Why Does My Period Stop and Start Again?

Usually, we know what to expect from month to month. But what do you do when your period starts behaving differently than usual?

In my office, I frequently see women dealing with period problems. Unfortunately, many providers have told these women that their experiences are “normal” even though they are far from optimal. So, they go along in life thinking that they need to deal with uncomfortable symptoms like unpredictable bleeding, irregular periods, cramping, PMS and more. In these instances, it make take years to get an accurate diagnosis. For other women, however, the change in period symptoms is what catches their attention. Their periods used to behave one way and then, all of a sudden, things changed. Even still, many providres write this off as normal, even when it’s not. “Bodies change,” they say. While this is true—bodies do change—we still have criteria that need to be met in order to classify something as normal.

With regards to a vague symptom like a period starting, then stopping, then starting again, many providers may write this off as normal because:

1. It isn’t going to kill you
2. It typically doesn’t affect quality of life enough to become debilitating
3. It’s really common

…and this is true. Unpredictable bleeding won’t cause end of life, and unlike severe cramps, it’s not painful, merely inconvenient. Plus, it’s a symptom many people deal with. However, providers in the traditional medical model aren’t equipped to deal with a symptom like this. They haven’t been trained in piecing out these symptoms of hormone imbalances and don’t have tools to address it apart from completely overriding your hormones altogether, like through hormonal contraception.

Abnormal bleeding might look like spotting mid-cycle, or having your period start as normal, stop for 24-36 hours, then resume again. Other times, it may stop for 3-4 days and then resume. These patterns indicate different root causes.

In this post, I’m going to outline a few reasons that a person may experience unpredictable bleeding of this nature. Whether you’ve been dealing with this problem for years or it’s a new symptom that suddenly changed, you deserve to have your health explored in detail.

Reasons for Unpredictable/Irregular Bleeding

1. Hormone Imbalances: At the start of your period, hormones drop quite low, comparatively to how things typically “flow” throughout the remainder of your cycle. Take a look at the graphic above: ovarian hormones drop quite low during the first phase, the menstrual phase of the cycle. Irregular hormone production, particularly of estrogen, can easily cause these levels to stop and start. Both high and low estrogen levels may cause irregular bleeding. High estrogen without enough progesterone to balance it out is problematic, growing the uterine lining too much and leading to this “extra” bleeding. Low estrogen dips can produce spotting.
2. Breastfeeding: Nursing, even after periods have returned postpartum, causes real-time hormone fluctuations. Paired with exercise, sleep deprivation, or stress, this can be a big tax on the body. Consider TLC and working on stress managment techniques to help support the demands on your body during this time.
3. Stagnation: This is a term from Traditional Chinese Medicine! In the TCM perspective, blood and energy, called qi, flow through the body in predictable channels. If there’s an interruption to this flow, blood may literally not flow how it should, getting “stuck” and causing irregular patterns of starting and stopping! Especially combined with clotting, dark colored blood, cramping, breast pain, irritability, bloating, and other symptoms associated with stagnation, you should see a TCM practitioner and/or acupuncturist!
4. Stress: Similar to the flow of energy in TCM, emotional stagnation can cause problems in the body. As with the effects of trauma and stress on the body’s neurological pathways (i.e. “The Body Keeps The Score” by Bessel van der Kolk, MD) emotions also affect physiological pathways. If emotions aren’t flowing freely, it can cause other areas of the body to get “stopped up” too. Think: constipation, difficulty crying, insomnia, headaches, muscle tension. Do you notice that you’re holding your breath or struggling to breathe deeply? Do you have tightness and tension in your pelvis? Are you feeling rushed, under pressure, or frustrated? Find healthy outlets for emotional frustration. Focus on finding targeted means of relaxation. See a therapist, talk to a close friend, build TLC into your day. Even better, employ cycle syncing methods to help support emotional vitality and “let go,” especially during your period.
5. Fibroids/Polyps: If you have mid-cycle bleeding, particularly after physical exertion, sex, or bowel movements, you may have a structural abnormality of the uterus that may need surgical removal. Make an appointment for a pelvic ultrasound.
6. Ovulation Bleeding: Mid-cycle spotting (very light, pink or brown; not red) at the time of ovulation as identified by tracking basal body temperature is a different kind of bleeding, not related to your period. This one truly may be normal, associated with changes to the ovary at the time of ovulation. However, if you have new ovulation spotting when you never did previously, it may be time to see a healthcare provider for some hormone testing.

Overall, periods that start, stop and then start again after a few days are not normal, no matter how common they are. If you experience this, talk to your doctor about it. If they dismiss it, it may be time for a new approach through functional medicine. Pay special attention to the effects of emotions, stress and how energy flows through your body. After all, the body really does keep the score.

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Want more? Check out my new guidebook, The Hormone Hacker!

I’m Dr. Alexandra MacKillop, a functional medicine physician, food scientist and nutrition expert.

I specialize in women’s health & hormones, addressing concerns like fertility, PCOS, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), PMS symptoms like bloating and mood changes and more.

If you’re looking for a new way to approach your health, I’m here to help you through it. Click to learn more.