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Reasons for a Two-Week-Long Period

 
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Menstrual periods occur in all females from the onset of puberty (average age of onset 11 or 12 years) and last until menopause in middle age. They occur when the lining of the uterus is shed via vaginal bleeding due to the girl or woman not being pregnant.

The length of a menstrual period varies from two days to seven days, on average 28 days apart. However, this cycle can vary too and anything between 24 and 35 days is considered normal.

If you are having a prolonged menstrual cycle this is abnormal, unless you are approaching menopause (usually between the ages of 45-55). Extra-long periods can result from hormonal changes and in women of this age range can be taken as a sign of the impending "change".

Other causes of extra-long periods include:

• Having uterine fibroids

• Having polyps in the uterus

• Having endometriosis (a disease where the lining of the uterus grows in other parts of the body)

• Having pelvic inflammatory disease

• Having a temporary hormonal imbalance, for instance, when changing hormonal contraception

• The copper IUD can also make you have heavy periods

• If there is a chance you could have been pregnant, the two-week period may have in fact been a miscarriage. Please see your doctor if you think you could be pregnant

• A condition called dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). Doctors don’t know what causes DUB and may diagnose you with it if they cannot find a cause for your bleeding.

Treatment

If there is no obvious physical cause, particularly if you are middle-aged, the doctor may like to wait and see as some cases are down to menopause or a temporary hormonal imbalance that corrects itself without treatment.

A pelvic examination and ultrasound scan of the uterus will be carried out to see if there are any abnormalities and a biopsy of uterine tissue may be taken.

If there are fibroids, polyps or endometrial lining present where it shouldn’t be -- this can be surgically removed which should help regulate your periods.

Other treatments include hormone replacement therapies, some brands of the pill that make period’s lighter, and anti-inflammatory medications (these reduce blood loss).

If you are using a copper-only IUD you could consider changing it to a hormonal one such as Mirena, as hormonal IUDs can reduce a period, whereas a copper-only one can make it heavier.

Nutritional supplements may also be needed to replace the nutrients lost by excessive bleeding.

If you have finished having children a more drastic measure would be surgery, either to remove the lining of the womb, which will stop the bleeding but render you infertile, or to remove the uterus altogether via hysterectomy.

Sources:

Heavy Periods, Net Doctor. Web. 24 May 2012. http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/menstruationheavy.htm

Contraceptive Coils (IUD’s), Net Doctor. Web. 24 May 2012. http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/sex_relationships/facts/contraceptivecoil.htm

Long Periods, Net Doctor. Web. 24 May 2012. http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/womenshealth/207358.html

Joanna is a freelance health writer for The Mother magazine and Suite 101 with a column on infertility, http://infertility.suite101.com/ She is the mother of five children and practices natural childbirth, delayed cord clamping, full term breastfeeding and organic food diet.

Reviewed May 24, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a Comment35 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I am only 14 years old, and I have been on my monthly for over two weeks. I want to know if this is normal for someone my age. I did skip a period in September, but I have not been involved in any sexual activity. I'm scared, and I don't want to tell my parents.

November 2, 2015 - 12:43pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

tell your parents, it might be scary but it's better than risking it. and me too but i told my mom.

December 19, 2015 - 2:29am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

You can visit your doctor without having to tell your parents why. You can just tell them you want a regular check up and book an appointment yourself by calling. I don't know your parents, but don't be afraid to tell them. What do you believe they're going to think?

November 29, 2015 - 11:30am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I'm 20 and I was on my period for two weeks and then got off it. But a week after getting off my period I started bleeding and getting cramps again. And to be honest I'm a little freaked out....

October 20, 2015 - 1:28pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Anonymous
Hi I'm 28 years old been having my period for 2 weeks i fill super tired i been having my copper iud for 4 years my period been normal till this month is that's what causing the problem

October 14, 2015 - 3:49pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I am 23 and my period just ended after 14 days. This is the first time anything like this has happened to me.

October 7, 2015 - 11:44am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi, I'm 16 and I've been on my period for 14 days as of today. Is that normal for my age? This has never happened to me before.

October 6, 2015 - 6:01am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi. I'm 19 also and I be on my cycle for two weeks is this normal for a 19 year old?

September 23, 2015 - 8:07pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I am 19 I've been on my period for almost 13 days as of today.Is that normal for my age. This has never happen to me before.

September 23, 2015 - 5:56am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I'm 26 and have been bleeding for over 2 weeks now and been getting similar lengthed periods for the past few months I know it's not normal but haven't really taken it serious until doing research. Also around 5 months ago I had to have a colopscopy (if that's how you spell it) which removed CIN2. Is this a sign somethings going wrong again?

September 22, 2015 - 4:06pm
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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