Graphic photos! Menstrual clots and moon cup advice?

[TheMoonCupOfJelly]

I know as a feminist I shouldn't apologise for discussing menstruation but I am sorry, those photos are quite graphic so I thought I'd add title warning!

Fucking periods, fucking perimenopause, fucking EVERYTHING is going wrong atm. I'm 47, my periods have been irregular for the last 18 mths, longest cycle was 133 days period free (bliss) but sometimes they've been as close together as two weeks. My last (relatively) normal period just finished on Saturday

This morning I woke up in bed to a recreation of the horses head scene in The Godfather. Nice. Since then (7am) I have filled four mooncups and leaked right through pads, but the problem is two mooncups worth have been filled with, it's not really clots, it's like fucking jelly or something! So obvs my cup runneth over but it wasn't due to large volume of liquid, IYSWIM?

I feel like shit and tired anyway due to other health stuff but I'm not breathless or especially faint or anything. I just would like women's opinions as to whether I'm ok to stay home as its usual for such alarming clot stuff in peri, or whether this is hospital worthy (no point suggesting GP, won't get an appt) I can't ring 111 as they automatically tell me to go to hospital for everything We don't have a minor walk in clinic either. DH would prefer me to get medically checked as he worries about me (other health issues, so I can't take HRT either. I'd prefer not to be too outing with that if possible, but they're not stuff that should affect periods).

I normally disapprove of asking for health advice (esp "I have had really sharp chest pain for three days shall I call 101?" threads) on MN so it's just other women's experiences and worldly knowledge I need really.

In return I shall share that the very worst time for crap mooncup stuff like this to happen is when you have a broken arm/fingers Plus I bought lovely pale pink/white new pull up playsuit style pyjamas so I can get dressed more easily and independently, and they look like I've been working as a butcher FFS.

FFS I forgot the photos after all that

@TheMoonCupOfJelly yep I had that too in peri menopause, its absolutely horrible. I was losing slug size clots and having to change extra large night pads, pants pyjamas and bedding every half hour. I would see your doctor and see if the coil is a possibility,?? Had mine for four years while the madness was happening. Now two years post menopausal oh the bliss. Sending gentle hugs 🫂

Yep, in peri and mostly clots nowadays, with pink water. Not actual blood as such like it used to be

Luckily I havent had the unpredictability like you but am expecting it as they're becoming closer and closer.

Funny thing is I went for decades without periods becuase of PCOS, now they're like clockwork, every 25 days.

Thank you for replies, glad it's not just me! I'd prefer not to have a coil as I'd like to be able to track my natural menstrual cycle, but may reconsider in future.

I think 4 cups in 4hours needs some sort of medical assessment.
Ibuprofen may help slow the bleeding intne meantime, if you can.
It's possibly also worth mentioning that low iron can make periods heavier - which is a viscious circle.

Yes massive clots here too at 49. I hate the whole thing about having to change my knickers before I've pulled a new pair up as the bleeding has overwhelmed whatever protection I've got on... Sone days I feel like I should just sit on the loo all day and cut out the middle man and any hope of not ruining more clothing!!! I know you're not seeking medical advice per SE but could you make a GP appointment for the future if not e.g. this week? You could talk through what's happening and perhaps ask for bloods. You might be anemic or have other deficiencies that are making you feel worse than normal. Peri dicks around with all sorts of bodily systems... Anyway much sympathy and empathy here!

Thank you all. This little delight just filled my mooncup, it was like unmoulding a jelly

My body temp and o2 are fine so I'll keep an eye on it for now, im hoping now all the clots have finally been and gone. I have been anaemic in the past and had a blood transfusion over a year ago. I do have regular blood tests anyway but I'll get them done next week and try and make a GP appt. If it gets any worse, or doesn't slow down, today I'll ring 111 (and no doubt end up in hospital AGAIN. I really just can't face it, I seem to spend half my life there atm, I am beyond fed up with it).

Thats getting scary, I would contact 111 sooner rather than later x please keep us updated x

these photos and descriptions gave me a flashback to my identical symptoms at the age of 41 when they found a borderline cyst on my ovary. It was the size of a football but not visible from outside.

definitely get a scan to see what is happening.

Well I'm still here, I have taken some naproxen and it seems to have abated somewhat. Thank fuck - it's not just the giving birth to jelly part, it's trying to manage all this with one working arm and another extremely painful one in a sling! And my comfy "period knickers" are those giant Spanx style, try pulling them up and down one handed . Why do they roll up into a tiny tight roll so easily? So annoying.

Forgot to say thank you for all the advice and empathy for all other fellow sufferers!

