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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To go to A&E

230 replies

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 09:01

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.

OP posts:
purpledalmation · 13/03/2023 12:05

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 11:36

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.

Because the uterine lining is being plumped up ready for pregnancy throughout the preceding 4 weeks the tablets reduce this so ultimately when the periods start they are lighter and shorter than they would otherwise be. You are best also having blood tests for anaemia and a scan for fibroids

purpledalmation · 13/03/2023 12:07

@TinyTear do you think I can get my money back then?

Seriously do your homework on how periods work 😂

RainbowsTulipsChocolate · 13/03/2023 12:10

A few people on here so busy arguing with each other they are ignoring the fact that you don’t feel well OP, woozy, tired, lightheaded, exhausted and struggling to manage stairs/dressing children. Personally (never mind my qualifications 🙄) I would seek medical attention. I’m glad to read it seems to be slowing down I hope that continues and your partner is home to look after you (keep an eye 😆) soon

perfectlypickledpixie · 13/03/2023 12:13

MaryShelley1818 · 13/03/2023 11:18

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.

I also had this amount of bleeding, went to the docs and had a blood test as I was getting breathless and feeling awful. Doc called me back the next morning asking how I was - and subsequently told me to get to hospital asap for a blood transfusion.

Ended up having 3 over the course of the next few days. I was very ill.

What is not an 'A & E' situation for one person, doesn't necessarily mean it isn't for the next.

sausage767 · 13/03/2023 12:14

This is what my period was like, for nearly a year. Soaking a super tampon in an hour, I had to sleep with a towel as a nappy. Couldn’t go to work for at least 2 days per month. I was anemic, so tired all the time. It was a lovely combo of fibroids, endo and polyps. I had a hysterectomy.

marchdays · 13/03/2023 12:17

It's a bit obvious OP, but make sure you are drinking lots as low blood pressure due to the loss of liquid will also make you feel tired and weak.

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:19

I highly doubt a miscarriage.

I had a normal period last month, and three negative pregnancy tests.

I haven't had sex this past month.

I don't know if it's just me but I always feel such shame when it comes to body issues like this, like it's my fault things are going wrong so to speak. It's ridiculous but horrible.

When DP gets home I have no doubt he will take me to A&E if I haven't improved.

I have been told to only take the tablets on period, so how does that decrease the lining? Sorry for being dense my brain is being a bit slow today

OP posts:
purpledalmation · 13/03/2023 12:20

RainbowsTulipsChocolate · 13/03/2023 12:10

A few people on here so busy arguing with each other they are ignoring the fact that you don’t feel well OP, woozy, tired, lightheaded, exhausted and struggling to manage stairs/dressing children. Personally (never mind my qualifications 🙄) I would seek medical attention. I’m glad to read it seems to be slowing down I hope that continues and your partner is home to look after you (keep an eye 😆) soon

She has. Her GP has assessed and prescribed a med that reduces period volume and length.

Justmeandthedog1 · 13/03/2023 12:20

I went like this peri menopause. Never had a heavy period in my life then wham, horrendous. GP gave me some tablets then moved onto HRT for about a year. I think you need to be seen asap.

ThereIbledit · 13/03/2023 12:24

Look at my username - I've experienced menorrhagia for the last year or so on and off. No known cause for mine, but I think one of the likely causes is the covid vaccine - and yes, 6 months after the jab it's still possible that that's a factor for you, although sadly I've yet to find any health professional who will actually talk about and acknowledge it, there IS decent quality research showing a link and a fuck ton of women who are reporting anecdotal evidence.

GPs remarkably unworried about mine, (although to be fair my GPs were utterly shit and I put in a complaint about them on this issue), so I doubt A&E would do anything... however I think you perhaps should still go on the basis that you can't rule out miscarriage (I could).

Traxamaemic acid could still help you this bleed, although it takes a few days to kick in.

You'll want a GP to refer you for an ultrasound to check for endometritis or fibroids.

Don't get fobbed off by being given hormonal drugs or being told to go on the coil or birth control - they may stop or significantly lessen the bleeding but they don't address whatever the cause is.

Weirdly a lot of us have success with taking ginger - some take it as tablets of ginger powder ordered from Amazon, I have had success with ginger shot drinks (Lidl sell them in little cans, Sainsburys sells a 500ml bottle for around £5, or just get fresh ginger and slice/grate in water, steeped as tea or just in cold water, both works) to reduce the flow. I also find that eating plants with phytoestrogens throughout the month helps mine - that's edamame beans, tofu and ground flax seeds.

