keep it thin.  Birth control pills create an artificial cycle, which works nicely.  You could also take progesterone at the beginning or end of each month.  If you want pregnancy, you could take something like clomid to make you ovulate. For some people metformin works well.

If you don't keep the uterine lining clean, it can eventually lead to uterine cancer, so it IS important.  Usually the birth control pills help lessen the cramping too.If you can take them without side effects, they are your best bet!

Good luck!
Dr B