What Your GP Actually Needs to Know About Your Period (And How to Tell Them) | Dr Clare Spencer | EP 100

And we just really want to just really kind of start the questions around and just kind of understanding, I guess, what the challenges really kind of hear from hearing the challenges that we experience.

And I think it's starting with the kind of facts of actually what is normal and when should someone speak medical advice? And I think this is something we hear time and time again from people saying that, you know, I'm just kind of struggling through.

I'm thinking, well, this is just what periods are like.

And actually, when is it that people should go and get the help and support from their GP?

Yes, that is a great question.

And the answer is that is going to be really different for every single woman.

So if we think about a normal menstrual cycle, in a normal menstrual cycle, our oestrogen goes up and down twice.

and then we bleed.

Our progesterone only goes up and down in the second half of the cycle, and then we bleed.

So if we think about all the possibilities of what's happening, so let's start with bleeding.

So bleeding, the average length of a period is two to seven days with, if you measure it in experimental conditions, the flow is anything between 20 and 90 mils of blood loss.

But you might have a heavy period that you've always had and you've dealt with it and to somebody else that heavy period may be completely flooring them and making them not you know and really interfering with quality of life cycle change can be anything sorry cycle length can be anything from 23 to 35 days and again it may be fine for you it may be not for somebody else It's very normal to get some period cramps and they may be mild.

They may be really horrible, completely horrible.

interfere with function, you can't go to work and severe.

And again, it's how it's impacting on function.

You have to judge your symptoms and just do not be afraid to go and ask for help when it happens.

And then there are times when we really do want to see you.

So if you're having spotting in between a period and if you're bleeding after intercourse, that does need investigation.

So there's a huge variation of what is normal.

And there will be a huge variation in what is having an impact and interfering and what is not.

And the minute something starts interfering is the minute to go.

And you do not have to feel I've just got to put up with this.

This is a woman's lot.

You know, please go and talk to somebody about symptoms because there are so many ways of helping managing symptoms.

issues around periods.