To think Im too damn old to be suffering with periods this bad?

[LumpenproletariatAndProud]

In my teens my periods were horrendous, painful, heavy and every 2 weeks.

In my early 20's they calmed to light 3-4 day long periods. I went on the mini pill and it stopped them altogether, bliss.

I had a child, I stayed off the pill and they were still light, short and painless.

I have another child and they returned 8 months post birth. They were horrendous, went to doctors, had a polyp and got it removed.

That was 4 years ago, today they are still horrendous, a second scan last month showed no return of any polyps, smear and STD test is clear and periods are every 30 days like clock work.

Yet they are so heavy. In an hour I got through 4 super plus size tampons. 10 minutes after changing one I was flooding right through it, the clots are the size of half the palm of my hand, and Ive had to just sit on the toilet before to let it run out because there was simply no point using a tampon as minutes later I would flood.

I have a prolapse uterus and bladder, thats the only thing thats 'different' I can no longer use a moon cup et al because of this.

I went back on the mini pill thinking it would stop my periods again, but has it bollocks. The combined pill makes me insane and menefenamic acid does precisely fuck all.

Im sick of bleeding, Im sick of spending a fortune on Spatone because I get really ill otherwise. Im sick of periods.

external that sounds absolutely horrendous. In my teens I was on for two weeks, off for two weeks and so on. That was bad enough, yours is even worse. I can't bare to imagine.

Have you considered speaking to PALs and getting their advice?

Have you had a laparoscopy because it sounds typical of endermetriosis. This should have happened already in fact has anyone suggested it?

Definitely speak to PALs and if you still get no where (Ive heard they are great) could you afford to go private even for just one gynaecologist appointment?

External is it your GPs that are fobbing you off or the hospital? Obviously that is not normal and should not be treated as such. Even if that is a normal cycle for you with no hormone imbalance or other cause found on investigations it needs to be dealt with just for the impact on your quality of life. Most gynaecologists have a lot of time for women with menorrhagia and certainly don't suggest ignoring it and just getting on with life unless people are actively trying to conceive and therefore can't have hormonal or surgical treatments, it's the commonest presentation to gynaecology and that and prolapse have two of the worst quality of life impacts of any medical condition in the under 60s.

I would suggest going back to them with a list of questions, possible investigations and requests and ask for answers as to why these are not happening for you. Have you had a hysteroscopy? If you have fibroids on scan then a hysteroscopic resection of fibroid may be a possibility.

If you're not happy with the care you've received then complain to PALS if it's in hospital and to your practice manager if it's the GPs and ask to see an alternative GP/consultant for your next appointment.

Thank you so much for the advice. I honestly find myself not knowing what to do or where to turn so it is really helpful. I have been told so many times that this is normal that I feel incredibly disempowered. The fact that I am now clinically depressed as a result of this problem does not help.

I have been to my GP over 20 times. I've changed surgery twice, once through a house move, once because I wasn't happy. I've seen two community gynaecologists, but have never made it to the hospital.

Despite all this, the only investigations I've had are two ultrasounds and numerous one-off blood tests, all of which show me to be anaemic, surprise surprise. (I've also been for my routine smear, which was clear). For a long time, every time I went back my GP insisted on doing an STD test. I have had about ten in total. Even though I am in a stable and faithful relationship, it was incredibly hard to get beyond this phase. I ended up going to the GUM clinic in the hospital voluntarily, and asking them to test me for everything, including HIV. The lovely consultant there then wrote my GP a scorching letter saying everything was negative and that my GP needed to move on to look at other options. I haven't been investigated for hormone imbalance, unless they can do it in these one-off blood tests?

For the last 5 months I've been on a waiting list for investigative hysteroscopy as an outpatient. Apparently it could be next year before I get an appointment.

Every time they ask me about children, and I don't know what to say. Yes, I would probably have liked to have had children were it not for this problem. But that is really a hypothetical point, because I do have it. And I can't go on like this, even if the price of successful treatment is never being able to have my own family. I just can't do it any more. I am so tired.

