Flooding periods and office work

[Conflictedboobs]

I’m about to return to the office from maternity leave (DS is 7 months). Since giving birth, I’ve had a problem with absolutely insane periods where all of a sudden, my body ‘let’s go’ somehow and I suddenly lose a lot of blood all at once. It’s usually around half a pint but it has been more and there’s a lot of large clots. I have these floods around 2-4 times a month, usually close-ish together but often with no warning at all. So I won’t have any bleeding or anything and then all of a sudden it will just come and there’s nothing I can do.

I’m going back to work on 29th. I’ll be 3 days from home and 1 day from the office but what if I get a flood on an office day?? How on earth do I deal with it? What if it happens on the train?

I currently wear period pants whenever I leave the house because I do get other random smaller bleeds all the time but they can’t cope with a flood. Today for example I had a flood wearing period pants while sitting on the kitchen floor feeding DS - I had to mop the floor and the puddle was about a foot diameter once I stood up.

I’ve been to my GP who has referred me for an ultrasound but the referral wait time is almost 10 months in my area. I’ve had bloods done and I’m waiting for those results too.

Any thoughts on how I manage this or anyone with similar experience who can give advice much appreciated!

Can you afford to pay for a private gynaecologist referral?

@Fallagain

Can you afford to pay for a private gynaecologist referral?

Unfortunately not - 7 months of statutory mat pay has cleared me out. By the time I’ve saved enough for that I’ll have my NHS appointment.

OP I totally relate, more than once Ive had to return home to change.

Have you tried tranexamic acid? Has made a massive difference to me. Mooncup? Whilst it won't hold all of it it would hold some, plus towels plus period pants.

When I was pp I ended up wearing LOs nappy, maybe worth seeing if the incontinence pants could help too .They're designed for a sudden big flow of wee which I guess in force/volume is similar.

Change of clothing/small microfibre towel with you or at work in case it does happen.

Good luck

How are your iron levels? If I were you, I’d take spatone (it’s gentler than iron tablets but does a great job). This alone helped keep my heavy periods in check.

How do you feel in yourself?

Was going to second the tranexamic acid. This is meant to help reduce bleeding so may help you. Can you go back to the GP and see a different one or ask for one who may have more knowledge of womens' health?

It sounds very difficult for you as it's affecting your day to day life. They should be able to help manage the problem, but unfortunately it seems you have to be really persistent and keep going back.

@Iggly

How are your iron levels? If I were you, I’d take spatone (it’s gentler than iron tablets but does a great job). This alone helped keep my heavy periods in check.

How do you feel in yourself?

Yeah my iron levels are shocking - I had a large PPH and they basically never recovered properly. I’ve been on iron tablets for 7 months!

@LefttoherownDevizes

OP I totally relate, more than once Ive had to return home to change.

Have you tried tranexamic acid? Has made a massive difference to me. Mooncup? Whilst it won't hold all of it it would hold some, plus towels plus period pants.

When I was pp I ended up wearing LOs nappy, maybe worth seeing if the incontinence pants could help too .They're designed for a sudden big flow of wee which I guess in force/volume is similar.

Change of clothing/small microfibre towel with you or at work in case it does happen.

Good luck

The GP mentioned a tablet that made the blood more sticky and less ‘flowy’ so would reduce the chance of a flood all at once - guessing that’s that stuff? I can get that from her if the problem continues so I’ll call back - that’s a good point

@LefttoherownDevizes

OP I totally relate, more than once Ive had to return home to change.

Have you tried tranexamic acid? Has made a massive difference to me. Mooncup? Whilst it won't hold all of it it would hold some, plus towels plus period pants.

When I was pp I ended up wearing LOs nappy, maybe worth seeing if the incontinence pants could help too .They're designed for a sudden big flow of wee which I guess in force/volume is similar.

Change of clothing/small microfibre towel with you or at work in case it does happen.

Good luck

Can’t do mooncups or tampons unfortunately - episiotomy that hasn’t healed well so they hurt.

God who needs contraception - just send me round to schools and I’ll put kids off birth for life

I know this isn’t addressing the actual problem but could you work from home the 4 days, even on a temp basis whilst you try various treatments/medications?

@Petal12

I know this isn’t addressing the actual problem but could you work from home the 4 days, even on a temp basis whilst you try various treatments/medications?

It’s a possibility - I would need to tell my boss why but I don’t have a problem with that if needed.

