Is there a point I go to A&E?

[DesignedForLife]

I've had heavy periods most my life, they've got gradually heavier over the last 8 years, but in the last year (since giving birth) they've been very heavy, using night towels all day and changing sometimes every hour. I've seen GP 5 months ago and they referred me to gynae, no medicine as I'm still breastfeeding. Acknowledgment letter from hospital but no appointment. Saw GP again last week, she's arranged ultrasound and blood tests and will try to chase up hospital (I know from a friend that there is a huge backlog there ATM).

I'm in my period now and heavy as usual, not too bad overnight but this morning I've changed pads three time already and I feel shaky and wiped, and trying to juggle two boisterous toddlers. Really struggling to cope.

The fact that periods may be the cause doesn’t mean that heavy blood loss + potential anaemia isn’t serious.

I was sent to a and e with anaemia and had to have treatment. No-one suggested I was time wasting.

Yes OP call for help, if you are bleeding so heavily and not feeling well... there could be a danger to the children if you faint/ fall unconscious or just fall over and hurt yourself due to getting dizzy, PLEASE call your health line, doctor and someone to sit with the children

I agree with the general tenor of messages above. I'd also say that you should begin giving some thought to the question of breastfeeding - if there is a medication solution, I would seriously question whether the benefits of continuing BF were greater than those of medically controlling your blood loss. I know breastfeeding decisions can be very emotional so perhaps begin thinking about the possibilities now so that you aren't faced with needing to make a snap decision

Best wishes.

Sloe's advice is dangerous, don't listen to her.

At the very least ring NHS direct, 111 for advice.

If you are already at the point if feeling woozy then you need someone to mind the children and get you to A&E.

The clue is in the name - "accident" and "emergency". Have you been in an accident? Is this a life threatening emergency? The answer is no to both of those. Frivolus attendances at A&E put peoples lives at risk and clog up resources. You will not get a gynae appt any more quickly and neither will one pop down into A&E to see you.

I was on the last thread where a poster said the same. Fortunately the OP listened to everyone else who said call 111 / go to A&E - it turned out to be very serious.

Please at least call 111 if you haven't already - a pad an hour is a rule of thumb for serious bleeding.

I'd also call somebody to sit with you and look after the children, if you can - grandparent or friend?

Triage nurse consultant echoing tocas here.

OP, if you are unsure what to do, call 111, it's what they are for.

Soaking through a pad an hour they are likely to recommend A&E. If you are also breathless/faint/dizzy WHICH CAN BE A SIGN OF HYPOVOLAEMIC SHOCK (DUE TO BLOOD LOSS)* then they may well want to dispatch an ambulance

FAO Sloe*

Could anybody link to the previous thread where the poster ended up being seriously ill?

I think it was deleted wishful because of the Daily Fail.

You're probably aneimic. I have horrendous periods as well and it makes me feel exactly like you're describing.

I had continual bleeding from giving birth via emcs for 16 weeks. I had over 10 courses of antiobiotics for UTI's in this time frame.
One day it was so bad (soaking maternity pad after 5 minutes with clots). I went to GP, he said it was normal and my period returning - was given tranexamic acid and sent home.
The next day it was horrendous, I was in severe pain, fever, blood was everywhere. Went back to the GP.
They called an ambulance there and then. I was tachycardic, and once at hospital was diagnosed with sepsis.
During the emcs, the doctors had left a huge amount of placenta inside.
Another 24 hours and it could have been a different outcome.
Please do go and get it checked out OP.

In general it's so damn irresponsible and dangerous for people with no medical knowledge or training to tell anybody NOT to 'waste resources' seeking treatment for something they're worried about.

I hope the bleeding has slowed now, DesignedForLife, or that you are at least seeking some medical attention if it hasn't.

Thanks Todays

I just googled it and found this Mirror article: www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-says-mumsnet-saved-life-9226089

It says it was going to go into Classics to help others

And here is the OP of that thread talking about her lucky escape on another thread:

optimist i thought I was having a heavy period and was feeling a bit peaky so posted on Mumsnet to double check it was all normal.. they all said no it wasn't normal to be bleeding through a pad and hour and told me to call 111. I did and an hour later I was passed out in an ambulance a whisker away from cardiac arrest blush.. turns out I had sepsis and ended up losing 30% of my blood volume, had a blood transfusion, 4 days in hospital and 8 weeks on house arrest blush whoops! The thread got picked up by the daily mirror so I had to have it deleted angry but I got tons and tons of support from Mumsnet and my fanjo is now the most famous attempted murderer on Mumsnet grin

(from: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2784195-To-be-worried-about-my-neighbor )

I really hope 1 thread about sepsis isn't going to make the whole of MN traipse up to A&E for heavy periods. After all, for that 1 thread there have been about 10000000000000 which haven't necessitated A&E.

maybe all women with heavy periods that are dismissed by gps should go to a&e to get the care that they need and deserve...

I really hope 1 thread about sepsis isn't going to make the whole of MN traipse up to A&E for heavy periods.

As lots of medical people and first aiders have said (on this and every other thread), soaking through a pad an hour is a rule of thumb that the bleeding needs attention.

It's only because this is a "women's problem" that it's brushed off so lightly by some.

Or phone 111, as advised here (even by Sloe who simply said don't go to A&E, not don't seek medical advice)

I really hope 1 thread about sepsis isn't going to make the whole of MN traipse up to A&E for heavy periods. After all, for that 1 thread there have been about 10000000000000 which haven't necessitated A&E.

I really hope the OP doesn't listen to the nonsense being peddled by the self-qualified doctors on here and listen to the actual qualified ones like the A&E doc and the triage nurse.

The clue is in the name - "accident" and "emergency". Have you been in an accident? Is this a life threatening emergency?

Heavy sustained blood loss from anywhere on your body is exactly what you call and emergengy.

Agree with that jonsnowswife

Hope you're ok and have managed to get to A&E.

I had a very similar situation a few years ago ,after bleeding very heavily for 3 days I started to feel what I can best describe as 'weak' told DP I thought I needed to go A& E.
I was quickly Triaged and after taking doing my OBS the Nurse wouldn't even let me walk to a cubical ,hooked me up to a drip and I admitted to a ward all within 2 hours (A&E was packed as it was an August bank holiday weekend)
Even on being admitted to the ward I was placed in a bed nearest to the Nurses station (they purposely moved other Patients) as my condition clearly warranted it

Four days later I left hospital after several Blood transfusions .

Its a medical emergency !!!!!

the OP hasn't returned, i hope she has gotten someone to come sit with the children and called a doctor or hospital etc
I'm actually a tad worried as she felt shaky and wiped