To take a photo of my menstrual loss?

[Perplexed0522]

I have the most awful periods.

I pass the most awful of clots throughout the day, I can flood through 3 layers of clothing easily, I have to lie and sit on towels, I have to carry spare pairs of clothes around with me at all times, I usually can’t leave the house for the first few days and I’m dreadfully anaemic.

I’ve been on iron supplements for over 2 years now and my levels are still low and it has been attributed to my heavy periods.

I had an USS scan about 6 months ago, which was done about a week after my period had finished, and I was told everything was normal.

It’s been suggested by various Doctors that I have a Mirena Coil but I’ve had two in the past, which didn’t suit for me various reasons, and so because I said no they’ve washed their hands of me.

I have also been suggested to try Transaexemic Acid (sorry, I don’t know how to spell it) but I have a chronic condition which TA isn’t compatible with.

Im currently on my period now and I’m just so bloody fed up with it. It has a huge impact on my life and the Doctors just don’t care and aren’t interested.

In total frustration I’ve just taken a photo of the sanitary towel that I’ve just changed because of how totally flooded it is and because there are huge clots on it too. I want to show it to the GP so they can see how heavy it is and explain the flooding and the clots happen constantly (I have to change my towel every few hours), just so I can prove how bad it is.

I think they think I’m exaggerating about how bad it is, but I’m not.

My DH said it’s really inappropriate to take a photo to show them, but surely the GP will have seen worse?

I just can’t take it anymore and just want my life back. I feel beholden to it every month and I’m so fed up.

No, not this. Not 'can I show you a photo of my blood loss?' What happens if they say they don't need to see it?

Be assertive. It's 'I have a photo of my blood loss that I'm going to show you'. It's not a question.

CHEESE AND CRACKERS

Absolutely do this/ use a cup. And ask for referral to gynae when you take it to your GP. And please if you're not, take iron, and folate. Dinky doses of oral iron work. Floradix or Feroglobin. That way when you come to my preop clinic we won't delay your surgery. ...Do you want a hysterectomy? Have you considered this? Or fertility trashing hormone therapy? Start to research what you prefer. Shortens the options chat.

Do you work in the gynaecology field?

I was speaking to a friend recently that described her peri menopausal periods like this. She ended up having a her womb removed altogether as it was effecting her life so much. She is late 40’s. It’s drastic but she couldn’t live with them the way they were!

I know you said the coil doesn't suit you, have you tried the mini pill? I've been taking it for years and don't have periods at all.

Hi OP - I also have a chronic medical condition which would usually mean that transexemic acid would not be suitable. I had a long chat with my G.P. and she was able to switch me to a different medication (for my chronic condition) to see if the TA would help me. I was flooding for 5 days every month, also with huge clots.

The TA worked amazingly well for me. I only needed to take it for three days per month, which I understand is about normal.

If you haven't already, ask your G.P. to go through the risks of taking TA with your chronic condition; the benefits of trying it may well outweigh any risks, especially as you'll only need to take it for a few days each month. Aminocaproic acid works in a similar way, your G.P. may think this is a better option for you.

Endometrial ablation and a Mirena coil sorted the issue out for me once and for all.

I hope you get it sorted out.

I think a doctor would find it useful.

Not exactly the same, but the day I went into labour I found some watery bleeding on my underwear in the morning and I took a photo on my phone. I showed it to several different health care professionals and they didn't bat an eyelid and seemed pleased I'd taken it.

My chronic condition is epilepsy which means I also can’t take The Pill and no amount of the benefits TA will provide will outweigh the negatives should my epilepsy control be lost.

I literally feel like I have no options and the Doctors simply don’t care.

It’s so shit being a woman at times.

You need to be referred to a heamatologist - my teenager daughter is under one due to being anaemic. Her first period ended up in a blood transfusion. If she was 16 I’d be privately paying for an iron transfusion. This can help a lot. Also join a Facebook group called The iron protocol - lots of advice on how to bring your iron up.

insist on a referral. My daughter is going on the pill, hope that helps. She is always feeling weak and dizzy and it’s no way to live. Iron makes her nauseous, no iron makes her faint. Just can’t win

Can you use a mooncup?You could measure a lot more accurately with one of them.

