Periods are literally draining the life out of me

[BumDNC]

Yesterday's period experience was beyond awful. Mine have always been heavy and I got the mirena a year ago to try to help. It initially did help them become what I would say is normal flow - no flooding, less period pains, normal use of sanitary products etc.

I was away from home yesterday and stuck in a situation where I had limited access to supplies etc which added to my stress. I was sick because I got so hot and bothered trying to sort myself out and cried in a public toilet that I ran to that had no loo roll. I was a bit of an emotional mess and started to panic at how much was flooding was going on - it was like Post birth loss. I got home last night and had to throw some of my clothes away and I just sat ans thought about how this will be my life for another 20 years perhaps. I'm mid 30's. I feel so drained and tired and exhausted. I've been anaemic through period related blood loss previously and I became quite depressed.

I have a GP appointment this afternoon. I just know with a heavy heart that I won't come out of there with any solution. As a woman I think we are just expected to make the most of our lot and periods are just a natural part of life. I've been made to feel this way over and over. Believe me I will try my best to get some kind of help but will I really?

I am not one for googling medical info because it makes me anxious also it is confusing. I'm wondering about trying something more natural but no idea where to start with vitamins or supplements either? Anyone tried any of these things? What could I be asking for from my GP?

[BatSegundo]

Ask your GP for Tranexamic acid. Slows down the bleeding. Changed my life. You should not have to 'just put up with it'. It is NOT normal to have that much blood loss and you may need investigation for causes eg fibroids (though there's no special cause for mine beyond bad luck )

Good luck

[BumDNC]

Thank you. At GP now waiting. I've had scans - nothing to see there

[Stillnoidea]

Also: try a mooncup? I've found it much better for fairly heavy periods than tampons/pads but dont know about heavy heavy periods.

[Idefix]

Second the tranexamic acid suggestion, I would also ask for bloods to check your Hib and ferritin.

[Janey50]

Have you considered asking about endometrial ablation? However,this is only suitable if you are not intending to become pregnant at any time in the future as it destroys most of the womb lining. A friend of mine had this done a few years ago as she was experiencing similar problems to yours. She was in her late 30s and had completed her family,and said she really couldn't put up with another 15 or so years of it,but didn't want the upheaval of a hysterectomy. She only had a week or so of average bleeding afterwards,and since then her periods have been practically non-existant. She was in and out of hospital as a day case,it required a general anaesthetic,so she did need someone with her to take her home and look after her 3 kids for that night. She was back to normal within a week.

[BumDNC]

absolutely shitty appointment but this might be my fault. I went in and said I have 2 issues and I think they are linked which is why I am mentioning both but I know that you don't have much time. So I covered that base.

I said I would like to see a dermatologist which was the original reason for booking appointment 3 weeks ago (as non urgent had to wait). I have adult cystic acne (since age 20) - nothing is working. Nothing. And then I wanted to cry because all these hormones are shit.
Then I described above period etc.

I think the reaction I got was that i haven't tried enough other things When in my opinion I have tried years of 'things'. I cannot have a referral to a skin specialist because I need to go back on antibiotics (did this for 5 years). So back on them.

I have to have a blood test then go back to discuss the periods. currently today blood loss is nil because I obviously lost it all in one go yesterday, so I will go back next week about them.

I wasn't expecting a quick fix but as I expected I just feel rubbish. Blood tests have never shown anything wrong, scans haven't shown anything wrong I am just unlucky I think. So I don't know what's next but will find out next week I hope

[BumDNC]

I would do the ablation. I would do anything. I will take anything and go anywhere. I think I just feel tearful as I'm hormonal

[BumDNC]

The thing with a mooncup is that I really don't think it would have held this flooding at all and I would have had to have done it in a very large public toilet - how does that work? It was already like Texas chainsaw massacre!

[Duckstar]

Are they checking your hormone levels in the blood test? The horrendous acne and terrible periods do suggest a hormone imbalance. Do you by any chance have private health insurance?

