Irregular Periods (Where it all began…..)

My eventful journey began when I was 34 and living in Los Angeles. I was attending a general doctor’s appointment for my annual pap smear. Always a delight. Myself and my doctor were chit chatting about regular stuff, anything to take the focus off the stirrups, the swab and the lube. As soon as she got what she needed, I sat up, pulled the paper sheet over my stomach and swung my ankles off the edge of the bed while the doctor carefully placed my sample in a tube for the lab. “Alright, that’s it. Results should be back in a week. Anything else?”

I don’t know why I chose that moment to mention it. It had been on-going for a while, I’d had previous opportunities to bring it up, I probably should have dedicated a full appointment to it but I hadn’t. Maybe it was because I was recently married (7 months at that point) and talk of kids had become a common conversation piece amongst friends & family or maybe I just had a sense…who knows? But in that moment, unlike in the past where I had said “Nope! Thanks so much – a pleasure as always”, I decided to answer honestly, if tentatively (Anything to do with the reproductive system always both baffled & terrified me – I blame my High School Biology teacher entirely. She was always absent and the male sub skipped A LOT of important chapters…as I would come to realize) “Well..actually…yeah, there is something. I’m sure it’s nothing but in the past say….year and a half….I’ve noticed that my periods have gotten a little heavy on day 2 or 3. I mean, I have to change my tampon every hour sometimes and I bleed really heavily throughout the night, I’ve to wear an additional pad or I soak the sheets. But just on 1 day really. The rest of my period is fine. The pain is bad but I’m sure it’s nothing. It’s probably just that my body has changed cause I’m 34 now and my ovaries are crying out to be fertilized. Hahahaha.” I laughed at my own joke because I knew I was rambling and the doctor didn’t seem to be finding it entertaining and it was making me nervous. “Hmmmm” she pondered. “Any change to the menstrual cycle should be noted and reported. As women, our cycles shouldn’t change at all and if they do it’s usually an indication of something. Let’s send you for a pelvic ultrasound and see what that shows.” Oooof, I wasn’t expecting that. I thought my theory of dusty eggs seemed perfectly reasonable. “How much will that cost?” I asked reluctantly, already knowing what the answer would be “Depends on your insurance – call them up, get a quote”

I left the doctor’s office that day with what I can only describe as a guttural feeling of conflict. One part of me was convinced I was grand and that this was just a routine scan they send lots of people on to rule things out and another part of me knew I was about to embark on a tough few months. I got home and called the ultra-sound facility. “ Hi, I need to make an appointment for a pelvic ultra-sound.” The receptionist answered, casual as can be “Okay great – would that be abdominal or vaginal?” I paused “I’m not sure, I’m having heavy periods & pain?” He responded without missing a beat “Okay, you’ll need both then. How about May 22nd? Stay on the line and we will get all your details.”