Any doctors about? Panicking

[Howldens]

I will try to keep this brief but backstory relevant. Would be so grateful for any words of wisdom.

I'm in New York for work. I am experiencing a heavy bleed (mid-cycle). Yesterday it was so bad that I was bleeding through sanitary wear and trousers every hour. today I woke in pain and heavy bleeding - a big clot plopped out in the shower - like two fingers width & length.
bleeding all day & more clots but not so massive.

im panicking bc about 10 yrs ago i had some retained matter after an abortion but I was on holiday in a developing country, experienced crazy heavy bleeding, passed out & got taken to a hospital, had my womb scraped under general anaesthetic and lots of antibiotics. I think I nearly died- but didn’t ever really get full picture.

because of that I am finding this really scary and triggering. I don’t know if I need to go to hospital - could there be another infection?

I messed up my HRT - oestrogen gel & progesterone tables and I’m currently taking the progesterone at night but should I stop as not sure I’m taking it right.

i went to urgent care this morning - temp & heart rate fine. They said there was nothing more they could do and next step in treatment is A&E for ultrasound & bloods if I wanted to seek further treatment. I’m not sure if i should go?

I feel very very far from home & im panicking.

I think I am fine now (not dizzy like before - can’t decide if I am pale or not) but my fear is I go downhill overnight like last time and I can’t help myself. Last time it was my husband who got me help when I collapsed I but I’m alone here.

Take the pills you have likely got fibroids and the heavy bleeding is going to make you anemic. I had this starting in my 40s and it continued until my early 50s. It has to be managed with hormonal meds or partial / full hysterectomy.

Keep taking the pills, avoid alcohol (makes it worse) also caffeine. Try to walk around as much as possible as that helps, sitting for protracted amounts of time does not.

Are you sure your company doesn’t have cover? It would be very unusual if they didn’t have a policy for their workforce travelling abroad.

Agree with PPs suggesting you speak to your employer as a first port of call - I imagine they will have some sort of group travel cover.

Thinking of you OP, it sounds frightening and being on your own must be so tough. Look after yourself xx

If you're travelling for work aren't you covered by a work travel insurance policy?

My dp was in Washington for work last year and our annual policy wouldn't cover him for work-related trips.

Either way. You're ill. Don't risk getting more ill at 40000ft above the Atlantic. Get some help now.

Post-menopausal bleeding happens all the time. I’ve had a couple of instances myself. Treat it like a period, and see the GP when you get home.
I would not cut my trip short …probably best to fly when it’s stopped anyway.
As long as it’s getting lighter, I doubt it needs any emergency interventions.

Are you sure you are not insured? I would think it's a legal requirement if your employer sends you abroad.

What a horrendous experience, OP. I hope you feel better soon.

I have also had very heavy bleeding with the wrong progesterone dose for HRT. It was bad but not quite as bad as yours sounds. (I'm not a doctor)

I hope it’s easing off now. Try not to panic. These heavy bleeds aren’t unusual with menopause and although they’re alarming when it happens, it’s not a reason to cut your trip short.

I was told to go to A&E if I was bleeding through a super plus tampon plus a night-time towel in an hour. Sometimes I’d get 20 minutes before it happened. I’d pass clots the size of a clenched fist. I ended up at A&E countless times and every single time they did NOTHING but observe me and give me painkillers. These episodes of flooding generally only last for a couple of hours. (Be warned, I sometimes used to get it around the same time each day, for 2 or 3 days in a row). In fact, the only reason I kept going to A&E was that I hoped that I’d be bumped up the surgery list, otherwise I’d have stopped bothering.

You should see your GP when you’re home. I had fibroids and adenomyosis so I had a hysterectomy and feel so much better. You’ll become anaemic if you carry on bleeding this heavily. In the meantime stick to your HRT regime like clockwork. I was also advised by one gynaecologist to up my progesterone. Out of interest, what is your current regime?

I have been in your situation from the past overseas, so I understand the risks and the fear. You could have developed sepsis.

This is different. No pregnancy or leftovers. I am also experiencing this too, at home, and I have seen a dr here that says it is normal for my age. I have had a blood test and ultrasound and nothing to worry about.

I would fly home tomorrow. Keep an eye on your temperature in the mean time and any other symptoms.

I'm not a doctor, but I am having heavy periods at the moment partly due to peri menopausal. You can get tablets that reduce the bleeding and will also help with the pain called Tranexamic Acid tablets. You should be able to get some over there even if you have to pay for them?

