Cramps and period is late: Hi does anyone... - Endometriosis UK

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Cramps and period is late

Tywo profile image
Tywo
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Hi does anyone know wat this is my period is 8 days late I tested yesterday and it says negative bin having cramps and spotting for few days now also been having back ache am so worried And fustrated

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Tywo profile image
Tywo
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Impatient profile image
Impatient

Could be a number of different things - from a blockage of the cervix preventing the period escaping which could be down to cervical erosion, adhesions, polyps, fibroids etc

to not enough of the hormones to send signals to the menstrual lining to shed as quickly as it normally would to an infection etc.

If there is a temporary blockage then you may find that when the period does eventually get out and escape down the vagina it is very dark. This means you did have a normal period and while it was stuck waiting to escape it grew old and lost it's oxygen bright redness and turned to chocolate coloured blood - it's the exact same stuff just missing the oxygen contents.

your cervix produces mucus called cervical mucus - this protects the cervix from damage and lubricates the flow of menstrual lining. if the cervix gets bunged up then the period is still happening but gets stuck and thickens up at the bottom of the uterus. It usually would work its way out eventually when you get more lubricated inside but how long you have to wait varies a lot.

Your body can also miss a period - for no apparant reason. A false pregnancy if you like.

Hormones go a bit scatty - and suddenly you find your cycle disrupted.

This can be down to medication, stress, illness, bereavement and all sorts of lifestyle events.

It is most likely to be a one off event and nothing to get worried about.

If the same thing happens for the next month or two then speak to your GP who can arrange for you to be checked out for infections, blockages of all sorts that may be bunging up the cervical canal or tube, hormonal imbalances and so on.

As you get older approaching menopause this type of things happens more frequently and you often find older ladies regularly having dark bleeds because the menstrual lining is taking its slower time escaping from the womb and by that time the blood is no longer a fresh bright red bleed.

Sometimes you can miss a period and next time get a mixture of fresh bright red bleed and the much darker remains of the previous period finally getting sent down the chute. The two mixed together is quite a stark sight to see. Old blood is distinctively different to the fresh stuff you would be used to.

Do take pain killers for the cramps and back ache as you would if you were actually noticing the period escaping as usual. You could well be having a period and it is just prevented from escaping. This is not imminently dangerous - your body will reabsorb some of it and will generally allow the old stuff to get out at some point, but if this carries on and the next period is also felt but not seen then do see your GP about it.

At this stage though I wouldn't worry unduly - you could find yourself pretty much back to normal business next month.

If you have had unprotected sex with a new partner or suspect your regular partner might have given you an infection - then you don't even need to see your GP about that. Just pop to the local Sexual Heath clinic for a free and confidential check up. They can swab you to check for signs of infection and prescribe treatments to you.

Though it is only one possible reason for a cervical blockage to form, there are plenty others which are nothing to do with STDs at all.

hope you're feeling better soon and it resolves itself without needing intervention - but if it doesn't then do speak with your GP or local clinic to get causes checked out.

Tywo profile image
Tywo in reply to Impatient

Many thanks for this

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