Irregular Period

[emilime.livejournal.com]

Hi. This may have been asked before, but I couldn't find anything in the memories about it. I feel kind of silly asking a question like this because I've been a member of various women's health communities on here for so long, but I guess I just want to hear a consensus on what others think.

I'm 24 and have had a regular period ever since I was 13. When I'm not on HBC my cycles are usually around 28-30 days long. My periods will last for about 4 days of a medium flow and one day of that brownish spotting.

My fiance and I had sex for the first time in months on the 16th (with a condom as the sole form of protection, it did not break or leak in any noticible way). Four days later I started my period which was about when I was expecting it. What concerns me is that my period only lasted 2 days of medium flow. Since then there has been a little bleeding, nothing that shows up on a pantyliner, just some blood when I wipe. I did check to verify that it's coming from my vagina not any other area. This blood is lighter than my usual mentrual blood.

I am familiar with "implantation bleeding" which is said to be lighter than menstrual blood. However, I've always heard that would occur closer to two weeks after conception, and I don't know if my heavier bleeding would be consistant with that.

Why this concerns me is that I have NEVER had an irregular period since the day my periods began. So any input you ladies could give me would be welcome. My main concern right now is should I be worried about being pregnant? When should I take a pregnancy test, now? a week from now? both? Or is this just the way periods can be sometimes? I don't know what would have made it different other than the fact that this week I haven't been eating as healthy as I was in the past few months and I was doing more physical activity this week also. Could that have caused it?

I'm sorry that I have rambled; I'm just a bit confused with what's going on. Any advice would be appreciated.

Comments

[jennifer19.livejournal.com]

if you're concerned about being pregnant wait a week and take a pregnancy test during your morning pee (the hormones are strongest on the first-thing-in-the-morning pee). If things are still irregular next month, do another one. If that comes out negative and you're still worried, go check in with your doc.

Sometimes it just happens. Stress plays a major role in our menstrual cycle. If you've been stressed out it can cause it to be a bit wonky or even to just NOT COME. The biggest thing is not to let it worry you too much, it might just be something this month that made it weird and it'll all go back to normal.

Sometimes my periods are heavier than other months. normally, since i'm on low hormonal BC, I have a 3 day period. This month got screwy because of insurance f-ing me over with my BC and getting it late and I ended up with an almost 6 day period (direct OPPOSITE of you but hey). They're fickle beings, our periods. ;-)

[emilime.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Yeah I know periods can be fickle sometimes... I've told other people that myself lol. I guess since this is just the first time having it happen after 11 years I just got concerned and needed to hear someone else tell me these things to make sure I'm not just talking myself out of being concerened if I really need to be.

[jennifer19.livejournal.com]

oh i understand. i do that too. sometimes you just need to hear it from someone else. ;-)

that whole take our own advice kind of thing. :-)

[iworshipsatin.livejournal.com]

4 days would be WAY too early for implantation bleeding which is spotting and happens 7-14 days later. You had a medium flow, you are not pregnant.
Aside form that is you are using condoms correctly I believe they are 97% effective and are meant to be your sole birth control. If you are not comfortable with that you need to look into other methods or stop having sex until you can trust your BC (not being snarky).
If you have menstruated you can NOT be pregnant. Menstruation is the shedding of your uterus lining. When it is shed everything on it is shed including any zygotes that had implanted.
If it makes you feel better you can take a test 14 days post incident.
Anything can disrupt your cycle and changing your eating habits and physical activity can and will definitely affect it.

[emilime.livejournal.com]

That's what I thought. For those two days my flow was completely normal. I do trust my part ner and I to use condoms correctly, I'm usually not concerned but when this happened (and it's never happened before) I thought maybe I got a factory defect! I dunno lol. My insurance doesn't pay for BC. I'm looking into getting and IUD, the closest PP is like an hour and thirty minutes away and I'm saving the money for one now and looking to get it inserted this summer when I won't be at work.

I probably will take a test next week just to double check. Thanks, like I said above I've told other people these things before but I had to hear it from someone else to make sure I'm not just rationalizing away fears.