Hello, I'm a 22 year old female. I started getting my period when I was 13. About a year ago I stopped taking birth control. I didn't get a period for about 3 months after, which I'm told is quite common. Once I started getting them again, they were very irregular and not like what they were before I had started taking the pill. Before they would come on quite strong, and I'd get pretty painful cramps the first couple days. They generally lasted between 5-8 days.

Now they are insanely irregular. It starts off so lightly that I don't even realize that it's there. The light bleeding goes for about 3 or 4 days and slowly builds up. Then the heavier bleeding often lasts a week after that, with no cramping and not too heavy of a flow. It ends the same way it starts, very slowly and light.

I am currently on a period that's lasted for a week and a half (if you include the light bleeding at the beginning). No cramping at all. About 2 days ago, it felt like it had stopped (no bleeding for a few hours) then it started right back up again.

I'd rather not go back to taking birth control, but is that my only option for somewhat regular periods? also every 6 months for the last year I've gone in for Pap smears. My GP tells me there's some sort of growth that very minimal and not too worriesome, however she wants me to continue to come in every 6 months just to make sure and keep and eye on it.