As far as I know, a hysteroscopy can't detect endermetriosis, because the camera will be internal of the uterus and endo is on the outside so they need to look there? Id be pushing for a laparoscopy too, especially if you are going under GA.

OP do you take strong iron supplements every day? If not, this will be a huge factor in the depression. The only time Ive had true depression is because my blood count was in my boots after heavy bleeding over a long time.

I might be totally wrong about the hysteroscopy mind, thats just how I thought it was.

Well being on the list for a hysteroscopy is great - as you can see above, that was the only thing that diagnosed me. I would ring up the relevant Consultants secretary and ask about cancellations, that you were available at short notice, and that your condition was acute.

Might get you a hysteroscopy quicker - worth the price of a phone call anyway.

Also, you may get one quicker if you present to the A&E of the hospital complaining of haemorraging and feelings of dizziness.

I do take iron every day, but it doesn't seem to be enough to replenish what I'm losing. I also have to get up maybe six or seven times in the night when it's really bad to change tampons every hour. I know that's nothing compared to what many new parents go through, but it makes me still more tired.

Staying in other people's houses can be very difficult, as I have to sleep on a towel as I am terrified of getting blood all over the bed or of disturbing the whole household getting up and down all night. It is like I am incontinent, only with blood instead of urine, and I feel so dirty and embarrassed.

I will enquire about a laparoscopy. Thank you so, so much. And sorry for the thread hijack. But it has helped me a lot.

Could I really go to A and E like that, or would they just turn me away? I have passed out at home before because of dizziness, but never considered doing this...

I will definitely ask about cancellations, thank you?

Sorry, thank you! Not thank you? Punctuation fail!

Also to add, I was brutally depressed too. My quality of life was shit, frankly.

It was a combination of zero energy + constant worrying + unable to leave the house sometimes + destroying sheets all the time which was so embarressing + unable to shag most of the time + freaked out about my fertility.

Result = a very bad head space.

Also, here's the national guideline for management of heavy menstrual bleeding. It might be of help to some of you when you're asking for treatments.

guidance

Thanks Betty! I've read it, and I have been through all the non-surgical treatments. It looks like hormone testing isn't advised, which is probably why they haven't done this.

I guess I need to push this to the next level, which means I have to accept fully and completely the loss of fertility as the payment I have to make to have some quality of life.

Op I was considering A and E after 12 days of heavy bleeding.
I would, without doubt, be taking myself off A and E if I were you.

If you have passed out before, tell them you passed out at lunch time.

Do it. Go. Be heard.

With A&E of there is dizziness/brief loss of consciousness they pretty much can't let you walk out the door again. Liability. You could walk outside and crack your head on the pavement.

So I would add that. Sounds like its true, anyway.

When you give your history on admission, you would tell them how many episodes of fainting you have had, for how long. You would have your bloods done naturally, but you would have explained you're on Iron already.

You request to be examined by the Gynae On Call (rather than the Medical On Call). That way they focus more on the mennoragia as a causal symptom rather than the anaemia. If you are not seen by a Gynae in A&E the danger is that they give you Iron tablets and send you home, as a Medical On Call isn't really thinking about periods, they see a blood imbalance and solve it.

Should be simple enough, tbh. Worth a shot, definately. You are certainly unwell enough, so don't feel bad.

And don't worry about the hijack!!

Annarose- I'm really sorry you had to go through this too, but thank you for sharing. It makes me feel a bit less of a freak to know others have been there too.

Sadly, the Mirena didn't work at all for me. I've had it twice, the first time for around a year, the second for around 18 months. I had a lot of pain (particularly the first time) and very little reduction in bleeding.

Sorry im late to the party but another recommendation for the Mirena here. The mini pill and injection gave me constant periods, joy of joys. The mirena was amazing. I've recently had it out and my periods are heavy and awful so I'm tempted to get another. You can also get one in later ahem years which sees you through the menopause.

