To go to A&E

[OnNaturesCourse]

Unbelievably heavy period for me.
Day 3 of it literally falling out of me. I am bleeding through lil lets ultra in about a hour, sometimes 2.
Small clots too, size of a 5p.
Last night the cramps started and I am in a bit of pain from them which is not normal for me at all.
Eventually I fell into such a deep sleep I didn't hear any alarms going off this morning, or the children waking up.
Usually I have heavy periods but this is just crazy. I stood up off the toilet last night to try and have a look and it was running out of me.
Sorry TMI but I'm worried and feel horrible.

@Coffeellama 35 is still normal if at the younger end. 35-45 is normal range.
But if she is worried she should go to A and E.

I remember that thread and came on to post the same.

I've had this before and after phone call with the GP they prescribed tranexamic acid. I took it immediately and it was effective within about an hour so I don't know what your GP is talking about. I would take the acid and then get a follow up appointment to try and find cause (PCOS for me).

If the acid doesn't work fairly quickly then I would call 111 or A&E.

I used to have really heavy periods, sometimes passing clots and soaking through pads. I had an extremely unsympathetic GP and was made to believe it was normal. I look back now and think how the hell did I actually function, I can't believe I put up with it for so long.

I read the thread on here that a couple of other posters have referred to, and I'm so glad I never posted on it because I would have joined the chorus of just put up with it. In fact the OP of that thread was seriously ill and it's a good job she did attend hospital. Because of that thread I would never give advice on whether to attend A&E or not.

I had awful periods like this that started in my mid 30s - it was the start of the menopause. In the end I was soaking through 3 "night" towels an hour.

I had a hospital appointment with a gynae that included examination, ultrasound and bloodwork etc where they talked through options including uterine ablation where they remove the uterine lining.

T decided to think about it but my periods stopped altogether 4 months later - I was 44

It’s irrelevant as her blood loss is more than what is normal anyway. And 35 is right at the younger end of average, not average. It could be that but it’s not particularly likely and certainly not likely enough to ignore very heavy bleeding and breathlessness. A call to 111 is absolutely not the wrong thing to do.

4 wks ago I had an extremely heavy period (usually have heavy but this was severe, and actually far more severe than what OP is describing). Soaking through Super Plus tampons in a couple of minutes at one point, gushing and flooding every time I moved, huge clots almost as big as small oranges. It made me severely anaemic to the point I had almost constant heart palpitations.

This was NOT an A&E job, no wonder the waiting hours are so out of control.
GP dealt with it, Depo Injection whilst waiting for Coil appointment, Iron tablets, folic acid tablets, gynae referral.

An A&E doctor told me that it's better to be safe than sorry. It's not like she would be going for a stubbed toe.

My current tampon has, so far, lasted neared 2 hours... Will see how I go over the next few hours and make a decision on phoning GP back / going to A&E.

I have childcare organised for this evening, and my partner will hopefully be home in order to drive me anywhere if needed.

If things get drastically worse I will take action sooner but I'm trying to keep my level head on.

A few years ago there was a lady on here that was having a horrible heavy period, constantly soaking through pads/tampons within an hour. She eventually went to hospital and had to be admitted, I can't remember what was wrong with her but she was very poorly and could have died had she not have gone.

After reading that I wouldn't take any chances if I was bleeding as heavy as you are, we know our own bodies and what is normal for us.

What is normal for you is not normal for someone else (not least because OP has stated several times this isn’t normal for her) and just because you tolerated that level of bleeding and discomfort doesn’t mean all other women have to.

@TinyTear So all those years studying human biology was a waste of time then?

You can phone 111 at any time.

Are you possibly peri-menopausal? Sounds like a flash period, but you really need to be seen by a GP.

Your partner needs to come home and look after the kids so you can seek medical advice. Do you have friends or family nearby to help?

Evening is earliest childcare I have.

But I'd take them with me if i had to so that's what I'll do if I get worse.

Anyone who has taken the acid stuff... Does it prolong your period? I am thinking the blood needs to come out so if the tablets are slowing it does that mean it'll be longer? My period are already 6/7 days.

No it does not prolong it, it makes it shorter.

I did not say she had to tolerate it. The GP referred her for a scan to check if there are underlying reasons, and prescribed transemic acid.
She has been seen by a medic.

@PillBoxes thats a really awful analogy. If a penis is haemorrhaging blood that’s not even close to normal. Some women can experience the most horrific bleeding and yes of course may need help and should get it but the two aren’t comparable.

Yes, go when as soon as you are able.

Excessive blood loss and the anemia is no joke.

I had this a few times and turns out I had massive fibroids.
Suffered until menopause came.

Looks like it...

@PillBoxes 100% women's healthcare is shocking!

Ike Tranamexic and mefanamic, you might be able to get a phone prescription by GP or out of hours on 111

Personally I think a lot of younger women have zero idea of what peri menopause is like and are shocked when it happens. Op has rightly been referred for a scan to check there is no other cause. But peri menopause is a normal process. Drugs and lifestyle changes can help manage it, but it is not an illness.

Just to clarify as well. I have not been seen by a GP or medic. It was all over the phone on description of my symptoms. No medical readings like blood pressure etc.

I'm edging toward three hours with this tampon now so hoping the bleeding has started to ease up on its own but jolly I am wiped out. So tired just dressing the children exhausted me, and I'm very woozy still.

I would go to A&E. you are losing a lot of blood. You don't say 100% that it can't be a miscarriage, your time frame still works for that.

please go to A&E.