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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if anyone else has a really heavy day during their period?

75 replies

hoolydooly · 16/10/2020 18:01

I've always had heavy periods. Around 100ml per day on the first couple of days, 30-50ml days 3 and 4, then lessening on days 5 and 6. That's about 5-6 soaked pads on the heavy days.

I'm 44 now and day 1 is much lighter (1-2 large pads) but then part of day 2 is a bloodbath. I have about half a day when I am running to the bathroom and passing large clots. So about 100-150ml in half a day.

But after the crazy half-day it slows right down and the next few days are very light.

So total volume per period is in fact less than it used to be, but it all comes in one go.

Is it just me???

OP posts:

DrDetriment · 16/10/2020 19:19

Days 2 and 3 are horrendous, I fill a mooncup in 2 hours and have to get up every 3 in the night to empty it or I start flooding. I've always had heavy periods and the doctors just offer tranxemic acid (not sure about spelling) which for some reason I'm reluctant to take. Every few years I have to pay for a private iron infusion.

CountessFrog · 16/10/2020 19:24

I take tranexamic abd it’s great

Crystal87 · 16/10/2020 19:53

Yes I have 3 heavy days. They have always been heavy ever since I started but having children made them a bit lighter and a bit less painful. But since being sterilised they are heavier than ever.

StandardPoodle · 16/10/2020 20:01

I've had a hysterectomy now but before that, the first full day was heavy and painful, second day a little easier but then the third day was clot and gush day. Not fun.

SliceOfFriedGold · 16/10/2020 20:08

Day 2 is massacre in my pants day.

I can feel the clots pass. I felt very tired two months ago and thought maybe I was anaemic, but felt OK this month.

I double (and sometimes triple) up sanpro (teacher, can't leave classroom) - disposable sanitary towel, reusable over top, tampon if a long session (afternoons, mainly). Dark clothes. It's tedious.

Momo2403 · 16/10/2020 20:09

I am the same. Got significantly worse after my second child. I went to the GP as I was wearing a tampon, pad and was still leaking within an hour. Quite painful too. I had a scan and I have fibroids. Had coil fitted as a result, too soon to know if it will make any difference. I’m 38

Fatted · 16/10/2020 20:11

I'm the same OP. I'm 40 but had similar since I had my youngest five years ago. Really heavy for a day and then just vanishes.

Original poster

hoolydooly · 16/10/2020 21:29

Thank you, everyone. Sorry so many of you have to put up with this. It must be awful if you have to go out to work (I WFH, thank goodness.)

@QueenOllie Thanks for the pads review. Have just ordered a couple to add to my collection!

OP posts:

babbi · 16/10/2020 22:36

I didn’t think of a mooncup OP .
I have a fibroid confirmed by an ultrasound.
Medium size is what gynaecologist said .
Generally just one day very heavy , occasionally 2 days .
I have endometriosis too .

Don’t know if this info is useful ?

Anyway take care .. this is draining.

PegasusReturns · 16/10/2020 22:40

If you don’t want more DC have ablation.

Changed my life. I went from regular flooding and being out of action 2-3 days per month to barely noticing my period. Wish I’d done it earlier.

longtompot · 16/10/2020 22:41

Could be fibroids. I get huge clots and have fibroids. When I had polyps I was spotting in between periods. I say I between, it's was pretty much more days in than off.

QueenOllie · 16/10/2020 23:09

@hoolydooly hope they work well for you! I've leaked with other pads before but those really are giant and seem to absorb quickly

DramaAlpaca · 16/10/2020 23:13

This is why I got a Mirena coil in my mid-40s. It stopped my periods completely. Bliss.

EvilPea · 16/10/2020 23:21

Yes! It’s day 3 for me. Normally I try and work from home that day, if not it’s three night time pads an hour in flooding and clots, dizziness and sickness. Accompanied by a migraine.
I’ve been taking 1000mg evening primrose oil which has been helping with PMT and has extended my cycle.
But this last one was awful, I am hoping that was just stress though.

I still remember the tampax lady From school “you only lose an egg cup full that’s it”. Like fuck is it that little.

autumnboys · 16/10/2020 23:25

Yes, day 2 is horrible for me - generally referred to as the day I like to try and stay at home to bleed to death quietly.

I had heavy periods when I was young. Then from first baby to early forties, not so bad. 45 now and perI-menopausal (I think).