Oops, x post. I will give A and E some careful thought as an option. I will try to time it when there isn't anyone there, like first thing in the morning, so that I don't get in the way of people with serious things wrong. I feel bad going in as an emergency, but it has been over 4 years and my marriage is starting to suffer (not my DH's fault, he's absolutely brilliant and supportive, but mine. I feel all the time like he could do so much better than being lumbered with all this).

Id do the same Id get there for 5-6am, but selfishly so there would be less waiting around.

When I saw a consultant (DH had BUPA through work so we were lucky enough to go privately) he organised an MRI scan. I am not sure but I think this can spot endometriosis. Mine spotted a little bit of uterus wall tissue in my muscle wall (or something - was several years ago so cannot remember the exact results). Was probably are result of post-C-section stuff and not relevant as it were. Good to that is ruled out other stuff (not sure what) . They are expensive though so not something GPs will do as routine.

external another here saying your treatment (or lack of) is appalling. You have every right to insist on better.

Most large NHS hospitals should have a Menorrhagia clinic that you can be referred to

As a side note - if iron tablets don't work for you there are other options to top up your iron levels

This is really helpful, thank you.

You guys have really given me some impetus to complain and get moving on this again. It's been happening for so long, and I'm so tired, that I think I had just given up.

I am a bit shocked at myself here. I am an educated woman, and I have worked in the medical field and know that you have to hustle (though it shouldn't be that way), yet I haven't been very good at managing this process and really nagging about it. (In my own defence, I feel extremely tired most of the time). I worry that there are other women out there in the same boat who are also just being left to suffer for years on end.

I have thought about setting up a kind of pressure group for women with menorraghia and bleeding problems. A bit of me suspects that this is a gender issue, particularly the constant insistence from the GP that it is 'normal', which I find simply bizarre. I think she intends it be be reassuring, but it really isn't when you are gushing like some kind of horror-film geyser and unable to leave the house! I would like this to be seen as something with serious quality of life impact.

I also, as I mentioned, really struggle with the conversations about fertility. It's as if they think there is one answer to 'Do you still want to have children?' when actually, for me, it's a balance. I would have liked to have had children, but my quality of life is so bad - and there is absolutely zero chance of me conceiving like this - that I would rather have this whole thing stop than anything else. So it's not a straightforward yes/no. It's a 'This sucks, but please make it stop'.

OP get yourself to A&E - If you were loosing that amount of blood from anywhere else,you would not have thought twice about going days ago.

The sort of blood loss you are experiencing is an EMERGENCY.

I had a similar episode a few years ago, I went to A+E after only about 5 days of very heavy bleeding - I literally felt like I was slowly bleeding to death and when I looked into the mirror my gums were almost white.

After taking my pulse,I was very quickly treated as an emergency - hooked up on a drip and not allowed to move off the trolley !!

I was admitted within the hour,taken to a ward and remained there for four days,I was quickly moved from the initial side room I was put in to a be opposite the nurses station as I was so poorly.

I had a blood transfusion and loads of medication and at no time was I ever made to feel like I was making a fuss about nothing - in fact quite the opposite.

They never did find out the reason except for a small fibroid and classed it as "disfunctional uterine bleeding" and thankfully although I do have heavy periods,its never been that bad since.

Thanks Fluffy. The bleeding has calmed right, right down now.

However, Im feeling like absolute hell. Im shaking, so, so tired, and shaky.
I can't figure out if its the blood loss, an infection somewhere (doubtful?) or Ive picked up a virus.

If it is the bleeding that has caused it and the bleeding has slowed way way down (as in only needed to change ever 2 hours and no more actual flooding) then can I just fix this myself with food, water and rest?

I would definitely go to A&E or at least Walk in centre, you may need iron. Dark chocolate is rich in iron, also spinach. And probably lots of other things. You can buy iron tablets, but I still would see at least a gp if I was you Hope you feel better soon