Females: Your Period / Question
Published: February 15, 2008
Dear TeenHealthFX,
im fifteen and my period is never on time its always days early or days late rarely on time and its runing my life. is something wrong?... when it does come i get SEVERE cramps that cause me to take about 2-3 tylenol to get over the pain. wat do i do about those?
Signed: My Period Is Never On Time And Runs My Life
Dear My Period Is Never On Time And Runs My Life,
A female’s menstrual cycle is often irregular for the first few years following menarche. So the fact that your period often comes a few days late or a few days early does not necessarily mean that anything is wrong. Different women will also experience different levels of cramping around their periods – again, it doesn’t necessarily mean that there is a problem and often the intensity of menstrual cramps will gradually lessen during the first few years following menarche.
Since you say that your period is running your life, FX suggests that following:
- Meet with your doctor, gynecologist or adolescent medicine specialist so that a healthcare professional can assess whether or not there are any underlying issues contributing to your irregular cycle or severe cramping.
- Try not to let your period run your life – make sure that you carry pads and/or tampons with you starting a few days before you expect your period so you will not get caught off-guard and try not to let your period stop you from doing the things you like to do.
- To alleviate some of the cramping around the time you get your period, consider exercising regularly, getting an adequate amount of rest, drinking plenty of water, using a heating pad on your back or abdomen when you experience cramps, and talking to your pharmacist or healthcare provider about what types of pain relievers would work best for you. FX also recommends that you consider avoiding salty foods, eating green, leafy vegetables or taking 500 mg. of magnesium, each day, eating whole-grain cereals or taking vitamin B complex (especially B6) each day, and including a tablespoon of fatty acids (such as cold-pressed olive oil) in your daily diet.
- If the home remedies listed above do not help lessen your cramps, speak with a healthcare professional about whether you would be a good candidate for starting the birth control pill, which regulates the cycle and often lessens the intensity of menstrual cramps.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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