16F - My period has lasted almost 2 weeks and it's very different from normal. Should I be concerned?
Hi! I'm 16 years old and I'm looking for some advice because this period has been really unusual for me.
My period started almost two weeks ago (last Monday). Normally, my periods last about a week. The first few days are usually fairly heavy, then they gradually get lighter until they stop. This time was completely different.
For the first week, I only had a very small amount of bleeding each day. It was mostly brown at first, and I only needed to change my tampon about once a day. I almost forgot I was even on my period because I had almost no pain or cramps.
Now it's been about a week and a half, and instead of stopping, the bleeding has become more like a normal period. The blood is now dark/deep red instead of brown. It's still not as heavy as my usual periods, but today I finally bled through a tampon for the first time during this cycle, which hadn't happened before.
Some background information:
- I'm 16.
- I'm a virgin, so pregnancy isn't possible.
- I've had irregular periods for years. I got my first period around age 10–11 (I started puberty very early, around age 9).
- My cycles have always been irregular. Sometimes I go several months without a period. The last period I clearly remember before this one was in November, although it's possible I had one since then and just don't remember.
- I usually don't have severe cramps.
- I'm not passing large clots.
- I'm not dizzy, faint, or unusually weak.
- Right now I'm only using about one tampon in 24 hours, so I don't think the bleeding is extremely heavy.
Some other things that have changed recently:
- I've been much more physically active because I've made new friends and have been going out and walking a lot more.
- I have ADHD and depression (diagnosed by a doctor)
- I've taken the same ADHD medication for about two years, it suppresses my appetite.
- Recently I've been eating quite a bit less because I haven't felt hungry, and I think I've lost a little weight.
- I also recently went through a pretty severe depressive episode.
- A few months ago I had blood tests because my hair was falling out, but everything came back normal (or at least within the normal range).
My main concern is that this period has lasted much longer than normal, started with a week of light brown spotting, and now seems to be getting heavier instead of stopping.
Has anyone experienced something similar? Could stress, eating less, increased activity, or hormonal changes cause something like this, or does this sound like something I should get checked by a doctor?