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irregular bleeding after birth

30 replies

Mummyofmax · 30/12/2010 18:49

hi please advise i have posted before but need reassurance again.
i bled for 5 weeks after giving birth, then at 6 weeks for 4 days, 9 weeks for a day , 11 weekd for a day and now again at 12 weeks. the bleeding after the lochia hasnt been much pinky with some red in it. last two times i have felt pmt ish too.
is this just my body getting back to normal?
doctor is aware and been doing swabs as i had bacterial vaginosis and still carry group b strep.
feel fine in myself though.

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Lotster · 30/12/2010 19:02

Are you very active? Sometimes doing more than you should can cause bleeding re-starting. I had stopped for days and then did a bit of a speed-walk to a doctors appointment I was late for and it re-started for a couple of days.

A common misconception is that lochia is the contents of your womb emptying, when in fact it is the seepage from the wound left behind when the placenta comes away from the uterine wall. So if it's only lightly healed over and then you strain yourself, it can tear the healing site a little and you bleed some more.

The fading colour of your blood suggests this to me but others may have more ideas. If you feel well, you probably are though Smile

Congrats on your little one.

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 30/12/2010 19:43

Thanks Lotster
I dont think its anything horrible but it gets annoying after a while.
i didnt realise that about Lochia either, thanks for the info its sounds very much like this.
xx

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Manicmummyhavinabiccy · 30/12/2010 20:40

The thing to watch out for (sound gross!) but smells, if you notice any strange smells then mention it t the doctors,but as your felling fine, it sounds perfectly normal :) the books all say 7-14 days but everyones bodys are diffrent, might be easier if our bodys all followed 'text books' lol ;) also keep an eyeon your temp'. wouldnt worry and enjoy your little one :)

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 31/12/2010 19:31

ok thanks
had a scan today and everything was fine so thats good at least.
x

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RockChick1984 · 31/12/2010 20:12

How long is usual to bleed for after giving birth? I'm 29 weeks pregnant, an until coming on mumsnet I didn't realise I would bleed after the birth, so am completely new to all this! Xxx

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 01/01/2011 22:07

hi rockchick
sorry to surprise you!
when u give birth you have somethnf called lochia (look it up as my knowledge is minimal) it canhappen for weeks after everyone is differnet.
good luck xx

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Original poster
Mummyofmax · 01/01/2011 22:07

god my typing is awful (very very tirde!!) Grin xx

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Original poster
Mummyofmax · 01/01/2011 22:08

tired!!! aaarrgghh! x

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RockChick1984 · 02/01/2011 00:52

Will do, thankyou! Congratulations on your baby, hope everything is going well for you xxx

greenbeanie · 02/01/2011 19:34

It is worth getting any bleeding checked out if it is continuing beyond 6 weeks. If you are not breastfeeding it could be your cycle trying to get back to normal. If not it could be an infection that needs a course of antibiotics or some placenta that is still left behind.

Do contact your GP just to make sure, I speak from experience as with dc1 I continued bleeding and at 8 weeks had a scan which showed a piece of placenta had been left behind, I had a d&c and the bleeding stopped finally by week 10. Hope all goes well for you.

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 02/01/2011 21:31

hi greenbeanie
thats the weird thing. I have had antib's a few times since gving birth as i had bacterial vaginosis and also group b strep. group b strep still hanging around but i had this four years ago with my first child so dont think it could be that. Also was sent for a scan on new years eve and everything looked fine, they checked my ovaries, womb and cervix and all fine. I have a fibroid on my womb but nothing to worry about apparently. this bleeding is stop/start and not much at any one time so its a weird one. I am breastfeeding but I went back to my periods with my first child and fed him for 2 years so I do wonder if it could be that and my body is just a bit confused!
I'm glad the scan was fine.
thanks x

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Original poster
Mummyofmax · 05/01/2011 10:51

ok so i went back for more swabs yesterday (4th lot in about 7 weeks!) and waiting for results. I am feeling tender now i think where my left ovary is and am starting to worry again. the scan showed nothing sinister and no fragments left and i just wonder if its tender because of all the examinations im having. really want to get on now and have no health issues, want to enjoy my family Confusedxx

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greenbeanie · 05/01/2011 12:24

Thinking of you, since replying to your thread I have started to bleed again in sympathy!! Now 7.5 weeks, bled quite heavily from 5-6 weeks then stopped for 1 week before starting again. Must make GP appointment I suppose. I am breastfeeding and have never previously had a period whilst breastfeeding even when feeding for over a year.

