I Feel Pregnant, But I’m Not!
Question
I have a question concerning my period. I haven’t had my period for two whole consecutive months, and I’ve noticed that I’ve been having frequent stomach pains and feeling sort of tired, and having an upset stomach more than usual. I know 110% that I’m not pregnant because I practice abstinence. So what could it be that’s wrong with me? Do I need to seek a physician’s medical attention, or should I just wait until next month before I take action and really find out what’s wrong? I was hoping that maybe you could give me some advice as to what I should do, and what may possibly be the problem. I would really appreciate your response as soon as possible, because I’m really starting to worry. Thank you.
Sincerely,
S.
Answer
Last Updated: June 14, 2013
Dear S.,
I’m glad you included that you are not pregnant, since that is the first thing that crosses our mind. By abstinence, I’m assuming you mean no genital-to-genital contact either, as there have been some pregnancies from close genital contact.
In order to help you better, I would need to know your age. It is not uncommon for women at the beginning or end of their reproductive years to have irregular periods. Next, I would like to know if you have been diagnosed with any medical problems. Some diseases, like thyroid or polycystic ovarian disease, will cause irregular menses.
Marked weight change, either gaining or losing weight, can sometimes cause a woman to skip her period. One of the most common causes of a delayed period is an unusual amount of stress.
Generally, I would advise waiting for another month to see what happens. However, if your stomach pains are getting worse, I would certainly recommend seeking medical attention.
By the way, do you chart your cycles? Although it sounds like you do not need Natural Family Planning for fertility control, it is a great tool for monitoring women’s health and I would highly recommend it.
Sincerely,
Lynn Keenan, MD
I’m glad you included that you are not pregnant, since that is the first thing that crosses our mind. By abstinence, I’m assuming you mean no genital-to-genital contact either, as there have been some pregnancies from close genital contact.
In order to help you better, I would need to know your age. It is not uncommon for women at the beginning or end of their reproductive years to have irregular periods. Next, I would like to know if you have been diagnosed with any medical problems. Some diseases, like thyroid or polycystic ovarian disease, will cause irregular menses.
Marked weight change, either gaining or losing weight, can sometimes cause a woman to skip her period. One of the most common causes of a delayed period is an unusual amount of stress.
Generally, I would advise waiting for another month to see what happens. However, if your stomach pains are getting worse, I would certainly recommend seeking medical attention.
By the way, do you chart your cycles? Although it sounds like you do not need Natural Family Planning for fertility control, it is a great tool for monitoring women’s health and I would highly recommend it.
Sincerely,
Lynn Keenan, MD
Answered By:
Lynn Keenan, MD
Lynn Keenan, MD, Immediate Past President of the CANFP Executive Board, is a Clinical Professor at the UCSF/Fresno Internal Medicine Residency Program (now retired), Board Certified in Sleep and Internal Medicine, and Vice President of the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine. She earned her BSN at UCLA, her MD at Temple University School of Medicine, and completed her Residency in Internal Medicine at UCSF/Fresno. Dr. Keenan served on the Executive Board of CANFP since 2004, as President of CANFP since 2010, and graciously agreed to continue her service to CANFP on the Advisory Board at the beginning of 2019, upon her retirement from the Executive Board of CANFP