I once dealt with a male paramedic who didn't know what a menstrual cup was <random fact of the day>

I don't suppose you're on blood thinners? I had this on apixaban, lowered the dose and it improved, although the clots did coincide with medical induced menopause so now I'm wondering if that was the reason!

I’m also 47 and perimenopausal. I lost a clot recently in the shower that was about the size of a plum. As you describe, it was quite jellyish. When it hit the shower tray, it kind of broke apart and for one horrifying moment, I thought it looked like a foetus before remembering there was absolutely no way that was possible. 😂 It wouldn’t go down the plug hole so I had to scoop it up with tissue. I’m very squeamish and struggled with this task!

I was a bit concerned initially as it’s the biggest clot I’ve had yet, but as I felt otherwise fine- no fever etc, I decided I didn’t need to seek medical advice. That was the right decision for me but I wouldn’t want to advise you either way!

But I can say that big clots can be very normal in perimenopause.

God OP that last picture looks like you've bled out a kidney! I'm 49 and thankfully haven't had anything like that - had two weeks between my last periods though which seriously pissed me off. I definitely think it's worth getting checked out.

Well latest update is it got even worse so I ended up in A and E. they don't know what it is so I need further scans etc, fed up beyond belief tbh as I already have so much going on I really can't cope with something new on top! Fuck sake. It just doesn't fucking stop.

I hope you get somewhere op. I had similar and had a polyp. It was removed and they l put mirena in. I still get periods-took about a year to calm down but now get them predictably regularly and manageably.

I passed clots like that and bigger when I had fibroids.

Wishing you well x

I had huge clots last January and a 43 day period, which resulted in iron tablets and a gynae referral - "just" a small fibroid and peri,apparently. I've had two mostly normal periods since, and currently nothing since July, so I'm hoping it was a last gasp sort of thing, but too soon to know.

On one level, I was sort of impressed with what my body was producing...

I hope everything works out okay.

Sorry to read your update OP, but so glad you're in hospital getting checked out. Hope it's nothing too scary, and you're soon back home.

I had that with endometriosis, some months, it was more like a miscarriage than a period. From being bang regular periods of 5-7 days every 28 days, I went to 14 on & 14 off to having no rhythm starting & stopping every few days or stopping having a break of one day then starting again. I was going through big boxes of super plus tampax every 10 days & wearing pads on top of this.

Oh no sorry to hear that x hope you feel better soon x did they give you anything to slow the bleeding down??

Thank you for replies! Sorry that so many people have suffered similar shit situations. I have tranexamic acid, haven't seen a difference yet. I'm so exhausted I feel like there are no bones holding me up, IYSWIM. Waiting for various tests/scans and results, and it's not helped that my veins are non existent at the best of times so cannulation etc is a nightmare. I have so much other shit going on right now (eg I'm waiting for fucking brain surgery!) that this is the last thing I need, it's totally blindsided me that I've ended up back in hospital but with "something new", not the usual. The thought I may need yet more treatment on top of everything else going on is just too much. DH looks as exhausted as I do, he looks so stressed, he and the DC really don't need this either. My broken arm/fingers and sling is not helping either! Gah.

Right, well pity party time is over! Positive thoughts. The gigantic nappies they've given me are amazing and all the staff are lovely. Also, at least you guys got to see photos of alien kidney jellies  I actually also produced a kidney WITH ARMS last night but sadly didn't get a photo of it. I should have taken it to Sporners Corner, imagine!

I usually do everything in my power to avoid hospital but for once am actually glad I went. I know I was light hearted when I started this thread but it turned out more shit than I thought it would. I'd encourage anyone with similar worries to take them more seriously than I did!

@WaystarRoy Please may I ask (don't feel obliged to answer, I know it's your private health) what treatment you had? I feel and look a little bloated tummy wise but otherwise normal, I can't imagine how a football size cyst inside you couldn't show from outside Did it displace other organs?

Has anyone else with polyps or fibroids had to have surgery? I don't even have a diagnosis yet so it may not even be either of those two but surgery was mentioned so Id like to be well researched...

I know so many women with gynae issues are routinely dismissed and how hard and long they have to fight to be taken seriously, so I was really surprised how quickly I was dealt with. 111 recommended A and E, DH took me as it was easier/quicker than waiting for ambulance, I was literally triaged the minute I got there and straight through to majors seeing a doctor! At this hospital, I am used to spending hours waiting to be triaged even with serious injuries (inc head ones) and then spending many more hours in minors or majors waiting for doctors!

I was really surprised how good it was. It's definitely made me more likely to go to hospital for stuff in future so that's a positive too.