Women's Health Community

Dear fordtrucks (love your screen name!): There are several POSSIBLE elements involved in your lack of a flow:

1. Return to underlying natural pattern of irregular periods--You mentioned a prior history of irregular periods when not using birth control pills (BCPs). That may be your "normal-for you" pattern of menstruation. Now, without using BCPs that pattern has resurfaced. One of the most common reasons for a history of irregular periods is more erratic ovulations.

Causes for not ovulating are multifold: thyroid problems, pituitary problems, ovarian cysts, physical stressors (eg sudden increases in exercise, crash dieting), emotional stressors (problems with spouse, children, money), increased body weight, anorexia, rotating shifts at work, etc.

2. Tubal pregnancy---this has likely been ruled out by your recent negative pregnancy test in the ER.

3. "Post-tubal ligation syndrome"---in this condition, which has not been shown to impact very many women, there can be changes in menstrual pattern after a tubal ligation.

If you have a reliably negative pregnancy test, no pregnancy symptoms, no pelvic pain (eg ovarian cyst), you can wait and see if your own cycle resets it self. It can also take up to three months for regular ovulations to resume after stopping BCPs. If you have not had a flow after three months from your tubal you should see your GYN or clinic for follow up.

Yours,
Jane

Thanks for your reply. I actually already contacted my doctor and she said to wait another week and if nothing happens by then she will do a blood test. Thank you for your help.