[daisygirlmac]

Would it be an idea to book a double appointment so you have time to discuss everything properly? Also what about writing it all down or taking a well briefed friend, I went with my sister to discuss her issues as the GP couldn't seem to get past very trivial issues (what knickers she wore ) and it helped because I was far less wound up and emotional so it helped her to explain in a calmer way. Not saying you're not calm but it's hard when you're in pain and feel shit

[marsybum]

I had similar about a year ago, in fact my flooding was so bad I lost the mirena! The doc thinks it flushed out, I then had an implant and that's made a massive difference to the frequency and amount of bleeding - in fact I've only flooded once in a year, I was at the stage of almost needing a blood transfusion due to the blood loss making my iron levels so low. Might not work but it's worth thinking about?

[BumDNC]

I wasn't as calm as I would have liked and I should have only mentioned one thing but they could be linked and I had waited 3 weeks to ask about the acne, and the period issue happened yesterday so bad timing.

Yes hormone levels being checked but I've been here before and they were fine.
Also I get told repeatedly I can't have PCOS because I have kids. I don't think I have PCOS I think I have a hormone imbalance. I don't know what time of the month to take this blood test to capture it at its 'worst'. Currently skin and period are in a calmer state, do I wait until they are extreme again?

[Anatidae]

You don't have to suffer with this! I spent years with horrendous periodsbeibg told by a succession of GPs that it was normal blah blah.
Eventually a new GP gave me a mirena coil - it pretty much stopped my periods.

The acne etc sounds like youve got a hormone issue somewhere - GP needs to check hormones, as well as ferritin, b12, vitamin d, sugars etc.

Is there any way at all you could see someone privately?

[BumDNC]

I have limited money and no private cover. I also don't want to start something I can't see through because I run out of money

[expatinscotland]

'Eventually a new GP gave me a mirena coil - it pretty much stopped my periods. '

She already has a Mirena.

[Anatidae]

Totally untrue about pcos and kids. Pcos makes it harder to conceive, not impossible.

Take pictures of your skin in daylight when it's bad. Keep a diary of symptoms. Write down the questions you want to ask. Take that notebook with you next time, keep calm asking and write down the answers. For tests like hormones/thyroid ask for a printout of the actual results- don't just be told they're ok.
If you don't mind me asking, are you overweight? Any excess hair/thinning hair on head? These are classic signs of pcos. A lot of the symptoms are linked to insulin resistance so losing a small amount of weight, following a low sugar diet and bouts of intense excercise can help.

[Anatidae]

She already has a Mirena.

Oh gosh sorry (severely sleep deprived here, missed that.)

My point is no it's not normal, and you shouldn't have to put up with it. It makes me so angry that women are supposed to put up with this shit! Something is awry, it needs proper investigation and treatment.

[Reality16]

I had exactly the same, got referred to gynae for ablation. She put a mirena coil in while I was on waiting list and it stopped my bleeding almost instantly. I had been bleeding constantly and heavier at at time for about 2 years

[Reality16]

Sorry I missed the mirena as well. Ignore my post

[BumDNC]

Here is what I have tried:

Copper coil - bled so much was very ill
Mini pill - constant bleeding
Combined pill - I'm high risk apparently can't have it
Depot - made me v depressed
Mirena - generally ok till now
Roaccutane - didn't last
Over the counter acne treatment - rubbish
Antibiotics - tried these but will try again if that's what they want
Prescribed acne creams - makes my skin burn, have bad scarring, peeling and melasma patches

[BumDNC]

I'm overweight and have excess hair. I can't seem to lose weight but this is probably my own fault in some ways (I have been trying but when I get hormonal it all falls apart emotionally!)

[BumDNC]

Not excessively overweight but in the overweight zone of BMI

[BumDNC]

I think what it is is that I don't feel very positive so it's hard to stick to diets and exercise when you just feel miserable.
Dieting doesn't seem to make much difference to my skin and I have worked out this is because I diet on all the wrong foods - slimming world involves a lot of carbs and dairy food (muller lights etc) and recently doing SW made it all horrendous. I am hoping i could get to a good place where I felt things were improving to kind of get a momentum going that I can maintain, where I see and feel improvements. I've lost half a stone and feel worse/look worse than ever?!!?

[user1475253854]

There was a thread about heavy periods the other day and someone's GP/consultant had said in this day and age, no woman should have to 'put up' with heavy periods/have their lives revolve around periods and this attitude helped them so much. Can you see a different GP?

[JennyOnAPlate]

I think you need to push for them to investigate pcos op. All of your symptoms fit.

I have it and have 2 dc who were conceived in the first and third month of trying.