Hysterectomy for heavy periods

[ImFree2doasiwant]

TMI alert. Has anyone had experience of this? I have incredibly heavy periods since my 2nd child. He's 3.5 now. I first saw the GP when he was about 13 months as I was due to return to work and honestly didn't know how I'd cope working in a busy office, when my periods were so bad.

I had blood tests and was very anaemic, and also diagnosed as having hypothyroidism. Apparently this can cause heavy periods. I've been taking 75mg levothyroxine , the heaviness has eased somewhat, but actually, it's still horrendous. I tried the depo injection for 12 months, as had no periods on that before. No change. I'm currently taking the mini pill and thought I'd seen a slight improvement, and now this.

I think I've kidded myself that because it's so much better than 2 yrs ago, that it's ok. It's really not ok. As an example, I'm ending my 3rd week of bleeding. I had a 12 day period, 1 light day, 9 heavy days, 2 light. 3 days no bleeding. 4 days light. Now 2 days heavy again.

Since 8.45pm i have been to the loo 6 times as I've had flooding/passed large clots.

I'm really at the end of my ability to cope with this. I've had to leave work after flooding so badly it went through a very large washable pad, pants and tights. By the time I'd shuffled to the loo it was by my knees. I missed weekly swimming for 4 months as was bleeding every Wednesday for that time. I've ruined clothes and bedsheets. My mattress is stained, and I've bled onto the carpet.

If a hysterectomy was an option, I'd jump at the chance. I wont be having any more children.

I'm interested to hear from others who have been through this

I’m already on hrt, thank god no pain today.

My stomach just feels bruised. Exactly what it was like after my c section (almost 16 yrs ago!) like that feeling you get after doing loads of sit ups.

And strangely despite me eating loads of rubbish because I need my energy up I am losing weight. Which I need to!

Still fairly heavy after re starting northisterone on Friday. Not flooding. But a bleed every 2-3 hours and it does fill a pad.
Very hot and clammy feeling and always before my period I have a night or sometimes 2 of insomnia and I have had that every night for weeks now.

I'm exhausted. I'd rather have a week of a heavy period with a few days flooding as before than this constant daily period I'm now having.

I had very heavy period following my third pregnancy Mirena didn't work for me i bleed continuously from it being fitted for 3 months and then hemorrhaged causing it to come out. Also had very severe pmt symptoms all the time it was in. My friend has had one and it worked for her. Also had an ablation and fibroid removed which worked much better but my periods got heavier after a few years. I was offered a hysterectomy but didn't want one as was worried about not having a natural menopause. My GP said that if i had a hysterectomy she would advice having fallopian tubes removed too and to take estrogen only HRT as that would be safer and could be taken indefinitely but i didn't feel that that was for me. I carried on having periods until i was 57 which is quite old. I would advice you to think very carefully about all options and discuss every thing with your consultant before making a decision.

I think you need fairly urgent review by a gynaecologist. That amount and frequency of bleeding sounds unbearable.

Hi
I had a hysterectomy just before covid for this exact reason. It has changed my life. I still have my ovaries so won’t go into menopause just yet. I am still an unreasonable bitch once a month though but imagine that is just me

Morning ladies,

I had my coil fitted this morning.

Broke down in tears at surgery because I just have had enough! Think I needed to and think I knew I would beforehand iyswim?

Gp and nurse lovely.

Did an internal and all felt fine. Had to change scapula as first one wasn't enough. Oh my word the pain as it went in.

Then I passed out Only about 2 seconds but I remember GP asking me if I felt alright and saying my pulse was coming down.

Caused some bleeding straight afterwards but had it fitted half an hour ago and haven't had any cramps yet.

Got more northisterone if needed after this lot finishes in case I need it.

Forgot to ask if I should start mini pill again when finished. I'm sure GP said before to take mini pill and merina?

Give it 3 months and no improvement referral to gynae but there's nothing they can feel etc to cause concern.

I had one 10 years ago when I was 39 for adenomyosis. I had tried everything and still every month suffered horrendously.

It was the BEST thing I have ever done.

It's no exageration to say that my life changed dramatically after having it done. I felt 'free' for the first time since I was a teenager.

I tried for years to live with the excessive periods - at the end of my tether they lasted for 14 days and I ended up out of breath going up the stairs because I lost so much blood every day.

I did tranexamic and mefenamic acid, modena coils (two - both came out) and lost weight to see if it would help (GP said it was entirely because of my weight).

I ended up going to see a private Gynae (Miss Wahab at BMI Meriden if anyone's near there and needs a recommendation). She had a couple of prods and pokes and suggested ablation as the step before hysterectomy. I know there are some horror stories about ablation failing etc, but for me it was worth a shot and I honestly can't rave about it loudly enough. It's been almost 3 years and it was the best choice I've ever made.

Hope you get sorted OP! Just as a way of managing expectations, I think covid has truly buggered wait times, I was referred to gynae in Feb after I had to have a week off work due to flooding and cramps, this was worse than usual, my periods can usually last around 30 days but it's often at a manageable heavy level! I've tried tranxiamic acid, menafemic acid, naproxen and have just had Provera to stop a period. I've still not had my appointment through, and when I've chased I've just been told they are working on it. Ways of coping, I have spatone every day whether I'm on my period or not, and the pill cerazette completely stopped my periods, and if I wasn't TTC (as sodding difficult as that is when I'm always on my period!) I would go on it again in a heartbeat. I also recommend modi bodi heavy period pants, they've been a game changer for me!

I've skin read 4 pages and not seen it mentioned ,having a hysterectomy has reduced my experience of orgasm by about 90% .

I don't know how common this is but I'm pretty sure it's not just me .

Hysterectomy has not affected my sex life at all, in fact it's improved it as I aren't worrying about bleeding etc

I have the same thing. I also asked for a hysterectomy but the Dr refused.

I've had a Mirena coil fitted, made absolutely no difference. I'm on week 4 of my current period, and when it finishes I may get a week's break if I'm lucky before it starts again. It's a nightmare.

I'm incredibly anemic and also have low blood pressure so I'm constantly dizzy. I work outdoors away from running water/loos, so it really affects my work too.

I'm completely at the end of my rope.

What's your next step @occa?

I spoke to my GP this week, she has referred me for a scan, and prescribed TA although she did say she didn't expect it to help!

She suggested next steps would be Mirena or ablation, but to wait and see what the scan shows up. I'm really not keen on Mirena tbh.

That said, I've bled for 27 days out of the last 33. Many of the days have been heavy. I've been woken up several times a night by the feeling of it. I've had to rearrange days out with the children.

@gemashlou the trouble is, I am prescribed iron already, I was on the depo provera jab but it made no difference, I'm currently taking cerazette, again, no difference. There seemed to be a slight improvement but it's back to "normal" again now.
Oh and I did invest in modibodi period pants, I really like them, but they can't cope unfortunately. I get flooding, Sometimes several times per hour, and would need to change them each time . Its no wonder i feel so bloody awful