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What would make my cycle lighter and last shorter days? I am not on birth control, but my menstrual cycles seem to be getting lighter and lasting shorter periods. My cycles use to last 7-8 days, but this month and last they have been cut short. Looks like I stopped 3 days into the cycle last month and then started back the next day. And this month. I started a little earlier, instead of going 28 days with no period, I went 26 days. I was heavy the first two days and after that my cycle was sooo light that I began using the very thin padding. By the fourth or fifth day I had no cycle. What would be causing my menstrual cycle to be cut short? I know this time, when I stopped flowing early I felt as if I was going to start on my cycle which was weird because in actuality I should have still been on my cycle. I'm worried. Does anyone have any suggestions about what may be going on with me and why? Has anyone experience what I'm going through? Could I be pregnant? I took a EPT pregnancy test right after my cycle stopped and it tested negative. I don't feel pregnant, but I surely stay sleepy alot. I could sleep all day if I had the time to. I have heard that you can be pregnant when you are on your cycle. I have never had wrong pregnancy test results. I have also been a little nauseous, but usually at night and not so much morning.
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Please read my response above for a more detailed answer, but to answer your question directly:
Women's bodies fluctuate on a month-by-month or year-by-year basis. You may have perfectly-timed 28-day cycles with periods lasting 5 days each time; you could set your watch to your cycle it is so precise. Then, for no "apparent" reason, you can have a 24-day or 32-day cycle, with a period only lasting 3 days. This is normal! Your periods can be longer, shorter, heavier, darker, lighter...each new cycle is different. You can experience PMS or not.
As long as you are having menstrual periods on a regular basis (cycles ranging from 21-35 days), with bleeding that does not last longer than 7 days, does not include excessive bleeding....then you are having a normal period. You can read more: How to know if your period is normal.
Be happy that you have a normal period! Your body is fluctuating, as it should!
Regarding your worry of being pregnant, especially since you have experienced a previous unwanted pregnancy before: what type of birth control are you using? Do you need any help with determining the best options that work for you and your partner?
Take care of yourself, and let us know if you have any other questions!
October 13, 2009 - 2:33pmThis Comment
Helo Alison Beaver,
December 12, 2011 - 7:52ami just had this problem that is freaking me out, i had an unprotected sex with my boy friend and he discharged inside me, my period started the following day flowed for two days and stopped, please i am afraid, so i wanted to know if one could get pregnant from this situation. please i urgently need your reply
This Comment
Hi, I am 23 yrs old and a year ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatiod Arthritis... there is NO cure. So I have been on meds and including PREDISONE(a steriod) and I use to have irregular periods like every 5 months Id have 1 and then I got started in a Drug Study to try to find some medicine that would SLOW my R.A. down... Well since being on the drug study(since Jan. 2011) I have had regular periods like every month. So this month has me worried a bit cause I have gotten my period but its now day 8 and I am bleeding just a bit not much. My periods usually last 6 or 7 days thats why this stil bleeding was kinda scary to me... I have been looking online all day and I have looked up Predisone n it says its possible to change cycles but i have been on it a year and this is the 1st time i have had a period beyond 6 or 7 days...
May 19, 2011 - 6:31pmThis Comment
Well I am having the same problem and Im freaking out right now. I actually started heavily on my first two days and then it just stopped. With the light brown ill call it "end of period" fading period spots for the next 2 days. I too, have taken a pregnancy test and it was negative. I think mine could actually be from heavy, heavy stress though. I have been so torn up with stress that I couldnt eat for a couple days too. I have heard that can effect your period. I guess I have a kind of risky lifestyle with alcohol recently and I dont want to have accidentally harmed a baby if I am pregnant. However, I did take the test and it did test negative. This has concerned me enough to get on here and look for answers so maybe its time to see a doctor and get to the bottom of it professionally. good luck to all
September 14, 2009 - 7:36pmThis Comment
Since you have had a period, that would indicate you do not have a viable pregnancy. The absence of a menstrual period could be the first sign of a pregnancy.
You are right...many factors can change the timing, color, amount of blood flow, duration and symptoms of your menstrual cycle, including excessive stress, recent illness, new medication, or just the normal everyday hormone changes that will occur throughout the months and years. You can read below for a link to knowing if your period is normal (normal cycle length is between 21-35 days, and is not longer than 7 days).
If you are worried about pregnancy, are you using safer sex options, like hormonal contraceptives (pill, patch, ring, depo shot, etc?) or condoms? Please let us know if your would like to talk about what birth control options would work best for you and your partner---we would be happy to help!
