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The Freakout: You got your period, then two weeks later got it again...and started to worry that your period-having days were numbered.


What else it might be: Are your periods usually as predictable as a Japanese train schedule? And you're not on the pill (or any other hormonal contraception), right? Then an irregular cycle could be just a hormonal hiccup... or it could be a shout that something more serious is going on. "Periods are important vital signs," says Jan Shifren, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School. When they become irregular, it's often a sign that something is off. Double-periods can be due to polyps or fibroids in the uterus or abnormal thickening of the uterine lining. Also, we don't want to alarm you (as we mentioned, anxiety can disrupt your cycle), but erratic periods, especially when combined with hot flashes, can be a sign of premature ovarian insufficiency—different from premature menopause, in that you still have follicles, but they're not working properly.

What to do: It's worth talking to your gynecologist and getting your hormone levels evaluated—especially your FSH levels, says Shifren, which will give you a better idea of your fertility.

The Freakout: You sometimes feel like your blood is boiling. There's no way other people aren't noticing your burning red face and neck—and thinking, as you are, "Hot flash!"


What else it might be: Hot flashes affect about 85 percent of women during the years immediately before and after menopause, so it's understandable that you might assume that's what's going on. But they can also be triggered by anxiety and stress. And they can be related: Your worries about aging and infertility, if intense enough, could be giving you a panic attack. Less common causes of hot flashes are hormone imbalances, thyroid disorders and infections. Some people also report getting hot flashes after eating MSG (have you eaten any chicken lo mein lately?).

What to do: Take a deep breath... and call your doctor, who can not only do a checkup and a hormone test, but can also counsel you on stress management.

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