If you have noticed that your menstrual cycle is not the same as it once was (in terms of its length or the symptoms you experience), here are two steps that you should take.
1. Make detailed notes of the changes
As soon as you become aware of changes in your cycle, you should begin to make detailed notes of them. When doing this, you might want to include information such as the exact length of your cycle, new mental and physical symptoms that could be attributed to PMS (premenstrual syndrome), the severity of any cramping, digestive issues, headaches or food cravings you experience whilst you are menstruating, as well as how heavy or light your period is during each cycle.
The reason for this is as follows; if later down the line, it does emerge that the changes you have noticed are the result of a health condition, all of the aforementioned information will help the doctors who you visit to diagnose you and draw up a treatment plan that will either resolve this health issue or enable you to better manage the symptoms of it. For example, if the changes are being caused by you entering the menopause (many menopausal women find that their menstrual cycles become longer, lighter and less predictable than they previously were), your detailed notes regarding your missed periods or significantly longer cycles could point the doctor in the right direction when they are trying to diagnose you.
After doing other tests to confirm this diagnosis, they might then prescribe you hormone replacement therapy or natural supplements that will alleviate some or all of the symptoms you are experiencing.
2. Speak to a doctor at a women's health care centre
It is important to discuss this problem with a doctor at a women's health centre. The reason for this is as follows; the length of a woman's menstrual cycle and the symptoms she experiences as a result of it can be a good indicator of her general and reproductive health.
If you want to start a family soon and are worried that these changes might point to a problem with your fertility, or if you are concerned that these issues with your menstrual cycle are indicative of a serious health issue (for example, thyroid conditions and ovarian cancer can sometimes alter a woman's cycle), then it is sensible to undergo a full medical examination at a health centre that specialises in women's health care to find out if this is the case so that you can then take the appropriate steps to resolve any issues that are discovered.