October 13, 2009 - 2:37pmThis Comment
Hey, I feel better knowing that someone is experiencing the same thing I am. Sometimes, I can feel like I am the only one feeling the way I do.
Yeah, my cycle has always been 7-8 days but these last two months my cycle has grown to be shorter especially this past month. I mean, I flowed heavily the first two days and then afterwards I was kind of spotting here and there. I would kind of stop flowing during the day and do a little something at night. Periodically I feel like I am going to start on my cycle and I think, what? This feeling was strong, but now if i do feel that way, it doesn't last as long. Now I know that when I was pregnant last, this feeling would occur but it would always be really late night or early morning and it would be one of the worse menstrual pains in the world. Also, the last time I was pregnant, I knew that I was pregnant very early on, so I can't imagine myself being pregnant. I took a pregnancy test last week and tested negative. Unlike the person above I am not trying to become pregnant (even though I would like to).
For the person above, you may be pregnant. Have you taken a pregnancy test?
I don't know, I seem to have some other issues facing me, like milky white vaginal discharges and stuff. Another issue that I am dealing with is that I would love to be able to stay in the bed and not do too much of anything as well. That kind of worries me, because that can also be a sign of pregnancy but it can be a sign for so many other things as well. I also seem to have to go to the bathroom more often than usual. How about you Anonymous, are you having any other symptoms besides your cycle being cut short? Have you taken a pregnancy test yet? Have you being pregnant before?
Hopefully someone will respond to us. Thank you for responding. It's good to know that I am not alone. :-)
Good luck on trying to have a child. :-)
September 11, 2009 - 3:17pmThis Comment
I understand your questioning why your menstrual cycle is "cut short", but from what I understand of your symptoms....I would use the term "fluctuating", as it is not as anxiety-producing.
Women's cycles fluctuate normally from month to month, and as long as you continue having menstrual periods (I assume you are not using any type of hormonal contraceptive, like the pill), then your period may change periodically to be shorter, longer, lighter, darker, heavier, etc. You may experience different symptoms, too: tender breasts, cramping, headaches...or nothing. Most women's bodies do not work like clock-work, and actually respond to their environment and change throughout the years. Our hormonal fluctuations throughout the months and years is an ever-changing process, and especially if you experienced a recent illness, excessive stress, new medication...all of these can factor into the changes of your cycle.
I hope you can see this as a positive thing in your life---your body is reacting normally, and since we are not clocks or robots or anything, but rather organic bodies made of a delicate---yet strong---balance of organs, tissues, muscles, cells, hormones and other chemicals, that all react to each other, as well as to its surrounding environment. This is a really good thing!
Last note: you did not mention any symptoms that are of concern, but please let me know if you are symptomatic and we can talk about these further.
Lastly, since you are worried about pregnancy, I wanted to mention that a sign of a viable pregnancy does not bleeding, but rather, the absence of bleeding (or a period) is the most common sign of pregnancy. Since you are experiencing a menstrual cycle on a regular basis, you would not be pregnant. Some women may experience some spotting or bleeding during their pregnancy that is not related to menstruating (bleeding from other locations beside uterus), but a menstrual period (uterine bleeding) does not occur during a viable pregnancy. Does that make sense? And, regarding the "scare" of being pregnant: are you having protected sex, so that you will not become pregnant until you choose to?
I will look for a few resources that explain a woman's cycle; I've written about it before, and it's really interesting!
Does this answer all of your questions?
October 13, 2009 - 2:23pmThis Comment
Hi, I have been looking for answers.... A year ago I was diagnosed with Rheumatiod Arthrits, I am on predisone and other meds and I am in a drug study trying to find a medicine to slow the rate of my RA... I am 23 yrs old and I use to have irregular periods like every 5 months they would come but since being on the drug study I have gotten regular to every month and they usually last for 6 or 7 days but this month, today is day 8 and I am looking all over the internet to see whats up... I am a virgin and am not on any birth control.... I was reading that the medicine PREDISONE which is a steriod can change my periods but i have been on that med for a year and this is the 1st time i have went beyond 6 or 7 days on a period.... whats up? any info will help.
May 19, 2011 - 5:07pmThis Comment
Hello, I think we both are looking for the same answer. I also been getting shorter days as well. s month I was to get my cycle on the 5th of Aug. that should only last 5 days but it came late on the 8th and only lasted 3 days, this never happen before. My husband and I are tring to have a child and I also fill that I am about to get my cycle again. I do not know what this could mean nor I do not know whats going on. Can any one help Nikitamarya23 and I on what maybe be going on. It will really help. Thank you.
September 11, 2009 - 1:57pmThis Comment