“Pregnancy, iron deficiency, or something else?”
My last normal period was Jan. 9-13. I had sex on Jan. 27 and got a second period that started on Jan. 29 - Feb. 3 but it wasn't like my normal periods it was really early and was a lot lighter and would stop and start and had light brown/pinkish spotting that lasted two days after this weird period and its not normal for me to have more than one period in a month. I had no period in Feb. except for the one that started on Jan. 29 and ended on Feb. 3. starting in Feb. I started feeling more tired I was moodier my appetite was changing by breasts started to change, I had lower back pain, I was constipated, I was slightly nauseus but didn't throw up, I was getting headaches quite often I was always cold which was not normal because I'm always hot. I was also been peeing more than usual pretty much every pregnancy symptom for like two and a half months.
I got another weird period on March 3-9 but it was thinner/watery and it lasted longer than normal and then I got another weird period on March 30 - April 2 it was shorter than normal and it wasn't as heavy as usual. It is now April 19 I'm still more tired than normal and been sleeping a lot more than usual also the small things set me off emotionally I'm still constipated and/or the opposite my breasts still seem bigger and fuller and I'm still noticing blue veins on my breasts. I'm also feeling more and more bloated and last week I had cloudy jelly-like discharge that lasted for 4-5 days I've taken several home pregnancy tests and they all came back negative the last home pregnancy test I took was 2 days ago and it was negative. It's not normal for me to get more than one period in a month and they are never weird they always last 5 days and are usually the flow which is why I'm so confused and somewhat worried. Could I be pregnant or just iron deficient or could it be something else? I don't want to go to the doctor's unless I really need to because of covid.
I got another weird period on March 3-9 but it was thinner/watery and it lasted longer than normal and then I got another weird period on March 30 - April 2 it was shorter than normal and it wasn't as heavy as usual. It is now April 19 I'm still more tired than normal and been sleeping a lot more than usual also the small things set me off emotionally I'm still constipated and/or the opposite my breasts still seem bigger and fuller and I'm still noticing blue veins on my breasts. I'm also feeling more and more bloated and last week I had cloudy jelly-like discharge that lasted for 4-5 days I've taken several home pregnancy tests and they all came back negative the last home pregnancy test I took was 2 days ago and it was negative. It's not normal for me to get more than one period in a month and they are never weird they always last 5 days and are usually the flow which is why I'm so confused and somewhat worried. Could I be pregnant or just iron deficient or could it be something else? I don't want to go to the doctor's unless I really need to because of covid.
Female | 22 years old
Complaint duration: 3 months
2 Answers
Dr. Victoria Mondloch
OB-GYN (Obstetrician-Gynecologist) | Gynecology
Every woman has anovulatory or dysfunctional periods that can happen on their own or can be brought on by stress. An anovulatory cycle means you didn’t ovulate that cycle so you continue to have unopposed Estradiol which can hyperstimulate breast and uterus. With no Progesterone being made, your PMS symptoms take over and you also get constipated; this imbalance will only correct when you ovulate again. The only way to really know if this is going on is to have your hormone levels checked by bloodwork; then your doctor can use natural progesterone to help ‘reset’ your cycles.
Hi there,
I read all the information you put in and want to tell you that you are likely not pregnant. What you are describing sounds to me like there was an ovulation failure or "misfire" if you will. Sometimes we use the term LUF (Luteinized unruptured follicle), or ovulatory dysfunction. but it does happen in about 5% of cycles that the cycle does not progress well and you get symptoms like yours, where the period was not exactly right, or the flow was different or some such event. That in my mind is the most likely explanation for what you are describing. Other things that can explain or fit with your story exist, and the best think to do would be to wait and see if by next period all your symptoms have not disappeared (I expect they will). If not, the best thing to do would be to take the small risk (all doctor's offices nowadays use a lot of protective gear and are relatively safe from COVID) and get properly evaluated.
Vasilios T. Goudas, MD FACOG
I read all the information you put in and want to tell you that you are likely not pregnant. What you are describing sounds to me like there was an ovulation failure or "misfire" if you will. Sometimes we use the term LUF (Luteinized unruptured follicle), or ovulatory dysfunction. but it does happen in about 5% of cycles that the cycle does not progress well and you get symptoms like yours, where the period was not exactly right, or the flow was different or some such event. That in my mind is the most likely explanation for what you are describing. Other things that can explain or fit with your story exist, and the best think to do would be to wait and see if by next period all your symptoms have not disappeared (I expect they will). If not, the best thing to do would be to take the small risk (all doctor's offices nowadays use a lot of protective gear and are relatively safe from COVID) and get properly evaluated.
Vasilios T. Goudas, MD FACOG