In the meantime I’m going to stash a change of clothes at work which is easier said than done now we’re all hot desking

Modibody does a 24 hour period short (looks like cycling shorts) which might be worth a shot?

It doesn't solve the underlying flooding issue but reuseable sanitary pads combined with period pants have a high capacity and have helped with very heavy periods for me.

Gosh, this sounds so stressful, I really feel for you.

Have you looked at Honour Your Flow? The lady who owns it makes a huge pad for those who think their periods are too heavy for any pads, and there is one where you can fit in additional layers if it still isn't substantial enough.

I don't know if it would work for you, but it might be worth a look. As far as I know, she can also make custom pads for pretty much any requirements.

I wish you luck, and hope you find something that works for you.

OP I would speak to your boss and ask for a temporary change to T&C to allow you to work from home until such time you have had medical investigations / situation has been resolved. Even at the best of times this would be difficult to manage at work.

Could you get a note from the doctor requesting reasonable adjustments for you to work at home one week a month? I did that with an unrelated health issue and it was so reassuring to have. You can go through HR if not comfortable talking to your boss

I would tell your boss and HR exactly what is happening. They may agree for WFH every day but if not you can discuss what adjustments they can make in work to enable you to manage. I think it’s one of those occasions where you just have to be upfront and given them all the gory details. They aren’t going to want pools of blood in the office so I’m sure they’ll work with you.

@BingoandBluey

It doesn't solve the underlying flooding issue but reuseable sanitary pads combined with period pants have a high capacity and have helped with very heavy periods for me.

This is what I’m currently using when I’ve just had a flood and expect another one. A maternity sized cloth sanitary pad inside a pair of cheeky pants but still flood through

@prairiegirl81

Gosh, this sounds so stressful, I really feel for you.

Have you looked at Honour Your Flow? The lady who owns it makes a huge pad for those who think their periods are too heavy for any pads, and there is one where you can fit in additional layers if it still isn't substantial enough.

I don't know if it would work for you, but it might be worth a look. As far as I know, she can also make custom pads for pretty much any requirements.

I wish you luck, and hope you find something that works for you.

Looking that up now, thank you!

I think you’re all right and I need to tell my boss. A note from the doctor is a good idea too just to have in my back pocket in case work say they’re not ok with me WFH full time.

I’d really rather not WFH full time if I can help it but with floods being so unpredictable I don’t see another option. I work a 2 hour commute by train away from home so it’s not like I can nip home to change either.

Eep I can see the hot desking being an issue and really recommend you talk to your boss/HR if relevant as having change of clothes and a place to store them, permission to go get cleaned up even if that means going home or using a bathroom with a sink (often just disabled loos sadly) are really important.

What are your office chairs like? Solid plastic you can clean up easily? If not I could see that potentially being an issue/embarrassment for you and expensive for your boss and could be use to help negotiate working from home too.

Of course for the practical side on top of what PPs have said.

If you drive, bed pads on your car seat to protect of from any gushes. So it’s not so obvious you can put the pad inside a pillow case so it looks like you’re sitting on a cushion.

A squirty bottle can help you rinse yourself off whilst sat on the loo which will feel 100% cleaner than just a baby wipe/tissue.

I’d look around for period pants that allow you to put inserts in for heavier flows. That I top of your regular pad should help catch most of a gush.

Modibodi do leggings and also high capacity. Another thought is would going on the pill help or the mirena which stopped my flooding periods completely

Lots of fab suggestions above but one other would be the tena lady pants, I lived in these post baby and I had horrific bleeding on an unimaginable scale and they kept all my floods in and secure so I would definitely recommend wearing those and a pad which worked for me x

I would definitely ask your GP about tranexamic acid. I'm surprised they haven't already offered it to you. It was literally the only way I could leave the house some days, I was flooding through superplus tampax with towels for back up in an hour.

tranexamic acid

Definitely worked for me.

I also wear floaty elastic clothes with period pants AND a sanitary towel. I have a special wardrobe that week.

shit isn’t it

I had horrendously heavy periods permanently.

I used to have to wear superplus lilets AND huge night time pads and sometimes change both every 40 minutes. You could ask your Dr for Tranexamic acid, it reduces bleeding (in some people). Other than that all I can advise is wear dark on your bottom half permanently and maybe take a (dark) cushion into work under the pretence it makes the chair comfier and keep spare trousers/underwear in your car/locker/desk drawer or wherever.

It sucks. I hope you get an appointment sooner than anticipated.