EachDubh · 16/10/2020 23:27

Since having dd2 i get horrendous pperiid like pains during ovulation, pain going down back into thighs etc. Period lasts 9-10 days and is fairly regular every 21 days. Day 1 is light (i cramp badly for 2 or 3 days before starting) day 2-4/5 is mad. Day 2 and 3 i change hourly and thats a moon cup and pad and i flood often even doing that. Day 3-5 it's heavy change every 2-3.5h again flood when sneeze, stand, bend, run, laugh... Day 6 and 7 moon cup lasts the 12h hours day 8-9 maybe 10 thick brown discharge possibly about 30mls over the day.
Collapsed at work last month, now always feel exhausted my hair fell out at Easter but is growing in again. Pain is far worse and increasing. Hoping that at 41 it'll end soon. Days 2-4 can sit on the toilet and it pours out of me like water drip, drip, drip, drip. Hate hate hate them. When i can actually see a gp again i need to see them about this because it is making me dread a third of the month.

CeibaTree · 16/10/2020 23:34

I have the heavy day too as well since I had my last child. I thought I might be perimenopausal even though my cycle is regular so I had my fsh levels tested and I'm not so I guess our bodies and menstrual cycle just change after children.

spacepoppers · 16/10/2020 23:41

Urgh. Day two and three for me. Horrendous golf size clots and basically housebound thanks to the constant flooding. Called the GP in tears this month because I can't actually live like this any more, who referred me for a blood test and turns out I'm quite severely anaemic due to the sheer amount of blood I lose, shortness of breath, palpitations the works. Waiting for an ultrasound for now, but I've been prescribed some tranexamic acid and I'm praying that helps.

R3ALLY · 16/10/2020 23:48

Yep, all my life and worse after kids. Had a hysterectomy at 44 and it was the best decision I ever made - I had finished having kids obviously! Turns out I had adenomyisis

R3ALLY · 16/10/2020 23:52

Oh and the mirena was a disaster for me. Ended up bleeding continually for 6 months. Nothing worked

ToastyCrumpet · 16/10/2020 23:58

Day two was always grim for me, like WHOOSH! Leading up to the menopause it was bloody (pun) impossible to manage. I was using a super plus extra tampon every 45 minutes AND a towel for the overflow. I love being post-menopausal.

Samster1815 · 17/10/2020 00:02

I had exceptionally heavy periods. I had the depo injection for 9 months and ever since then they’ve lightened. I don’t have the depo now, have been off it a year but my periods are still very light. I have day one of medium flow (two towels probably not full), day two similar and other days I won’t need anything at all as only bleed when going to the toilet or wiping.

Thomasina79 · 17/10/2020 00:08

I suffered heavy bleeding intermittently during my adult life, but the run up to menopause (which otherwise was a breeze) In terms of irregular bleeding was a nightmare. I was bleeding, sometimes quite heavily for around two weeks in every month. The psychological effects were horrendous, at times I felt suicidal (and I never really feel this way). In despair I went to the GP who referred me to hospital where I had endometrial ablation, which removes the lining of the womb by laser. I anaesthesised for the procedure which was day case.

Result! Heavy bleeding reduced to light flow and did not return to heavy. It is only offered to women who do not want any more children (in my case I had had a sterilisation some years before, so not an issue).

I feel that these days there is no need to suffer unnecessarily as help is out there

Whatsapping · 17/10/2020 00:48

Some of you may want to ask your GP about the mirena coil or medication to help stop heavy bleeding

www.nhs.uk/medicines/tranexamic-acid/

Sorka · 17/10/2020 02:36

I get very heavy bleeding on day 2 and sometimes day 3. I also pass big clots.

I have quite severe endometriosis and a 2 to 3 inch fibroid, which I think is medium sized. Both were confirmed in a recent surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. The cyst showed up on every scan, the endometriosis never did and the fibroid first showed up as a shadow on my pre-op ultrasound that the hospital thought may have been nothing but turned out to be something.

I was diagnosed with suspected adenomyosis 4 years ago when having my first ultrasound for the cyst but there hasn’t been a sign of that in subsequent scans and the hospital think I don’t have that (it’s nice not to have something!)

I tried tranexamic acid. It significantly reduced the amount I bled and was great at first but the sides effects got worse every month. I had to stop taking it when I couldn’t stop being sick.

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