Menstrual symptoms come, but menstruation nowhere

A significant number of women around the world experience premenstrual symptoms, such as mood swings, breast tenderness, sleep problems, bloating, and lower abdominal cramps. However, there are times when the familiar luteal phase symptoms occur but your period doesn't arrive. Read about the possible causes.

How the menstrual cycle works

Let's first briefly review how the menstrual cycle actually works. The menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and ends on the last day before your next period. A healthy cycle, in which ovulation occurs regularly and hormones are at the right levels at each stage, usually ranges from 21 to 35 days. However, the length of your cycle can vary from month to month.

So… why can you sometimes experience premenstrual symptoms but not have your period?

Possible causes of menstrual symptoms without menstruation

Pregnancy

This is probably the first option that comes to mind for most of us. It's no wonder, a missed period is one of the early signs of pregnancy . However, some symptoms in the first days and weeks of pregnancy can coincide with those of premenstrual syndrome, such as spotting, breast tenderness, fatigue, and sleep problems. Therefore, it's definitely worth running to the pharmacy for a pregnancy test in such a case.

Low body weight

Being very underweight or losing body fat rapidly can affect your menstrual cycle in many ways, including delaying your period. Rapid weight loss, especially when combined with stress, can lead to anovulatory cycles and menstrual dysfunction. ( 1 ) Your period may not arrive that cycle, but you may still experience some premenstrual symptoms.

Excessive exercise

Sport and regular physical activity are an important part of a healthy lifestyle. However, nothing should be overdone, and on the contrary, intense exercise and demanding workouts can disrupt hormonal balance and affect the course of menstruation.

A 2010 study suggests that up to half of women who exercise intensely may experience minor menstrual cycle disturbances, such as ovulation or irregularity, and one-third of exercising women may experience amenorrhea, or the absence of menstruation. ( 2 )

Stress

Although stress is a natural part of our lives, it can have a major impact on our health and a woman’s menstrual cycle. ( 3 ) And it doesn’t really matter whether it’s stress related to work, current life situations, eating or exercise habits, or travel .

Medications

Some medications can affect hormone levels that regulate the menstrual cycle. These include antidepressants and blood thinners, which can cause changes in your menstrual cycle as a side effect. ( 4 )

Also included in this category are hormonal birth control pills, which contain synthetic hormones. They prevent conception by suppressing ovulation and preventing implantation of an egg if it is fertilized by sperm. If you have recently started using this form of birth control, it may take a while for your body to adjust to the new hormones. During this time, you may experience irregular bleeding while still experiencing typical menstrual symptoms. You may also experience a similar situation when you stop taking birth control pills.

Medical conditions

Certain medical conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome or thyroid disorders, can affect your menstrual cycle. PCOS affects 6-12% of women of childbearing age worldwide and is a metabolic and hormonal condition in which a woman’s body produces excess androgens, male hormones. ( 5 )

The symptoms of PCOS are very varied, but one of them is an abnormal menstrual cycle, resulting in irregular or delayed menstruation.

The thyroid gland regulates many metabolic and hormonal functions, including body temperature, heart rate, and menstrual cycles. If it is underactive or overactive, it can affect menstrual cycle regularity and other menstrual symptoms. ( 6 )

For maximum comfort during the cycle

We've put together a great value package of popular products for women who suffer from menstrual cramps and discomfort during their menstrual cycle. Or everything you need for maximum comfort before your period and during your bleeding days.

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