Heavy period advice- please please help!

[Hatebeingagirlsometimes]

i know some of these questions will seem obvious so please don’t judge me for asking but I don’t have any previous experience with this and I’m really frightened

i started my period yesterday and it’s been really heavy, but I don’t usually get heavy periods so I don’t know if it just seems heavy for me because I’m not used to it. I don’t know what to do but I’ve never had this before

earlier today I noticed I was having to change tampons a lot more frequently than I would usually. Normally I would change every 3 hours for hygiene but in terms of the blood alone, I could usually get away with 6 hours+ without changing (obviously I would never do that with the exception of overnight) but today I’ve HAD to change every hour or 2 or else it’s completely saturated and leaking. It’s the maximum absorbency tampons too. At one point today I changed it and 45 minutes later it was leaking.

im in my early 20s but I’ve never had a heavy period before so I don’t know what to do! I’ve doubled up with tampons and pads just in case especially for overnight, but does anyone have any advice for how heavy is normal for a heavy period and how to make it more manageable?

I know it sounds dramatic but I was really frightened earlier because usually my periods are so light. I never usually have clots either but this time there’s so many and I know it’s normal but it’s still scary. I’m working tomorrow as well and my trousers are light blue which I’m absolutely terrified of wearing for obvious reasons

I haven’t had any cramps thankfully (I don’t usually) but I feel exhausted today. Like absolutely flattened

in case it’s relevant, I’ve posted on here before about having extremely irregular periods (100days+ in between periods) but they are usually very light when I do get them. I last had a period at the end of June. My bloods were all normal but after advice on here I got a private ultrasound and it showed PCOS. Bit frustrating that I’ve had these problems for over a decade and never been offered an ultrasound, I was always told it couldn’t be pcos because I’m not overweight.

any advice would be really, really appreciated. X

You don’t get pcos because you’re fat. It could be that but it could be loads of other things too. Endo, fibroids etc. I used to have to use super plus tampons and maternity pads in my late teens but for whatever reason after I had my first baby it got better

Oh no please don’t think I was saying only people who are fat get PCOS, I know that’s not true. What I was saying was that I was told it definitely wasn’t that because I wasn’t overweight.

i ended up paying for a private ultrasound because everyone on here advised it when I asked for help and it showed pcos, I can’t remember the details but something about the ovaries being swollen and having cysts or follicles they could count or something like that

I know. I just meant whoever told you you couldn’t get have pcos because you weren’t fat was talking bollocks. I don’t know why that would cause the clots though. Far more likely to be something else. Feel free to tell me to sod off and it’s none of my business but there’s no way this could be a miscarriage rather than a real period?

Welcome to the life of PCOS. They'll be all over the shop.

I use a mooncup. Much better for clots, fewer pains and shortens the period.

Don’t use tampons overnight unless you are going to get up and change them. You could get toxic shock.

also…I’m currently on day approx 45 of my period and for the last week I have bled through maxi pads every hour…if you can last a couple of hours there is nothing to worry about. But see your doctor if you genuinely have concerns

I would see your gp again and see what they suggest. Have you had covid? I had this for months after covid.

@duchessofmuck

Hope you don't mind me asking, but how long did Covid mess up your periods for?
My DD has been bleeding every other week since she has had Covid, she had been regular for 3yrs prior to this. GP refuses to accept that it is Covid related and is terrifying her with tales of endometriosis etc. DD is exhausted, she had Covid in March.

My advice is based on you saying that you have irregular, varied periods and PCOS, not just one heavy period.

• Buy a mooncup or similar.
• Track your flow. The only time I wasn’t waived off with a ‘periods can vary between women and some is normal’ is when I said ‘average blood loss is 30-60ml and I am losing 200ml+’. It’s harder to argue with numbers than words or feelings.
• Go to a doctor. If you are in any way unhappy with what you are advised, get a second opinion.
• Ask for a gynecology referral.
• Make a list of questions before your appointments. Ask them. Take a notepad and write down the answers.

Unfortunately, women’s healthcare is not prioritized you the medical profession. So you have to prioritize it.

It is, unfortunately, amazing how doctors attitudes can change when your attitude changes.

I’m not saying that you should be rude or argumentative with them but I am saying that you need to demonstrate that this is a serious issue by visibly treating your appointments (meetings) as a serious issue.

So many idiot GPs told me I couldn't possibly have PCOS because I wasn't 'bald and fat.'

Had to get a private appt, and - shocker - I had PCOS.

They need to test your hormone levels and scan for cysts.

My cousin also has PCOS and isn't overweight. Victoria Beckham has PCOS ffs. It's called 'lean PCOS.'

Direct them to the NHS website:

The 3 main features of PCOS are:

irregular periods – which means your ovaries do not regularly release eggs (ovulation)
excess androgen – high levels of "male" hormones in your body, which may cause physical signs such as excess facial or body hair
polycystic ovaries – your ovaries become enlarged and contain many fluid-filled sacs (follicles) that surround the eggs (but despite the name, you do not actually have cysts if you have PCOS)
If you have at least 2 of these features, you may be diagnosed with PCOS.

As pp poster said....womens healthcare in the uk is bad. Coupled with the now general state of health care..its probably worse. Track all your symptoms and amount of flow and go to your gp. Insist on getting he.p if you have to.

Moon cups and period pants can help you cope. Ibrofen may help....and your iron levels will probably be low which in itself can cause heavy periods.

Good luck with your gp

@ByTheGrace I had covid in May this year and it's still ongoing.

The others have given great advice for forward planning, but for now, take some ibuprofen. Not for pain, but it should help reduce the bleeding. You may need to take a full dose today - so take it breakfast, lunch and dinner, but it works for me when I get random heavy periods.

Could be hormonal. I had period issues in my 20s and my hormones were up the spout. I had scans etc to rule out anything else.

I'm wondering if it could be a miscarriage too.

I had a very heavy period after medication and I slept on a towel, used tampons and towels and period pants at the same time, took vitamins containing iron and drank lots of water. It was horrendous but I survived!

You poor thing, my periods are like this too and it’s miserable. I second ibuprofen which can help reduce the bleeding.
Doubling up with tampons and pads will help, and maybe try using the nighttime pads (I think always do a number 4 night one with wings).

If there’s any possibility it could be a miscarriage then you need to see a GP.
I’d recommend mooncups, like PP I was able to tell the GP I was losing more than 100ml per period and they do take it more seriously.
I was prescribed tranexamic acid which reduced the bleeding.

try Ibuprofen, ask your GP for Tranexamic Acid tablets (they have been a lifesaver for me), go to Holland and Barrett and ask for raspberry leaf tea (seen on another thread that this helps), get yourself some Ultra tampons (Lilets do non-applicator one or you can pay a ridiculous amount of money for Ultra Tampax from Amazon). And of course get it investigated by your GP to rule out anything nasty.

Do go back to your GP. Explain all of your symptoms( irregular periods etc) as well as the really heavy bleeding right now.
If you can't get a moon cup straight away, the best pads to use are always infinity night time. They are foam and super absorbant.
Also make sure you eat lots of food with iron in them/ take iron tablets if bleeding heavily.
Hopefully eases soon.

Hi OP - some good advice on here esp from @DifficultBloodyWoman

When my periods were excessively heavy a mooncup helped me: they actually form a barrier so leaking was not an issue for me

You can buy them at boots, Lloyds etc