Does anyone else have a period that ruins their life?

[Rainbowrocket]

I’m 32, will be 33 in June. On no contraception currently, although I was on the combined pill years ago on and off.
My son was born 3 and a half years ago and I breastfed for a year.
Since then, my periods have been hellish. They were always heavy and painful and left me washed out. But this is a whole new thing.

10 days before I’m due to come on I get cramps on and off, I also get really really tired, I get hot flushes and cold chills, my heart rate goes up, I become excessively angry, aggressive and emotional.
I am clumsy, I drop things, I feel like I’m walking a tightrope all the time, wobbly and unsteady.
My gums bleed some months.
My boobs are so heavy and painful, it’s like carrying rocks around. The slightest touch is unbearable.

Then when the bleeding starts it’s heavy, with big clots and so painful for the first few days. I always max out nurofen the first two days.

I don’t know what to do really. It’s ruining a big chunk of my life every month. The build up is horrendous.

I also get quite a bit of pain with ovulation each month too, alternate sides, along with nausea when I ovulate.

Mine are bad but that's not normal. Have you spoken to your gp

That sounds hideous.

Period pain that can’t be controlled easily isn’t normal. Have you had any investigations? I’d be thinking of endometriosis as a possible cause.

that sounds hellish. Have you been checked for anaemia? Some of those things sounds beyond the scope of a ‘normal’ heavy period and worth checking out. Either way I would go to the doctor. I’m on the mini pill and it’s a big help once the headaches wore off. If you want to avoid hormone treatment then Transmic acid and iron tablets were quite a help prior to the PoP but then again my issue was ‘just’ ridiculously heavy periods - fainting, soaking through a moon up and a super pad in an hour that kind of thing. I didn’t suffer with the flushes/ clumsiness/ bleeding gums - that adds a new layer of awfulness for you. Hope you find something that helps.

That sounds like me I was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis a few years. When I went for laprascopy to remove it they found endo adhesions on most of my internal organs which was causing digestion and stomach issues.... I wonder are you suffering with something similar?
For the pain difene suppositories are a game changer.

It sounds a bit like PMS?

Also I use Transexamic Acid 500mg from the GP for heavy periods which works fine. You shouldn’t see your GP as you shouldn’t have to put up with all these symptoms.

*should see your GP

I used to and have so much sympathy for you. Go and speak with your doctor. He put me on the mini pill and honestly have never looked back.

My have changed since my DC was born 3.5 years ago. I get a lot more emotional (around ovulation too) and often throw up on day 1. I would definitely talk to your gp op as they will be able to help x

Have you considered the mirena coil? I had horrific periods during peri menopause and it sorted me right out. I now don't have any!

I went on the minipill for those reasons.

Its bliss!!

I’d be thinking of endometriosis as a possible cause.

That was the first thing I thought of. If not already done, speak to your GP to get this possibility investigated and discuss next steps. Good luck @Rainbowrocket 🌹

Have you actually looked for any help?

I started at 10 and from then on they were heavy and painful. After I had my first child they were nowhere near as heavy, still painful but manageable. After I got sterilised after my fourth I bleed heavily, I change pads every hour on the first 3 days because they're full and they're so painful. I take cocodamol to manage the pain and they really help eliminate it completely. The downside is they constipate me and I've got low level addiction to them. But it's the only thing that gets me though and able to look after my kids for those few days. I've had an internal womb scan and there was nothing ususual, just that the lining of my womb is very chunky and scarred from multiple c sections.

Taking iron tablets is essential when you get heavy or extended periods.

GPs can be better and less dismissive these days.

Nuvaring has made a world of difference to me! I used to have 10 day periods, I would pass clots and flood. Now it's a day or two of light spotting and next to no pain.

@Cocodreams

It sounds a bit like PMS?

Also I use Transexamic Acid 500mg from the GP for heavy periods which works fine. You shouldn’t see your GP as you shouldn’t have to put up with all these symptoms.

Understatement of the century.

Mine are similar though not quite as bad and I have suspected adenomyosis (it can't be fully diagnosed without a hysterectomy). For me the options are few since I won't take hormonal birth control so I just take ibuprofen from the first twinge for the pain, and double up on pads and tampons.. It sucks, not gonna lie. I have considered hysterectomy.

Do take an iron supplement though, you are likely to be deficient. be aware it could take months to get your levels up to normal though.

I am sorry you're feeling like this OP, it's hellish, I know.
I was diagnosed with adenomyosis after my 3rd DC. My brilliant consultant said that women shouldn't put up with pain and he said so many do, unnecessarily just getting through each month.
Please get help, you don't need to feel like this. I found that paracetamol with caffeine tablets made a massive difference, as does a small dose of naproxen.

Yes, I’ve had really hellish periods but in a different way to yourself. Oddly, now I’m in my 50s they seem to be settling down a bit. I’d repeatedly try the GP. It took a long time for me to get anywhere and in the end I went on the pill quite reluctantly, just so I could function. But I had to come off it last year when I could drive to get to the clinic.

Yes. I always had heavy periods but they got much worse after my 2nd DD was born. They were lasting for 12 days and ai was experiencing severe PMT for 10 days beforehand. I was knackered, permeantly angry, headachey and dizzy. Totally ruining my life!

Anyway, I had a Mirena coil fitted, which stopped the bleeding. I also found out I had hypothyroidism, which I think was a contributing factor. This can really mess with your periods. Have you had your thyroid checked?

You should not be suffering like this OP, please see your GP

Mine were awful combined with hideous ovulation pain. I was scanned etc and they found no issues. I went on the pill and honestly it’s been life changing. No more periods, no more ovulation pain.
To add, I tried the pill post babies and couldn’t tolerate it, but 3 years on it’s been fine. I guess because my hormones have settled

I had a lot of those symptoms too, the emotional side and the flushes/chills sounds alot like peri menopause too. I dont have any experience with endometriosis but I can say after being on HRT for 2 months I feel like a different person. Speak to your GP, I know you are still very young but lots of women start getting these symptoms quite early. I started in my late 30s with all of those.

Definitely dont put up with it and get some help asap. So sorry you are suffering and going through this