Your iron levels could still be too low or too high, as the standard iron blood test isn't actually very helpful - Either one can cause heavier bleeds, so unless you have reason to believe it is too high try getting more iron and vitamin C, in your diet or supplemented or both.

Eat as if you are diabetic - don't go Keto or Atkins, but sensibly low on complex carbs and avoid simple carbs and sugar as much as you can without being silly about it - I try to stick to less than 30g a day added sugar, which allows for some chocolate.

There is a group on facebook that I found REALLY helpful - Menorrhagia & Heavy Periods & Endometriosis Sufferers. Go and ask for help on there.

They can also recommend what to wear with the heavy bleeds. Personally I found post partum pads most useful; others use full incontinence knickers (incontinence pads have way higher absorbancy than menstrual ones).

Maria1982 · 13/03/2023 12:30

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 11:36

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 doesn’t prolong the period (I have taken tranexamic acid for heavy periods for years). I also wondered, but it doesn’t work like that.

also: it does work better if you take it from the start of period. But it may still help if you start taking it now.

really sorry you are suffering ,’ and that your GP hasn’t been more helpful

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:31

Thank you.

I will take a read over your post in detail today and look at the points etc.

Quickly tho, I do take well woman multi vitamins every day - I'd have thought they'd contain enough iron? Maybe I am wrong.

I was iron deficient about 4 years ago and did bleed heavy then but nothing like just now.

My periods got heavier after my first child, then got even heavier when I was low on iron. Once that was corrected I went back to heavy but manageable periods using super and super plus tampons. After my second child again periods got heavier but no known cause this time. Reduced to using super plus and ultra tampons, never had any pain or cramps. This cycle however even ultra aren't doing much and the cramps are quite bad.

OP posts:
Maria1982 · 13/03/2023 12:32

marchdays · 13/03/2023 12:17

It's a bit obvious OP, but make sure you are drinking lots as low blood pressure due to the loss of liquid will also make you feel tired and weak.

Second this! I have noticed I feel a bit better after drinking lots of water during heavy periods

purpledalmation · 13/03/2023 12:32

I'm not exactly sure how it works but it basically helps to stop the body from not forming clots. Anti fibrinolytic meds help clots form so you don't get that runny blood thing. It may be it reduces the amount of endometrium shed? A pharmacist will know.

BettyOBarley · 13/03/2023 12:35

My experience with the T. Acid was that it slowed the bleeding right down, but as you only take it for a few days and my bleeding went on for 3 months the heavy flow just picked right up again once I finished the tablets so it was no use for me.
But if your period lasts for a normal length of time but is just super heavy, then I think it would should really help.

Somethingneedstochange78 · 13/03/2023 12:42

A&E if you can't see GP. A friend of mine had the same it was because she had an ectopic pregnancy.

eirlaw · 13/03/2023 12:42

Second this! I have noticed I feel a bit better after drinking lots of water during heavy periods

I found this as well - also found I needed to sleep more so lots of early nights.

Spatone might help next month - I found this tonic Liquid Iron Supplement 1 Litre helpful though it not that high in Iron but seemed to help me with the tiredness.

However if you are still concerned still I'd still suggest ring 111.

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:43

My periods usually last 6-7 days give or take with a bit of brown spotting at the start and end

OP posts:
OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:43

Just had to change my tampon. Got three hours out of that one so a little improvement I guess.

OP posts:
purpledalmation · 13/03/2023 12:47

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:43

My periods usually last 6-7 days give or take with a bit of brown spotting at the start and end

That's quite long ☹️

Bepis · 13/03/2023 12:48

How are you feeling in yourself now OP?

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:49

Just tired, crampy, and anxious.

Sort of feel like I've had a flu bug and I'm getting over it. Weird feeling.

I'm sitting down a lot to keep my head from spinning..

OP posts:
DifficultBloodyWoman · 13/03/2023 12:51

Tranexamic acid only had a limited effect on me but was better than nothing.

I strongly recommend using a mooncup or diva cup or similar so you can accurately track blood loss.. I found that doctors only started taking me seriously when I pointed out normal blood loss was less than 40ml, and a heavy period was 80ml or more, and I was experiencing blood loss of 250ml+.

Giving such specific figures makes it very difficult for doctors to ignore you without an accusation of incompetence or negligence.

Catspyjamas17 · 13/03/2023 12:53

just tired, crampy, and anxious.
Sort of feel like I've had a flu bug and I'm getting over it. Weird feeling.
I'm sitting down a lot to keep my head from spinning..

Get to A&E to check it isn't sepsis, OP. Better safe than sorry.

OnNaturesCourse · 13/03/2023 12:56

How would I have gotten sepsis?

I'm going to get checked I think.

OP posts: