Prolonged, heavy period. Worried.

[NapoleonsNose]

I've posted this in Chat as well but have had no replies

I'm 43 and over the last couple of years my periods have been getting increasingly heavier - on days 2 and 3 it is not unusual to need to change a super plus extra tampon every hour or so. Sometimes I've had night time leakage. They've been an annoyance, but not so bad that I've had to change my daily routine. Until this month. I'm now into my 3rd week of bleeding. The first week was spotting and I wondered if I was ever going to properly come on. Then 10 days ago it came with a vengeance. I flooded the bed for two consecutive nights, passing big clots and having to change protection at least ever hour. Now, the bleeding is alternating between virtually nothing and heavy clots again. Driving home tonight I felt like something was pushing the tampon out. When I went to the loo a clot about the size of a 50p dropped out

I went to the Drs in the week who has prescribed some tranexamic acid which slowed the flow down for a few days but I've now taken the maximum amount I can take. I've got to back a week in Weds for a pelvic examination and a smear. I've got health anxiety anyway and I've managed to convince myself that there is something seriously wrong with me. I'm worried I'll still be bleeding as well and don't know if they'll be able to do the smear if so. I'm a few months late for a smear. I know that its likely to be my age, or a hormonal blip but I can't shake off the fear. Please share your stories to help reassure me.

[NapoleonsNose]

Hopeful bump!

[Squeegle]

I think it's quite usual. I had always had quite light periods; in my mid 40s, they turned horrendous- like what you described.
I couldn't lie in bed without a towel underneath and kept flooding at embarrassing times.
Transexamic acid helped, but then I got the mirena which was miraculous. No problems now. they did give me an internal exam just to rule anything out. Try not to worry; it seems to be a thing that happens as we get older.

[AgentCooper]

My advice probably isn't much help but didn't want to read and run. I had a period much like you describe about a year ago (I was 29) - I had never had one like it and thought it was a miscarriage (it wasn't). A new super tampon every hour and massive night time pad couldn't stop my clothes getting soaked through. I'd go to the toilet and the tampons would literally fall out in a huge mass of clots. GP couldn't find any reason for it and my periods then became light and infrequent until about 10 months later when I had another very heavy one (though not quite at the same level). My smear is up to date and normal, by the way.

I don't know if you're on the pill but I decided to stop taking it last month to see if that helps with regulating my periods because, looking back on the 8 years I was on some kind of pill, my periods were never normal. It's early days, but let's see. I was also found to be anaemic after the big period, so I would ask about that. Hope you get some answers, Napoleon, who'd be a woman, eh?

[NapoleonsNose]

Thank you Squeegle. I must stop relying on Dr Google. I'm just fed up. I had an afternoon out planned with some girlfriends today but I'm not sure I can leave the house as the flooding is totally random.

[NapoleonsNose]

No, not on the Pill. DH has had the snip - I was rubbish at remembering to take it so gave up on that in my early 20s.

[Dippytart]

I had very easy regular periods until last year (age 46) when I had one which wouldn't stop. Not heavy as you are describing but just went on and on. I too wound myself right up (as I do with everything). Went to the docs who seemed quite unconcerned. She arranged for me to have an internal scan. I asked her how they would do that if I was still bleeding and she said she didn't think I still would be. She was right, it did stop, they did the scan and it showed nothing. In fact the sonographer said I had lovely overaires!! No problem like that since. I think it must be an age thing. Worrying is so hard not to do but so unhealthy. In my head I can turn a broken nail into something terminal.

[Cel982]

OP, I'm a GP; this scenario is incredibly common in women in their 40s, and almost always turns out to be nothing serious, just hormonal changes as your body heads towards menopause (which mightn't be for years yet). It's sensible to get it checked out as you're doing, just in case there's something else going on, but by far the most likely outcome is that everything will be fine. In which case the Mirena coil is a really good option to consider, it's ideal in this situation. Best of luck.

[NapoleonsNose]

That is reassuring Cel982, thank you. I had one really long period about 6/7 years ago and the Dr gave me some Noresthisterone pills which stopped the bleeding within a few hours and seemed to reset everything and I've not had an occurrence again until now. I guess I was kind of hoping that I'd come away with the same thing and everything would be back to normal. I really mustn't let my irrational mind take over. I know its highly likely to be my age - my DM had a hysterectomy at 48 due to weird bleeding, so I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised.

[Niftynamechangerliveshere]

Please don't panic OP. Step away from Google!
I'm a little bit younger than you but last year had virtually the same symptoms. Flooding, clots endless changes of sanpro.
My doctor examined me, I was found to have a polyp in my cervix.
It was removed under a spinal . Easy peasy. No problems after or since.
( I have HA and that ^^ is the shortened version leaving out my predictions of doom.. Which are so so unlikely to be true).
Good luck