A rather odd problem

[denimcat.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to figure some things out for my best female friend.

On her last regular period, she went cold turkey from pain killers (ibuprofen). In the past I know she has a used a LOT of ibuprofen, sometimes maybe even a bit more than the suggested dosage. I believe she also referred to using some leftover prescription medication her mom took after she had a hysterectomy, because her cramps are often very, very bad (yes, I told her that wasn't a good idea).

After her first period without painkillers, she got another period in just two weeks.

Needless to say, this left us both a tad nonplussed, but I figure "Hey, a uterus does strange things now and then, if it's a one-time deal it's probably nothing to worry about".

And then, lo and behold, 2, MAYBE 3 weeks later (right now), she has another period.

Basically, she has suddenly shifted from a normal monthly cycle to every two weeks.

Our current theory is that this has some connection to her sudden stoppage of Ibuprofen, and will eventually stop. Has that been known to happen, and any ideas on what else could be hoing on?

BTW, please, please don't just say "go to a gyno". I don't think I could possibly convince her of that unless we knew there was truly bad juju going on. Thanks.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_last_serenade_/]

just a bit of a story here, i got an IUD about a year ago and found myself pretty much constantly spotting and bleeding. the only thing that stopped it was ibuprofen. it's a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which basically causes the lining of the uterus to stop building up. so what may have been happening if she was taking large dosages of ibuprofen over time is that her uterus may have become accustomed to it and she's now having some kind of withdrawal or residual bleeding from that? this is not medical advice at all, but based on the experience i had with ibuprofen.

that being said, you told her the right thing...taking large (prescription) doses of ibuprofen over a long stretch of time is bound to cause issues, with her stomach lining if nothing else. there are certainly studies that indicate it's not healthy.

if she is concerned about her cycle, have her look into some raspberry leaf tea or any number of herbal teas meant to balance out menstrual cycles. while it is possible that she's a 2-3 week cycler, that's not any fun. also, how old is your friend? it's quite normal within the first several years post menarche to have very erratic cycles.

[denimcat.livejournal.com]

She is 21 and has had a pretty regular cycle since she began at 15, so I think she's out of that range.

Thank you, I was convincing myself she had von willebrand's disease. =.=;;;

[denimcat.livejournal.com]

I forgot to ask - in light of this, would it actually be better if she tried to wean herself off of ibuprofen first?

Oh, and the ibuprofen itself isn't prescription.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_last_serenade_/]

nah, if she's already been off it, just don't take it anymore. i would seriously suggest herbs to regulate her cycle.

http://www.yogitea.nl/yogitea_gb/AyurvedicTeas/WomensTea.html

that one's pretty nice.

[winifred.livejournal.com]

The problem you just described is one that is best addressed by a gynocologist. Here's why:

- Heavy painful periods leading to
- Dependence on pain meds combined with a
- Drastic change in menstrual cycle

If your friend is happy with a two week cycle, and can handle not taking ibuprofen and weathering the cramps, then wait another month. But you still need to consult a physician, gyno or not. The internet can't diagnose this effectively for you.

[belinconnu.livejournal.com]

In my vision culture class we were discussing things that lead to color blindness and a side note in the book pointed to ibprofin in some cases......