Blood Pressure question during periods

August 06, 2008

Dr Q,

Is there a reason why ones blood pressure increases only during periods and rest of the time tends to be normal?

My mother had the exact same thing going on and I have been experiencing this for the past 3 years.

Also, is the progesterone drop responsible for a mid cycle bleed/atrophic bleed and breakthru bleed?

Thank you!

HopeN

August 06, 2008

I do know a prog drop is not required for a breakthru bleed when there is no ovulation, but in my current situation when I have something like a full flow period 17 days after a true period with full flow 5 day period, I am wondering that since I had so much bleeding, may be there was enough estrogen to actually thicken the lining. So, in this case, a progesterone drop signals the bleed?

Dr. Q

August 06, 2008

Hi HopeN,

Not sure if there's any data substantiating if there truly is a consistent drop in measured blood pressure during one's period...

Sometimes HopeN, when one isn't developing a follicle to create Estrogen, not uncommon when just finished BF, then the lining get's so atrophic that it sheds blood simply because it's "irritated" resembling a period, this is what I tend to think in your case since this "flow" came way earlier than expected and your profile of BF...(in a sense, there may not have been any Estrogen or Progesterone around)

When one is on Progesterone only contraception, this can happen quite commonly.

If one has not ovulated for quite a while AND are producing estrogen(PCOS), the lining won't get the Progesterone necessary to stabilize it (no ovulation occuring) and hence the lining becomes so unstable that it can shed...hope you follow me