Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
No periods?
I'm not sure how unusual this is. I've been on BC since I was 18, and I've always chosen to go the route that reduces/eliminates periods. I was on Depo for several years, and got pretty used to having no periods. So when I had to switch (bone density issues) I went on the NuvaRing and just kept it in for four weeks instead of three, after being assured by several doctors that this in no way affects its effectiveness. I put a new one in right away, instead of waiting a week. Eventually, I switched to the Mirena IUD for a more long-term solution, and still have had no periods.
A friend of mine was complaining about her own periods and I casually mentioned that I had not had a period in about four years. To say she flipped out would put it mildly. She went on and on about how that couldn't be healthy and how she was really concerned for my health/fertility etc. I didn't expect that reaction, and I didn't really know what to say. Each time I go to the doctor, I give them my full history on BC and when they ask about my last cycle, I tell them that I really can't remember, but it's been several years. They have never seemed concerned, or even raised an eyebrow.
So does anyone know if there is any risks that I don't know about? How uncommon is this?
Re: No periods?
Four years with no period is NOT NORMAL.
It kills me how lax the medical community is when it comes to these issues - they seem to poo poo it or just write it off.
"SEVERAL YEARS" are the operative two words -- this is all they need to know.
Get another full checkup -- it could be early menopause (it happens) or a thyroid condition or something else hormonally related. Don't take no for answer from any doc: this is your body and your life. GL.
I have heard mixed responses on this, but the majority of the evidence shows that it is not healthy for your body in the long-term
I would definitely talk to your doctor about it, sometimes they lose track of how long patients have been on BC
Also, if you are considering TTC in the next two years, you will want to discuss that as well as it can take a while to get out of your system
Huh?
If she wasn't taking hormonal birth control, I'd completely agree with you.
But she IS taking hormonal birth control, and she's taking it in a way to manipulate her body into not having a period. There isn't anything abnormal about that - if you're taking hormonal birth control to override your body's natural cycle, you won't have a period. And you won't have a withdrawl bleed (which is all a period on BC is) if you never withdrawl the hormones
Science has already shown that women don't have to have a period every month. The only reason that placebos were put into birth control packs is because women expected to still have a period every month and would be weirded out if they didn't. But there isn't any research to show that using hormonal birth control to skip periods - even over a long period of time - is harmful. In fact, I believe they've seen the opposite - you reduce your risk of ovarian and uterine cancer doing this.
OP, I wouldn't worry about it. If someday you stop taking the hormonal birth control and still don't get a period, I'd contact your doctor. Until then, you're fine and the birth control is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
You have to cite those, because I have never ever read that.
With going back to back with the Nuva Ring and then to the Mirena IUD, I can see why don't have periods. My doctors are not concerned either that I rarely have one because going back to back with hormonal BC is to prevent periods and the Mirena IUD is marketed as lightening to eliminating your periods. (I was on NR and have the Mirena)
Your friend needs to do some research instead of flipping out on something she obviously doesn't know anything about.
I would trust my doctor long before I would trust my friends about what is right for my body.
If you have any reason to not trust your doctor, go see another doctor. If I ever have questions about my periods, I ask my family doctor, and double check with the gyno. Between the two doctors, I should have a straight answer. If they both agree, then it's the right answer.
Sometimes my friends and family get excited about my fertility because they just want to scare me into having babies.