And when you get home get a job in a company that supports its employees properly - seriously what sort of company sends employees to the US without medical cover?
Go off sick and get back to the UK asap if the progesterone doesn't stop the bleeding.

the progesterone will stop it if she remembers to take it

You will be insured via your employer. If not, claim the bill as an expense. FGS don’t get in a transatlantic flight if you’re so ill you need urgent care. Get yourself treated there, come home well. if you’re sick abroad when you’re working I would be very surprised if not covered, but if not they will cover as an expense.

I say this as someone who has been in the same situation abroad. I needed two extra nights in a hotel, different flight which I just put directly on my credit card, and claimed. The expenses for medical care came later and I just forwarded them to our financial controller to deal with.

Genuine question - is it even legal for an employer to send you overseas without having health insurance cover for you? I’ve never experienced this, as in automatic coverage so this sounds so odd to me.

Hi @Howldens hope you’re feeling better today. I want to echo the experiences of PPs like @R0ckandHardPlace and @ExtraOnions re bleeding on HRT. I have had an episode just as you describe when I didn’t take my progesterone properly. Remember the progesterone’s job is to keep the womb lining thin and it sheds at the end of the two-week progesterone phase (usually, although also randomly, IME). When I didn’t take my progesterone properly and then did take it, I had the most awful bleed - heavy, clotty, long and absolutely wiped me out. I figured that the womb lining built up when I didn’t take it properly.

So I would say this isn’t the same as your previous experience - you’re not pregnant, haven’t been pregnant, so it is worrying and inconvenient and uncomfortable but not dangerous. I’d find it scary too if I was alone and so far from home.

The flooding and clots do sound like fibroids. The dizziness might be due to anaemia because of the blood loss. You might also find yourself feeling exhausted. As soon as you get home go to your gp who will be able to feel the fibroids - if that is what it is. Try not to panic. It is unlikely that this is connected to the abortion.

Very big I am not a doctor disclaimer and my experience was about 15 years ago but I believe tranexamic acid stops clots breaking down as part of its mechanism. This probably needs to be a consideration if flying for 7 hours or so as you could end up with increased risk of DVT.

I’m sure this was the final push for me to get endometrial ablation as I flew a lot with work and was worried about DVT risk as well.

Also please double check the work situation regarding insurance - I can’t imagine companies big enough to need to send staff the US not having a corporate policy in place.

How old are you and are your periods still regular? My periods are like what you describe and have been since early 40s. It hurts to move and I can quite literally feel the lining shedding. It's hideous, excruciating and heavy, heavy bleeding. Clots are huger than you describe and are prevalent for the first 2-3 days. I have to sleep on a waterproof pad due to the flooding. Easier to wash the pad than the full bedding. I'm not sure what sanitary pads you have but I find extra heavy overnight, 41cm long (pictured) the best option for the first 2- 3 days then go down this range to 37cm, 32cm then normal pads.

Prior to this I had 30 years of mild inconvenience, no pain, no issues.

Sorry missed the pic

I had similar symptoms at end of menopause with flooding. It turned out to be fibroids and is very common. I had a small op eventually but wasn’t a medical emergency. I agree with PP contact your work. Are you sure they don’t have automatic insurance for employees travelling? If not, definitely get first flight home and get checked out.

I had this. Clots the size of my hand, and very heavy bleeding. It turned out to be polyps and they found hyperplasia. It didn’t require urgent treatment.

OP how old are you ? The most likely reason is that you have messed things around with your HRT, or Peri-meno bleeding. I had really well behaved periods pre peri, then blimey.. flooding so badly I really should have gone to A&E .
Fibroids are also a possibility so you need a scan. I was scanned and it wasn’t fibroids just hormonal shifts.
As pp says keep taking your HRT. As the bleeding is subsiding you can wait until you get back to be seen, but if it gets really heavy again you may need to get seen over there, which is a worry given insurance, so if you can get home earlier then do. Friend who had such bad bleeding she had to stop the bus she was on and get to hospital, was given progesterone and something else to calm it down.
It’s not uncommon and there can be many reasons for it, but I think it’s likely your lining has built up on oestrogen and then you’ve taken progesterone and are having a big withdrawal bleed at an unexpected time.

Hi all,
just checking in to say a huge thankyou for the reassurance.

Just woke up & the bleeding is much better right now. It must have been the progesterone issues. I am 45 and still have periods. like others I never had ANY issues before now.

I will check with work on the insurance thing as I agree it’s incredibly unusual not to cover employees when travelling (Hence not sorting it for myself).

now to figure out how I can get every pair of trousers I have brought with me (inc pyjamas) washed without having any clean bottoms to put on at all 😵‍💫💆🏽‍♀️ hotel does not have laundry service so I need to go outside to do it!!!

Thankyou for posting - you really helped me last night & this am when I was spiralling hard.