Heavy bleeding after period of no ovulation - unhealthy?

Question:

When I was 17 (about four years ago) I visited an endocrinologist and was told that I had hypothyroidism, high cholesterol, and probably PCOS. They induced a period and put me on Synthroid and Lipitor. Being 17, I quickly grew apathetic about the drugs and after a few weeks refused to continue taking them.



For the next four years my periods occurred so seldom as to be nearly non-existent. Every seven or eight months I would have one or two days of light, brownish bleeding and then it would stop. At one point I did not menstruate for more than a year.



Recently I changed my diet (cut out most refined carbs) and have lost a little weight - about six pounds in three weeks. That's two pounds a week which is an ideal rate of weight loss.



I got my period 11 days ago... it started off the same as before, light and brownish in color, but it lasted longer than the one or two days it was lasting before. As the days wore on it got darker and redder, until (a full eight days into the period) I suddenly began bleeding the way that I used to when I was a teenager - heavy, clotted, bright red blood. I also got the heavy cramps back which I had as a teen.



I'm into my third full day of bleeding this way bringing my period to a total of 11 days. I'm very glad to have a normal period after so long but I'm worried that bleeding for so long (even though it was a light, brownish flow for most of those days) is unhealthy. I'm worried that this heavy bleeding won't stop...



Does anyone know if it is normal to bleed a lot after you have missed many periods? Is it just my body correcting all those missed cycles? Or should I seek medical attention?

Answer:

Your body could be just making an adjustment at this time. If you have it longer than about 10 days I'd watch how the flow is, if it's letting up then or staying strong. It should eventually stop. I had mine once for what seemed like 2 weeks. Seemed to stop and then let up again as if it wasn't done. Odd but true. As long as this doesn't continue for months I'd say it's your body getting back on track. Otherwise if it continues for more than 2 period cycles I'd make an ob/gyn appt. to discuss this. I'd say that very likely your body just is getting back to what is expected of it to be doing now at your age. Just watch and see. Source(s): I've had irregular seeming things happen in the time I've had this but my dr. said my paps are normal and she said that a woman's body changes in the hormone levels and such when she gets older. It is just a process the female body sometimes goes through. Stress, illness and heavy athletic training can also be things that affect a period flow.