Good luck mummyofmax, hope it resolves for you soon.

serendipity16 · 05/01/2011 19:32

You have my sympathy.

I had my baby 6wks ago today & the bleeding has been a nightmare.

First 2 weeks, normal red bleeding. 2 weeks of brown blood & discharge. Then on christmas day i start getting red heavy bleeding. I thought it might be the start of my period even though i was only 4+3 after the birth. The bleeding was extremely heavy, so heavy that i went to a&e yesterday after suffering with it for 11 days. Jesus the doctors & nurses were so dismissive & kept telling me it was 'just my period' & to go home. I had to argue my case just to see a gyne doctor. I was there for 4hrs before i was seen by the doctor, 4 people had told me to go home but i refused.

Finally saw the doctor in the epu. Asked would i mind if she did an internal scan, i said that was fine.... had plenty of those before.
Went to get ready for the scan & bled all over the floor. She couldn't see anything inside which was good. Then whilst she went to speak to the head consultant she put loads of the blue paper towels between my legs & told me to close my legs Blush just to stem the bleeding.
They admitted me for the night due to my heavy blood loss. I was given mefenamic acid ( a high dose of it) , tranexamic acid & norethisterone to stop the bleeding. I was discharged today & only have slight spotting.
The doctor said to me 'I'm not normally impressed by bleeding but yours impressed me' Grin.
Got to take tablets for the next 21 days, stop them & i'll get a period. If it continues next time i need to see my gp for more tablets. They kept on at me to go on the pill but i've never found a pill that worked for me.

They've called it a dysfunctional uterine bleed which they've said can continue for up to 6 months Sad .... i really hope not. Really don't fancy bleeding like that again.
I doubt my problems are sorted but for now i'm so glad to not be having heavy bleeding.

Good luck, i hope you get sorted out soon.

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 05/01/2011 19:42

serendipity, that sounds horrid for you.
Its amazing how dismissive the docs can be about it, my gp has been very good but i am getting fed up with the "we wait for the swab results and see how it goes" or "we wait for the anti b's and see how it goes". i'm glad that you are not suffering as much now and please keep me posted so I can support you (or have a moan together!!) Be carfeul you dont get anaemic after losing lots of blood, may need iron tablets. I have never heard of a dysfunctional uterine bleed.
I hope things look up for you
X

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Original poster
Mummyofmax · 05/01/2011 19:44

greenbeanie, Sorry to hear about your bleeding again. I breast fed my first child and did get my periods back and know lots of people who have so I dont believe the common misconception that periods dont come back while BF. I wonder if its just our bodies getting back into a routine?
x

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serendipity16 · 08/01/2011 12:18

Hi. Thanks for your kind works.... amazing how many people think i should just shut up & put up with the bleeding.

Well the bleeding has got heavier.... not heavy enough to need a thick or night time pad but i still need to use a pad Sad . Its bright red & a fair amount when i wipe (sorry tmi).

They checked i wasn't anaemic which i'm not but that may be because i've been taking iron tablets for a few weeks.
They said they wouldn't give me any antibiotics because they didn't see anything inside so didn't see the point.

I am having stomach cramps & although i'm not anaemic, i still feel so tired.

I wonder if a d&c would be of any help but their only ideas were the tablets (which although are working to a degree, aren't working 100% cos i'm still bleeding ) or the pill or the coil. I've never found a pill that worked for me plus i wanted to try again for another baby in July..... as it could take me a while as i only have one tube. Not sure how being on the pill for a few months would affect my periods when i came off it again or how it'd affect my fetility afterwards.

It just sucks having this bleeding all the time. Stopping the mefenamic acid and the tranexamic acid today & just have the norethisterone to take for a couple of weeks, so hoping that stopping the other 2 tablets won't make the bleeding get heavier.

How are you today?

