Will Mefenamic Acid stop me bleeding

[missnevermind]

Me Again.

Went to see the doctor again today. She has given me Mefenamic Acid tablets to try to stop the bleeding.

I have the Nexplanon implant. I have had this one for 18 months and in all that time have had one well behaved period about 8 months ago.

My period started this time on Christmas day and has not stopped yet.
I went to see the doctor about something else last week and mentioned it to her them. She booked me in for the nurse last Friday, who had a thorough look down there but was unable to tell me anything so mention fibroids and Got me a doctors appt for today.

Over the weekend the bleeding has gotten really heavy and today I am wearing 2 maternity pads at a time.

She gave me the tablets and will phone me next Monday morning to discuss doing a biopsy on the afternoon.
I dont know whether the tablets are supposed to stop the bleeding or slow it down?
Will she do the biopsy if the bleeding stops? or if it doesn't?

If the bleeding stops and she doesnt do a biopsy because of that how will she be sure I dont need one?

I really should have asked more questions

[frazzledbutcalm]

Dd (age 13) was prescribed mefenamic acid for long, heavy periods. She went from bleeding heavily for 3 weeks at a time to light bleeding for 3-4 days. I'm not sure about your problems or investigations but thought I'd post on my experience with mefenamic acid.
Good luck

[ThreeBeeOneGee]

I think the mefenamic acid is to slow the bleeding down, not stop it completely.

[missnevermind]

Thank you.

She also mentioned scans at the hospital and was quite reluctant to give me the tablets.

So I think after everything that has been said, if I take the tablets and the bleeding stops, they might decide not to do anything further - even though they are reeling all these things off at me at the moment.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Oh you poor thing. I've been having an epic period since Xmas eve. I'm on mefenamic acid & 500g of norithesterone, it's almost stopped it.

The mefenamic acid according to my GP doesn't stop it, but does ease it & helps cramps & also (I have a tiny fibroid), shrinks fibroids - only whilst I'm taking it, if I stop it may grow.

I'm pushing for a biopsy as I've had this happen before & I can't keep going thro this, I feel like death.

I've also been prescribed industrial strength iron tabs. GP said omg your iron levels are shockingly low (you think )

[missnevermind]

I was starting to worry about my iron levels FuzzyWuzzy. I have blood tests next monday morning for something unrelated. So that might get picked up then.

I thought they were a bit hot on offering a biopsy so quickly. But my doctor does tham herself at the surgery rather than having to wait for a hospital appt.

I think I am more worried about them not doing the biopsy now it has been offered than what the biopsy itself might show.
We dont have a firm biopsy appt. I am to phone her for a chat in the morning and it will be decided / arranged then for clinic that afternoon.

[missnevermind]

How long were you bleeding before you saw the doctor?
How long have you been taking the tablets for. My Doc said I can only take them for a week.

Not the sort of questions I would ask you face to face

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

I would now insist to the GP that you are referred to a gynae asap.

Many GPs are not up to muster when it comes to such problems and this is really outside their remit.

They need to find out what the cause is as well as trying (and failing) to treat the symptoms.

[fuzzywuzzy]

last year I was bleeding well into two months before I sought medical treatment (I don't like to make a fuss ), but then I had a sudden 'surge' and I was so weak I could barely stand and had pins and needles all over my body.

This time I went as soon as it showed no signs of stopping when it normally should.

The pill's been perscribed for up to ten days, atfter that I have to go back to the doctors.

I went in for scans last year, both internal and external (where they found the fibroid), and they did a physical pelvic examination (I asked her to do a mear whilst she was in there!) as well loads of blood tests. I didn't take it further as at that point my cycle had gone back to normal and all my results came back normal.

This time I want a biospy because I want to know why it keeps happening.

My consultant advised against it first time around as they'd need to put me under a general anaesthetic and it is quite invasive, as my cycle was normal by then she suggested we see as sometimes it can be hormonal dip which has rectified itself.

Good luck, I hopoe you get to the bottom of it.

[tiffinbaker]

I found mefenamic acid did dramatically reduce my bleeding (though it didn't completely stop it). It made the bleed last just a couple of days though (but the blood was black - yuck). Getting a Mirena coil fitted worked better though for me.

[missnevermind]

I asked the Doctor to phone me yesterday to help answer some of my questions but i wasn't very articulate on the phone.
She confirmed that she expected the bleeding to stop by itself and if it didnt the tablets would slow it down.
Shew also said that they would not do a biopsy if the bleeding stopped. But might if it happened again.

I have taken about 3 of the tablets but they are making me ill. I get terrible diarrhea for a couple of hours after taking them and a really upset stomach, wind and bloated etc.
I dont know weather to carry on taking them or not as i cannot do anything after taking one.
I wanted to phone and ask her about this but she made me feel like a nuisance for calling about something not important.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Call her again, you cant function like this.

You might not be compatible with Mefenamic acid, there must be an alternative.

Have you had your hormone levels checked?

Don't let her make you feel like a nuisance, you're bleeding a lot by sounds of things.

[missnevermind]

Thanks Fuzzy. I feel as though I am just whining.

Full make up today as I feel so crap. (Warpaint)

[fuzzywuzzy]

you're not whining, continuous blood loss is a source of concern.

Make an appointment with her, then ask her to talk you thro the stages of treatment she is going to refer you to.

Ask for blood tests.

Have you had a scan? If not ask for that too

Ask for an alternative to mefanemic acid.

