Post # 1
Member
1323 posts
Bumble bee
I’m 23. My cycles used to be EVERY 31 days and then my last two have been 30 and then 28. I do FAM so no birth control for me, and I know I’m not currently pregnant. Could this be because I’m getting older (although I’ve had my period since I was 12) so theyre becoming more irregular? I have PMS already and I’m only on CD 20, so it makes me think my period will come in about 7 days. I’m not particularly stressed since I’m a grad student and I’m currently on summer break…
I have no plans TTC until at least five more years from now, but is this anything I should be concerned about?
Thanks!
Post # 2
Member
4241 posts
Honey bee
I’m going through the same thing, so I would be interested to see what others say. In my early 20s my cycles were quite long, around 32 days….now they’re about 21. Maybe it is a getting older thing?
I also have no children and no plans to have them any time soon. Were you ever on any hormonal birth control?
Post # 3
Member
1323 posts
Bumble bee
ClaudiaKishi: so glad i’m not alone! i tried googling it but haven’t found anything substantial and most people just say go to the doctor. i hate doctors so i’m hoping i’ll get some real advice here instead haha. i was on birth control for six months like 5 years ago, so that shouldn’t be it. :/
but 32 to 21 is such a big jump! do you have any other physical changes in your body? i hope others posters help us out 🙂
Post # 4
Member
4241 posts
Honey bee
catpeaches: Yeah…I’m not worried right now, my periods have stayed pretty normal otherwise (like, the same amount of flow I’ve always had) and it’s been really gradual. I should mention I’m 28 now so this has happened over the course of almost 10 years. I honestly didnt realy notice until the other day when I happened to track it and I saw it was about 23 days this time, and I remembered how it used to be much longer.
I asked about birth control because I was on the pill for a few years, so obviously my period was very regular then, and suddenly a shorter cycle than before. I’m wondering if that affected it. I haven’t had any huge physical changes…I’ve gained some weight but not a significant amount (maybe 10-15 pounds) since my early 20s, and now I have a “real job” lol and some of the stress that comes with being a fully functioning adult vs a student.
Post # 5
Member
2838 posts
Sugar bee
catpeaches: ClaudiaKishi: For me it was a hormonal imbalance. I had normal cycles until I was 20 then they were 10-12 days apart out of nowhere. I was put on BC to control it.
Post # 6
Member
4889 posts
Honey bee
My preiods started becoming more irregular a few years back, and I’m 33. I used to be able to get my period on a Thursday, and it would be done on Sunday when I started my new pill pack. Now, I usually have it the whole week and although I cahnged pills to deal with migraines, I get them a couple days before my preiod starts – and are sometimes really bad.
My doctor was confused, so she put me on a different pill (the one to reduce the migraines), but not sure if that is working all that well. I’m afraid to switch again, as usually it messes with my hormones even more and I break out or have a few months where I’m really off on when to know when it’ll come. Plus, I haven’t been totally regular with it since I had a cyst burst about 6-7 years ago… but not sureif they really would have changed anything.
Post # 7
Member
246 posts
Helper bee
I’m getting a lot of migraines lately, wondering if switching pills can help. I’m ortho-cyclin now.
Kacie209: What did the doctor switch you to?
Post # 8
Member
233 posts
Helper bee
Have you been around your Fiance a lot more than usual? Mine started shortening by 6-12 hours a month when I moved in with my Fiance. I’m a strong believer in pheromone theory.
Post # 9
Member
1323 posts
Bumble bee
Alyx19: haha omg. well i actually just moved in with him two months ago… two cycles ago… WHAT?! is this for real haha. i have to read up on this pheromone theory.
Post # 10
Member
1154 posts
Bumble bee
My circumstance is a little different because I’m 28 and have already had a kid. I did however notice that after I took out my IUD after 5 years, my period lasts 3.5 days now. It’s very consistently a 28 day cycle. And I am not on any b/c at all. So I think after having the IUD for so long, my body and hormones changed. Not complaining about my period being only 3 or so days but I do wonder if having the IUD so long has affected my fertility at all, so we’ll see.
Post # 11
Member
233 posts
Helper bee
catpeaches: Basically, it hypothesizes that when a woman is perpetually exposed to a virile male, her body will shorten her cycles to increase the possibly of her becoming pregnant. (i.e. if it shortens enough you could have 13 cycles/chances per year instead of 12) Basically your body knows your SO is around all the time and wants to do something about it! Keep an eye on your FAM data for a possible early ovulation.
Post # 12
Member
674 posts
Busy bee
Alyx19: This happened to me starting about 5 months after DH and I moved in together (about 2.5 years ago when I was about 23). My cycles had always been about 30-31 days, then they slowing shortened down to 26-27 days, they’ve stayed steady at 26-27 days long ever since!
My doctor wasn’t concerned unless my cycles continued getting shorter and shorter, but because they stayed around 26-27 days he said it was my new normal.
Post # 13
Member
2470 posts
Buzzing bee
It could be a luteal phase defect caused by low progesterone in . It can prevent conception/ pregnancy so worth checking into. Progestetone should rised after ovulation so the endomitrium can support an embryo. If no pregnsncy occurs it will drop around day 13 or 14 and menses begins. If it drops sooner or fails to rise you can have spotting or shortenned LP. Another cause could be short follucular phase due to early ovulation – less of a problem in general unless having trouble conceiving. Basically you should get your period about 12 to 14 days after ovulation. Less than 11days could be a sighn of hormone problems.
Post # 14
Member
233 posts
Helper bee
MrsFNL: That’s almost exactly what I experienced. When I lived at home, it was common to have 29-30 day cycles. When I moved away to college with then-BF and we took turns staying at each other’s places it dropped to 27-28, then rose again when I was home again for a year. Now, living with Fi (for good this time!) it’s leveled out to about 27 again! If you think about it, just 2.5 days shorter per cycle x 12 months is a whole ‘nother cycle per year.
Post # 15
Member
54 posts
Worker bee
It is normal for your cycle to shorten a little as you age. I used to have a 30-31 day cycle up until my mid 20s. I’m 28 and recently it’s gotten shorter, 28-29 days. It shouldn’t be worrisome as long as you are still about 4 weeks apart. I would just remember to mention it at your next OBGYN appointment.