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 08/01/2011 21:29

hi
sorry to hear you are still suffering. I dont know much about d&c's i'm afraid, have they done swabs? if the pill helps then go for it but it might be better to find out more about the bleeding first.

have you got another appointment soon?

im ok no more bleeding yet but it seems to come every two or three weeks. had more swabs this week and its really getting me down so i cant imagine how u must be feeling.

xx

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Lotster · 09/01/2011 17:40

Hi Serendipity, just wanted to recommend taking Floradix liquid, it's a good alternative to iron tablets as it's non-constipating. I think it would perk you up a little. Treat yourself to some green leafy veggies and steak too - anaemia doagnosis or not.

serendipity16 · 10/01/2011 10:23

Thank you i will get some floradix liquid Smile

No swabs were taken & no follow up appointment.
I was told that after the last norethisterone tablet i'll have a period. If its heavy again to go & see my gp for some mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid. Thing is i used to use both those tablets together a few years ago for heavy periods.... but after a while they didn't work as well. So i'm a little worried what the bleeding is going to be like once i stop the norethisterone.

I'm a little disappointed that although they've said its a dysfunctional uterine bleed that they haven't done anything else & have just discharged me. Just because they saw nothing on the scan they don't feel the need to see me again. Their only advise was to take the tablets again if the bleeding is heavy & go on the pill or have the coil fitted.

greenbeanie · 10/01/2011 11:05

Of to get some floradix too. Spent 9 hours in hospital on friday as it was the only way I could get a scan sooner than in 6 weeks time!! I was prepped for theatre just in case, nil by mouth, bloods taken etc, then had scan all appeared clear and told it was just my period. i just wonder if they have missed something as passing small bits of tissue (sorry if TMI) and fully breastfeeding. I know that cycles can start again even when feeding but with previous 2 dc periods only started again once I had completely stopped feeding when they were over a year old.
Anyway swabs taken and now on antibiotics so will see what happens. Bleeding stopped at present although it has stopped for upto 5 days before now.

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 10/01/2011 19:21

oh no guys you sound like you are having a rough time. the more time goes on i really think its just our bodies getting back to normal.
I since have had swabs and waiting results, no bleed for a while but am expecting something in the next week.

my hormones are definitely here, my hair is falling out and im having hot sweats.

keep me posted x

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serendipity16 · 10/01/2011 21:45

I'm going to see my gp next week to get mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid for when i stop the norethisterone. Didn't have any bleeding all day so thought it was going to stop for a while but when i just went to the loo the bright red blood was back Sad

When i see my gp i wonder if i could ask her to take a swab, would there be any point in that?
I just don't see this stopping. The norethisterone should have stopped the bleeding completely but it hasn't so i imagine when i do stop the tablets i'm just going to have heavy bleeding again.

I was thinking of asking the gp for antibiotics. I don't like taking antibiotics but if i take them & the bleeding continues at least i know i'd tried that avenue so to speak.

Just so fed up of this bleeding now Sad

Original poster
Mummyofmax · 10/01/2011 22:23

im sure you are.
I cant see what harm anti b's will do ive been on four doses since i went into labour but had to really. if there is infection it might help. as for swabs it would be handy but i dont know if they can while you are bleeding. i was told if its a period they can, might be worth an ask? tell your gp how down this is making you, we tend to pretend we are coping with these things but it doesnt do you any good if you are going to worry when you get home. i really wish i could suggest more but would love you to keep in touch so i can support you in this way. xx

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luceeloo · 13/01/2011 18:50

Serendipity - I know exactly how you feel. At 6weeks postnatal I had the most horror movie like bleed known to man! As I'd stopped the loch at 4weeks I was told it was "just my period" but good god! I was admitted, but only after I bled all over the hospital floor, was scanned etc which didn't show anything either. I've never suffered heavy bleeding before so I was freaking out bigtime. Tmi but when I wiped there was so much blood it smeared around behind too :s. Anyway, whilst this heavy bleed subsided, I then had erratic "periods" - 5 in 8 weeks. Fed up and desperate, I saw a consultant who fitted a Coil and prescribed the pill for 6months for it to settle quicker. I'm just about to start the final pill packet and am seeing her again on 7th feb so will relay what is said if you like? Btw I tried all the blood stemming drugs you're on too. It's no fun so you have my fullest sympathy x