[missnevermind]

I didnt take any tablets today, mOstly as an experiment to see if I had an upset stomach without them. Everything was fine so I am definatly blaming the tablets.

I couldn't screw up the courage to phone her today but I have to be at the docs tomorrow for physio, so might ask at reception then.

I have blood tests on Monday but that is for referral to a weight loss clinic
at the hospital.

I am still bleeding but at a more normal rate again.


A thought that I had is I am describing this as a month long period. Which must downplay the severity of it? Periods last 5 days not 25.
If my nose or backside or ear had been bleeding for 25 days it would have been an emergency but because it is my vagina it's ok it's not so important.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Make a fuss.

I guess I'm quite skinny, when I went to the doctors, they thought I was about to die, I was practically blue form all the blood loss.

you need the period to stop completely.

Ask for a bloods to check your hormone levels.

Get ultra sound scans to see if there's anything in you uterus that could be causing the bleeding. Dont go for the biopsy immediately without having other less invasive procedures done first.

You are not making a fuss, your doctor needs to refer you to a gynaecologist.

[Velcropoodle]

Hi missnevermind, sorry to hear you have such heavy bleeding. Your GP is well placed to manage this as there are well established guidelines for Heavy Menstrual bleeding and whilst a gynae referral is often appropriate, there are some other medications that can be tried first. This depends on your age, and several other factors including type of contraception, whether there are any other problems such as thyroid disease, and of course, excluding pregnancy.
It does sound as if you are intolerant of mefenamic acid so you should talk to your GP again.The guidelines to which I referred are here
I hope that helps.

[missnevermind]

HI Fuzzy thanks for sticking with me. I am all me me me at the moment.

Nobody has even mentioned getting bloods done. I will insist that I see somebody tomorrow even if I cannot see the doctor that has been dealing with this so far, and see if they want / can piggy back Mondays blood tests and add in some for this too.

I had a physical pelvis exam on Friday. Bleugh - TMI she had to swab me inside because of all the blood before she could see anything and then she said she was unable to see anything anyway and had trouble finding the neck of my womb. She had suggested doing a smear test too while she was there But was not able to do that either.
OMG - Joined up thinking here - I wonder if the ridiculous bleeding over the weekend was because she disturbed everything down there.


My consultant advised against it first time around as they'd need to put me under a general anaesthetic and it is quite invasive

^ This is not what I am being told at all, the doctor will do ithe Biopsy at the surgery as part of the Sexual Health clinic on Monday night. No need for the hospital at all.
They keep mentioning scans but get no further than that.

[missnevermind]

Velcropoodle Thankyou for that link.

I hope this is your specialist subject as I am making a list.

Starting with the care pathway -

We discussed my Sexual History - Did I have a new partner, was my husband having an affair type thing. We have been together 25 years.
I have an implant for contraception, have had 4 in the last 10 years, this one has been in 18 months. I have never had any bleeding at all except for a small well behaved period last June.
I am 42 and Morbidly Obese - this is being addressed also.
We discussed the coil - but the thought of one just turns my stomach. I don't know why - but its not going to happen.
My weight puts a stop to all the hormone tablets as too high a risk of stroke.

Then was given a very thorough physical pelvis exam.
This was Friday and I was told to come back on Monday to speak to the Doctor that specialises in these things at my surgery.


At Mondays appointment I told her that the bleeding was extremely heavy over the weekend and I was having to use Maternity Towels. She gave me the mefenamic acid and told me to call and speak to her the following Monday in preparation for coming in on that afternoon for a Biopsy.

Got home totally confused, See my first post

That and then this thread is the full history so far.

[fuzzywuzzy]

Get a scan before a biopsy.
After all if the scan comes back clear, what will the biopsy be of? In my case I do have a fibroid.

My consultant didn't want to jump straight to a biopsy either as she felt other procedures should be followed first. Having the biopsy if the other examinations supported the need for further investigation.

[Velcropoodle]

I agree with fuzzy that scan should be done first. If bleeding is very heavy that reduces the accuracy of the endometrial biopsy which is why she gave you the mefenamic acid. The examination won't have made you bleed more over the weekend(other than a purely pressure effect immediately after iyswim)
Also, I am not convinced(see guidelines ) that biopsy is indicated at this stage, agree bloods should be done. But am not fully informed re examination findings.
I hope that helps missnevermind

[missnevermind]

It will be a endometrial biopsy. The doctor said blood tests would not show anything they wanted the answers too at this stage. Except anaemia levels and she didn't think I had been bleeding long enough for that to be a problem.

She keeps mentioning scans but at a later date.
I am just assuming the biopsy is the cheaper option as she does it herself at the surgery and I don't need to be referred anywhere.

The bleeding has slowed right down now and I wouldn't be too surprised if it stopped overnight just before the biopsy tomorrow.

[Velcropoodle]

The blood tests will probably not show a cause but occasionally thyroid disease can cause irregular bleeding. But you may have had this done recently already? I'm pleased that the bleeding is settling.Let us know how you get on.

[fuzzywuzzy]

A blood test could also check hormone levels.

I'm puzzled as to why your GP wants to jump straight in with the most invasive procedure first.

[SolAlii]

Hi everyone,

I've been given mefenamic acid too. However I have had a period for over 2 weeks. So I asked go to give me something to stop the bleeding and I was given this. No cramps! Just Long bleeding.

Please tell me this will stop my bleeding. Also how long will it to to start working !