to be confused about what menstrual "heavy bleeding" means?

[PostOpOp]

When people talk about heavy bleeding during periods, is there a specific meaning? I read things like "going through menstrual products more frequently" or "needing to change pads every hour or two". Or "overflowing and staining clothes". Ok.

But if I'm going though a "regular" pad every 4 hours, that's not the same as me going through some sort of "nighttime super maxi" pad every four hours. Or is it?!

Or is it entirely subjective, so if I always wear "nighttime super maxi" for 6 hours and someone else always wears "regular" for 6 hours and then we have to change them in four hours, is that equally concerning? Because if it is, then what about when the "regular" in 6 hrs user turns into a "nighttime super maxi in 4 hrs"?

And what if I change the pad after 4 hours because I like to feel clean, but someone else waits until the pad it's entirely full (let's just say that takes 6 hrs).

I've had leaks from regular pads that are full, but aren't totally full up (as in no white left). So is that a leak, or an overflow due to heavy bleeding?

This is not exclusive to pads or any other menstrual product, btw, it's simply about measuring blood flow and what terms like "heavy" actually mean. You can insert your preferred type in my examples if you prefer! Btw I know menstrual cups can measure volume. But none of the many I've tried have ever worked for me so that's not been a successful option.

This measurement system has puzzled me for years. There have been times I've wondered if I have a problem, but I just moved from "regular" to "nighttime super maxi" and avoided problems! Now I've hit perimenopause though and there aren't heavier duty pads.

So AIBU to not understand what this form of measurement means in reality? Or have I been living an uninformed life?!

All of the above.
But also "are you anemic on the regular"

yes to that too.

Periods are so bullshit!

Believe me the reality of it is far far worse! I have stood in my bath for 45 minutes at a time with it literally pouring out of me (like someone had turned on the bath tap) along with giant clots

I have also been talking to someone in the office, while a gush flooded through an ultimate tampon, a night time towel and super heavy flow period pants to spread a giant red stain down both trouser legs across my feet onto the carpet, but I try not to think about that! My trousers were dark so I assume until the blood hit the carpet my colleague thought I'd pissed myself (as the stain spread that quickly)

Not surprisingly during my periods I couldn't leave the house and had to sit/sleep on a folded bath sheet on top of a puppy pad. I also needed multiple iron infusions/blood transfusions and ultimately a hysterectomy (hence the username) once I could get a doctor to listen to me

So yeah, flooding is horrendous

I don't know but if you have to double up on sanitary protection to ensure you don't bleed through your clothes in a short space of time I think it counts as very heavy. I usually see the time quoted as two hours, but I leak through a super maxi extra plus plus plus tampon or a cup sooner than that frequently. I can't use pads because it's pointless and horrible. Before period underwear became common I had to use incontinence underwear.

Have you tried using a mooncup?
they hold a lot more than pads - and you can use pads to double up.

Aside from the volume they hold, the huge advantage is that you can give a fairly accurate measure of the amount of blood, rather than the number of towels, which can be very variable.
It was only when I started giving actual quantities of blood to the GP that she started taking it seriously - after about 18 months of tranexamic acid that gave me a DVT. Turning up to A&E stating (backed up by a spreadsheet, I'm an accountant 😬) that I'd lost over 0.8 litre of blood, including a couple of saucer sizes globules that looked like pieces of liver, got me into a private room within twenty minutes, and admitted to a ward shortly after that - in Central London on a busy Saturday night.

Keeping a spreadsheet not obligatory, but if you know that you've emptied it full 30ml x XXX gives you a fairly accurate summary.

This is a good idea, but can you use a moon cup if you have a vaginal prolapse? I've considered one in the past due to the good reviews (and being more eco) but I'm not sure if it could cause more damage.

yes absolutely, but they can't tell me if they are anaemic unless I test their blood!

It came on suddenly as a reaction to some medication so yes I did go to the GP. My periods were heavy usually but not like that so I knew it was not normal.

I was told that heavy periods were a side effect of the meds I was on and just to wait and see what happened but I ended up in a& e and was losing so much blood I nearly needed a transfusion. There is a tendency to downplay menstrual bleeding I believe.

I have just had a hysteroscopy to investigate my heavy periods, for me I can soak the 3 nighttime pads I have to wear at the same time in an hour or so, luckily this only last for a day or so. Flooding for me is usually cause by standing up or a cough or sneeze which sends pooling blood whooshing out and causes big leaks. My boss has been very understanding and I'm allowed to only work from home during my period.

I go through a night time pad in less than an hour. As in there's so much blood the pad stops absorbing it.

@GatherlyGal glad you got it sorted.

Flooding and heavy bleeding for me was being unable to get out of my car at petrol station after putting a towel on the seat and wearing dark trousers because if I stood up the heavy flow would run down my legs and fill my shoes
I was offered a hysterectomy after being mortified in the supermarket when I left a trail of blood from the checkout to exit door and had to abandon my shopping as I had a sudden ‘flood’ whilst in the queue for the till

Anything over 80ml per period is considered excessive. If you use a cup it's quite easy to measure how much you bleed because it has a measuring line.

I went to the GP when my periods changed and I could fill a mooncup in less than 2 hours. The doctor asked, "Have you had to throw away any furniture?" and I said well no, not yet.

For me I wear a super plus tampon and it needs changing at least once an hour at it’s worse. Recently it was within 20 minutes (I was at work as well🙁)

Thanks to all the replies. It's very interesting. Very helpful too to read the stories of people who have had the extreme flooding (I've not had that). I wish you'd not had those embarrassing situations in the first place though. We never really hear how other women's flows are and it's very useful.

I had a flooding incident this afternoon, all I could think was "Thank F that I didn't go swimming like I'd planned"! I already hate the feeling of water dripping down my leg when I get out the pool in case it's not water, but this would have closed the pool!

I had heard about testing absorbency with water. Not entirely surprising. Utterly ridiculous though.

And to the menstrual cup fans: I mentioned in my OP that I cannot use them. Still can't after reading this thread. It's a shame though because I like precision and to the pp who had a spreadsheet, I'd have done that too, graphs and all!

@BlowMyBubbles the Mooncup website (when I used it, was the only menstrual cup on the market I think, and hard to find) had a really useful Q&A, and answered queries individually.

@PostOpOp - sorry, I didn't spot that in the original post
A&E Dr v impressed with the spreadsheet (yes, it has graphs🙄)
I kept adding to the printout manually while I was there.

The first one I bought was really uncomfortable, but I had the wrong size. I think they sent a free replacement.

Sounds terrible 💐 Must be a relief not to have to deal with that any more!

I had flooding once after getting a mirena coil and thought I was dying.

I change my super tampon every half an hour on day 2. I also wear a pad and period pants. My periods have got heavier with each child I have. C-sections tend to make them worse than vaginal births. I saw a gynaecologist on day 5 of my period once and he said "you really do bleed heavily". I told him this was very light bleeding for me and it's much worse on day 2 with lots of clots the size of sugar lumps and the odd one the size of a strawberry. Goodness knows where it all comes from, I didn't think my womb was that big. Although after 7 pregnancies it probably looks like a saggy balloon that's been blown up multiple times.

To anyone really impacted by heavy periods and either peri menopausal or done with having kids I recommend you look into endometrial ablation. It has changed my life enormously.