Does anyone else have really short pe... - Fertility Network UK

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Does anyone else have really short periods?

Sarahmanc profile image
24 Replies

Hello ladies

Since I came off the pill 3 years ago, I've had really short periods - they last no more than 2 days.

In the meantime we've been ttc with no success and have had 2 IVF cycles - the fresh one ended in a chemical pregnancy and the frozen was a negative.

To be honest, I've only started questioning recently if the short periods could have something to do with my inability to conceive. The clinic say they have tested my hormone levels and they were fine but I hardly know anyone with such a short cycle and I can't help thinking there's more to it. I'm contemplating changing clinics.

Has anyone else had this?

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Sarahmanc
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24 Replies
Suzannah1985 profile image
Suzannah1985

Hi Sarah,

Have your clinic checked your thyroid function? I'm sure they will have done, but I know that can have an effect.

Best of luck

Suzannah

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply toSuzannah1985

I'll call them today and check! Thanks for the advice xx

My periods are really short 2-3 days 4 at an absolute max but they have always been this way x

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply to

My doctor did say that some women just have short periods but mine were much longer pre pill. Thanks for replying and good luck on your IVF journey xx

Tugsgirl profile image
Tugsgirl in reply toSarahmanc

Mine too! I was on it for many years x

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply toTugsgirl

Ah so it sounds like we're the same. I find it so frustrating that they seem to think it's nothing to be concerned about. To be fair, I've only mentioned to one of the nurses in passing so I think I need to make more of it to the consultant. Thanks for replying - I will let you know if I learn anything new that can help us both xxx

Tugsgirl profile image
Tugsgirl in reply toSarahmanc

I tried to increase my flow/lining naturally by myself using L'arginine, aspirin, even beetroot but nothing I try makes my period any heavier x

GreenApples profile image
GreenApples

Hi Sarahmanc,

I have short ones too 2-3 days initially. My consultant thought this was due to scaring from fibroid removal. I also had cycle tracking where the check your lining every few days and check to see if you ovulate. The one where I had my usual short cycle I had really thin lining and didn't ovulate. I had 2 things done at once so it's hard to say what worked, I started on aspirin to improve my blood flow and I had surgery to remove old scaring. Just before this cycle I found I had a slightly under active thyroid and I'm on meds. This did improve my period the first one was 5 days , after that it want to 3-4 days with heavy for 2 days then tailing off. The consultant didn't seam too fussed about my short cycle as they say IVF controls everything

What I'm saying is I think my short cycles were to blame for infertility- I was convinced that short periods =thin lining.

The good thing is with IVF they monitor your lining after the stimulant meds and only transfer when it's thicker and give you progesterone pessaries to support it. I'm currently 1 day post egg transfer and hoping that my embryos grow and snuggle into my lining and become babies!!!

I'd recommend getting a TSH, T 4 done to check thyroid and if low get meds. I hope I have done this soon enough.

Good luck xx

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply toGreenApples

Thanks so much for replying. I don't think they have checked my thyroid so I'll ask them to do that. Good luck with your little embryo! Xx

Tugsgirl profile image
Tugsgirl

Ditto! My period lasts about two days, with one or two days of dark. In fact I see about two tablespoons of red in the first day and the following is brown. I ttc'd naturally for almost two years with no luck. I ovulate and I'm regular. I have raised my concerns over and over with GP, Gynaecologist and the clinic but no one seems to think it's much of an issue except me! Because all my results are always normal. My first ivf last year was a negative. Through the meds I had a 10ml lining. I expected a huge period when it failed. Never happened, it was as light as always. I'm currently doing a fet and all is going according to plan but it did on our fresh cycle and it still failed x

Tugsgirl profile image
Tugsgirl in reply toTugsgirl

Ps I had the additional tests following our failure; blood tests that included thyroid and iron levels etc etc and there is no problem x

Tugsgirl profile image
Tugsgirl in reply toTugsgirl

Pps I had normal periods once x

in reply toTugsgirl

That's actually a really good point, I didn't have a heavy period after any of my ivf cycles & was told my lining was thick enough all 3 times so maybe nothing really to worry about? Xx

Tugsgirl profile image
Tugsgirl in reply to

I don't think we can blame our light periods or thin linings on ivf not working because obviously the meds take care of that. But it's frustrating to think that if they could get to the root cause of why we have so very little bleeds then maybe we'd be able to conceive naturally x

My cycle is 28 days normally so pretty textbook, I appear to be ovulating every month but my periods are really light & only last 2 days as well. I used to have a very large fibroid in my uterine lining so used to bleed heavily (sorry if tmi!) pretty much every day for a couple of years then after the op I have the lightest periods I've ever had. I too was wondering if this means that my lining is not getting thick enough to support a pregnancy so will be interesting to see if anyone has had any luck with such light periods.

We've had 3 fresh rounds of ivf now with no luck & one natural ectopic at Xmas.

I did start googling about the lining about 4-5 months ago but it seems that some of it just gets reabsorbed so it's possible you don't actually "shed" everything like they taught us in school?!

Wishing you lots of luck in your journey & looking forward to seeing what responses you get xxxx

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc

I have found a YouTube video by a lady called Hethir Rodriguez - she's a natural fertility specialist - which talks about length of bleed and what it means for fertility. From what I can understand it talks about improving circulation through exercise and acupuncture but I am already doing that and haven't really noticed a difference. Hmmm. Well looks like this is my next project then! I'll feed back! Xx

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc

I just checked with the clinic and they did check my thyroid - came back normal - so it's not that. I'll keep investigating!

Kloulou83 profile image
Kloulou83

Hi there

I'm exactly the same. Years ago I probably had 4-5 day proper periods. Now I have 1-2 days of full bleeding and 1-2 days of spotting. GP and specialist don't seem to think this is an issue, but my acupuncturist did. He said I should ideally be bleeding for 3-4 days and then a couple of days of spotting. Didn't really change with acupuncture, although probably was slightly heavier.

Sorry if TMI but do you suffer with any clotting?

We have been TTC for 3 years with one failed IVF cycle. Just about to start the next. Through the whole first cycle they told me my lining was really thick, so I was shocked when my bleed afterwards wasn't heavy and longer.

I too am regular, ovulate each month and all blood tests came back normal.

Perhaps it is just one of those things.

Xx

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply toKloulou83

Ditto! My acupuncturist said I should be bleeding for 4-5 days but my GP seems unbothered. I'm seeing the consultant in a fortnight so I'll ask him then. I just think it's quite a coincidence that several women on this forum have short periods and we've all had fertility issues! X ps in answer to your question, I used to have clots, less so now I'm having acupuncture xx

Kloulou83 profile image
Kloulou83 in reply toSarahmanc

It does seem weird. I might mention it at my next appointment with the clinic. I'm convinced there is something underlying with me, as at the moment our only diagnosis is male motility on husband's side.

I clot quite a lot but not particularly big. My acupuncturist seemed interested in this, but the GP etc weren't.

Let us know if you find anything interesting out through your consultant. Xx

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply toKloulou83

Will do! Xx

MommaBear16 profile image
MommaBear16

Hi Sarah - I'm pretty similar, 2-3 days at the most, I think they've always been the same really. I've often wondered if this has any connection to our fertility issues but no one has ever asked any questions about them x x x

emmab178 profile image
emmab178

Hi. Mine used to be 4 days but now it's more like one day spotting, one day heavy and then one day spotting.

I have endometriosis which is thought to effect 10% of the female population. During the heavy day I can get cramps so bad I can't walk. Occasionally I've had simultaneous vomiting and diarrhoea whilst sweating and shaking on the heavy day.

Not saying it's endo and you dont need all symptoms to have endo, but might be something to look at?

Sarahmanc profile image
Sarahmanc in reply toemmab178

Thanks Emma I'll look into it xx

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