I used to get terrible flooding after 2 c sections, a plethora of scar tissue/surgical adhesions and a "boggy" uterus. I was referred to gynae and was given a Mirena to try. I've been using them ever since for 21 years. When mine started to run out in January, I couldn't manage the blood loss and ended up investing in loads of period pants with pads inside to try and keep my clothes clean.

It's awful, OP, and I really hope you get some answers soon. Is a private gynae consultation an option?

Endometrial ablation. Novasure. Changed my life

Hopefully a GP can cope with a medical issue.

OP, I second trying a mooncup so you can measure the loss.

I can guarantee that if a man was bleeding like this they'd take it seriously 🙄

I love how people are saying it’s inappropriate to take a picture or you should at least warn them before showing it. I don’t think the OP is suggesting she has the picture of a filled sanitary pad printed on a T-shirt she wears in to the doctor!

@Perplexed0522 definitely do, I took a photo of DD’s nappies when she was tiny to check with the GP if the colour was right, she was glad I’d done that as much easier to check than me explaining.

I have taken a photo before but I did tell them before whipping my phone out. They were more than happy to have a look.

The trouble is yours is about amount and that’s very hard to see in a photo.

I really would try a moon cup and pour the contents into a jar and note how many times you emptied it.
You can also wear a pad incase it ends up over-flowing.

You can then work out the amount and what amount is normal and take the jar and information to the gp so they take you seriously.

Absolutely take photos and share them.

Sounds like my sister. She was asked to measure loss with a mooncup, meaning she leaked through her clothing every half hour. She had to keep returning to her GP to be taken seriously. Had scans and everything at the hospital. No one seemed to understand how her life couldn't happen for 1 week in 3 due to her period.

Sad to say, it took her sobbing repeatedly on the consultant for her to finally get a hysterectomy. 6 years it took after her first GP visit. 45 when it all started...51 when she had the hysterectomy. I'm dreading the same thing happening to me.

I hope you have a better journey with it. Frustratingly, she felt she was only listened to when she sobbed and the staff could see the terrible negative effect it was having on her mental health.

I think it is a good idea to show it to your doctor. It isn’t as if your gp won’t be able to handle the sight of blood!

GP here.
Wouldn’t bat an eyelid. In fact, I often ask for photos of poo/pads etc. It can only add to the bigger picture.
Ive had people bring in nappies and pads wrapped up to show me too.
I honestly don’t remember it 15 minutes later.
Good luck!

This doesn't sound right, it actually sounds like a medical emergency. Can you see a gynecologist instead of a GP? You need help. I would absolutely take pictures, you need evidence to show. I passed a giant clot after the birth of my daughter and flooded myself, it was horrendous and so scary, like I didn't have any control of my body. That happened to me ONCE and I've never forgotten it, I can't imagine what it's like for you going through this every month x

I'm an anaesthetist that anaesthetises for gynaecologists! I know a bit but not a lot about the choices for what to do with menorrhagia. I know a lot about preparing for surgery . I know enough to know that epilepsy drugs + anything else is really tricky. So it's going to be some sort of surgical management that'll offer the best chance of success. Ablation remains an option I think. Irrespective of an US. Symptoms are top trumps (and photos!) Hysterectomy clearly deals quite comprehensively with the problem but you need to think thorough HRT/ovaries out or not.

Tell your DH to wind his neck in.

Totally fine to take pictures. I hope you get help soon.

I have to change my pad every couple of hours at the height of a period - probably day 2 or 3, I never considered this abnormal TBH as it soon slows down and doesn't go on like this for more than a day or two.

Just demand a referral to a consultant or save up and pay yourself. GPs are utterly useless just forget about them. Go to a specialist. Who told you that you can’t have traxenemic acid? I would check that with a specialist because it is life changing.

You would be a perfect candidate for an endometrial ablation according to NICE. Heavy periods. Score yourself on here: www.nhs.uk/conditions/heavy-periods/

Tell your GP I am this score on the NHS. I have clots the size of (insert coin/fruit size). I flood. I am anemic. The coil is not an option. I would like to explore an endometrial ablation.

If they say no, ask why not. What else can be done. It is seriously affection your quality of life, abilty to work and abiltiy to exercise.