Surely this level of blood loss should be taken seriously ?

[FarToo]

AIBU to think that excessive period bleeding should not be dismissed?

Im going through a nightmare and not being taken seriously. Im anaemic, exhausted, drained. Has been going on for 3 years.

I can’t take the pill so was given the mini pill initially but it made me bleed constantly. Came off that and was told a non hormonal copper coil would be better. It made it worse which I didn’t think was possible. Had to have iron infusions and then removed it as it was horrible. Tried a mirena and it came out with the next period , had a new one put in and 3 months later that one made an exit with a large clot.

I had to wait 13 months for a gynae appt to be told there’s nothing they can do except manage symptoms so if I need iron supplements or occasional infusions that’s the treatment plan. Discharged.

I’ve had to go to an and e a few times in recent months and got told off! I had soaked through large pads in less than an hour but they were dismissive and said it wasn’t the right place to go for gynae issues.

Im sure if men had to experience this it wouldn’t be dismissed so easily !

That is terrible - you could have fibroids that are causing the heavy bleeding. You need to be properly checked and scanned for everything. Outrageous!

I had a different issue - benign tumour on my ovary that would cause temporary torsions - ended up in A&E a few times with that. Eventually I was told if I was having issues I could phone gynaecology and go straight there, could you ask your GP if that's something that can be done in your area, given that A&E aren't being helpful.

@FarToo have they tested your thyroid? My excessive bleeding was due to combo of developing hypothyroidism and perimenopause…luckily mirena and thyroid meds worked for me but I feel for you, I started to be too scared to leave the house in case of flooding.

There's bleeding - and then there's bleeding. Poor advice to say people shouldn't go to A and E especially if passing clots +++ over more than an hour.

The person could be having a miscarriage and not realise that they were pregnant etc. It isn't always straightforward.

Thinking back to when I bled out 2/3 of my blood volume over around 4 hours and had an emergency D and C followed by 3 units of blood.

@IncaDove precisely the sort of thing I was thinking about. Good thing you and your friend were persistent!

@littleblackcat247 i think though the op was told to go to A&E “if getting through a pad within an hour and passing clots brighter than a grape”…that was pretty much “normal” for the heaviest day on most of my last menstrual years, there is a difference between an event that is happening every single month ( and gynae are letting someone down with effective solutions) versus a one off serious blood loss event.

Has it always been like thos or do the doctors think you peri menopausal?
Wondering if hrt would help

@Zippidyza yes - I get that some people have heavy periods all the time.

I was addressing the poster who stipulated that you should never go to A and E for heavy bleeding.

I’ve always had heavy periods but my cycles used to be longer. Maybe age has made them shorter? But also in the last 3 years they’ve been even heavier and with much much bigger clots

It can be, my 12yr old daughter became dangerously unwell after her first period would not stop. Her iron became dangerously low and she couldn’t even change her pad she became that weak. Hospital said if it ever happened again not to bother contacting GP, straight to A&E

I’m going through similar at present, my ferritin is 11. I’ve been bleeding every day, using super plus tampons and still soaking through. I’ve been referred for a scan (within 3 weeks) and been prescribed medications to help. Im also 40.

Im sorry you’re having such a rubbish experience. Despite not being able to halt the bleeding (despite progesterone, transX acid etc) the Drs so far have been excellent and understanding.

I’m now signed off work as I’m barely functioning. I’m out of breath and utterly exhausted. I hope to God they find something that they can treat promptly as I feel dreadful: on the other hand I’m truly petrified it’s something sinister.

This simply isn't true. I've ended up in A&E with my periods before and it was absolutely the right place for me, I was so dizzy I couldn't walk down the stairs without falling. I was losing huge amounts of blood and vomiting too.

I too got similar treatment. They only diagnosed me with cervical erosion and put me on tranexamic acid (and then Tranexamic acid AND Mefenamic acid) and also a repeat prescription of ferrous fumarate as I was anemic. I only found out I had a submucosal fibroid when I was pregnant, I ended up having to have extra scans to make sure the baby had enough room.
At one point if I didn't get up in the night to empty my moon cup (it would be full within about an hour on very heavy days) and change my night time pad I'd literally wake up in a pool of my own blood.
I had some respite when pregnant and was bitterly disappointed when my periods came back (I was breastfeeding and they came back after about 9/10 months). My periods are still heavy but not to quite the same extent, 9 times out of 10 now I can sleep through the night without any major leakage.

If this was a mans problem it would have been solved by now.

Depending on whether or not you have children / want to have children (as I had been sterilised during my c-section with DC3) laser ablation was an absolute life-changer for me.
I had it done 10 years ago now, and have only had a 1day period of barely any bleeding, monthly, since then. Honestly, a revelation, after years and years of horrific bleeding and flooding, and not being able to leave the room on holiday, not being able to take my kids to the beach because of my period etc etc. I saw a male GP at my local surgery who was absolutely sympathetic, horrified at my examples, and referred me straight away. It was done as a day-case in local hospital. Almost painless procedure - way less than the period pains for sure.
*I tried the pill, the mini pill, the injection, the mirena coil, the tranexamic acid tablets - nothing worked.

It can be. I know someone who staggered into A&E on the point of collapsing. Her HB was dangerously low and she was transfused within an hour.

www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/heavy-periods-during-the-perimenopause-what-you-need-to-know/

Have a look at this article