I cannot take these periods any more :-(

[LadyMary]

I have been on various different contraceptive pills to try to help, changed my diet, I exercise regularly, I take vitamin supplements, and I have had scans and tests galore which show up fine...but nothing helps my heavy, horrible periods which are just getting worse and worse as I get older. The heavy bleeding is quite distressing at times, but the worse thing is the moods. I used to e really short tempered and angry, but increasingly it feels like having a sort of cyclical clinical depression - for a week before my period and for the first few days of the period I am a walking zombie, exhausted, unable to concentrate and feeling extremely low and bleak.

There must be something I haven't tried? Someone out there who has some answer to this? Desperate!

You sound like my Sister before she had a hysterectomy. IMO, once a woman has finished her family, she should have the choice of whether to keep her uterus or not.
Have you been referred to a proper gynaecologist, or is your GP doing the diagnosing and prescribing.
If you haven't, that is what I would be asking for.
Fingers crossed for you.

Do you take mefenamic acid tablets aka Ponstan? They are an anti inflammatory for periods and are incredible at managing pain and mood swings.

Have you been checked for anaemia?
I have it and as far as I'm aware it could be caused by heavy periods.
Some of the symptoms are: feeling low, exhausted, worn out not much energy,
pale, feeling faint, short of breath.
The doctor gave me a prescription for Tranexamic Acid tablets for the heavy periods( I am yet to try them though as it was a recent diagnosis)
You would need to check with your GP.
HTH

I take tranexamic acid and it has reduced my blood flow by about 30-40% so I'm hoping it will help my severe anaemia. Your symptoms sound very much
Ike anaemia. Even if your haemoglobin is fine, they really should check your ferritin (iron stores) too.
The first stop these days for heavy periods is the mirena coil now which can stop them entirely. I'm weighing up the options of one now as I know they're a bit like marmite.
Definitely go and see your GP and talk through your options, you don't need t suffer this.

I have the mirena coil for this reason and I have no periods at all now. Am on my second now and no nasty side effects. It has been life changing for me.

I hope you find a solution that suits you as I know how awful it is to suffer with these heavy periods.

I have exactly the same symptoms as you and definately experience the depression, anxiety and irritability at certain times of the month it is almost like I am a different person. I also feel extremely edgy and find my neck really tense even sitting at home the week before my period and few days after.Sometimes i feel like I need to do everything quick and my thoughts are racing almost manic ! I have been taking iron and star flower oil but I suppose I should go to the doctors.

Have you tried dried angelica root?

Hi all. Thanks for all your responses.

I have never heard of mefenamic acid tablets. Will mention this to my GP.

I have been 'tested' for anaemia three times in as many years, although I don't really know what they are looking at when they screen my bloods, so should find out, I suppose! I will look into Tranexamic Acid. Anything is worth a try.

I can't have the mirena coil or any combined contraceptive pill any more as I had very severe obstetric cholestasis in my last pregnancy and oestrogen products are now contraindicated for me. I am currently taking the mini pill but it hasn't helped at all.

I feel incapable of even getting out of bed when I am premenstrual, to be honest, and just want to hide away. I wont answer the phone or door. I couldnt work today (I am a freelancer) I barely functioned. I feel so ashamed that I hide the worse of it even from my own husband (so for instance, today I pretended to be working from home, but actually lay on the sofa almost all day feeling like death ). It cannot go on

I really sympathise as I have always had problems with my periods.

The things which have helped me are Tranexamic acid, which really does reduce the blood flow if you take it properly (3 times a day for the first 4 days), and taking magnesium citrate supplements every day, these help with bad PMT. I also take Evening Primrose oil tablets. Nettle tea has also been recommend but I'm not too keen on it....

If you are anaemic, then its also worth taking liquid iron such as Floradix which is easier to absorb than iron tablets, as ironically, being anaemic can make your periods heavier.

If you've finished your family I would insist on a referral for womb ablation. It may not help with the hormonal side but it will stop the horrific bleeding. Mine was the novasure method which uses a laser.

It has changed my life.

RandomMess, can you tell us anymore about the aBlation. Are there any side effects? How long did it take? Was it painful?

The Mirena coil is Progesterone only, it certainly helped my periods (none)but has not helped much with monthly mood swings. i have heard that some docs now prescribe Prozac to be taken only for one week per month, I am considering this.

I was just like you.

Hideous hideous periods that went on for a week, so heavy I would go through a super plus tampon in 1-2 hours, day and night. I was on iron as I bled so heavily.

I had tranexamic acid which helped a lot with the flow, but not the mood swings or duration, nor the heavy dragging feeling I got.

I was referred to gynae who wanted to try me with a Mirena coil, and if it doesn't work I can have ablation. I had it fitted and apart from bleeding lightly but constantly for the first few weeks, I haven't bled at all since, even when my period was due. Result!

You could have a Mirena as it's progesterone containing, not oestrogen. Or ask your GP to refer you to gynae to consider ablation but only if your family is complete as it stops you getting pregnant again.

The hospital gave mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid to take together and they work really well. However recently I have been taking vitamin b and finding I have not needed to take my medication the last few months. Hope you get it sorted

I went into the gynae's consulting room demanding an ablation and came out with a Mirena coil. Previously I had tried absolutely everything, including alternative remedies and prescribed medicines. I bled so badly I ended up in hospital once. The Mirena coil has given me painless periods, very occasional, which only need regular or super tampons. Side effects have been confined to two solitary spots on my chin. I am a total convert.

BTW did you know that an underactive thyroid can be a contributory factor to heavy periods?

Mefenamic acid = Ponstan: mainly for period cramp, some effect on flow
Tranexamic acid = Dicynene (sp?): mainly for flow/clots
Neither of these will have any effect on mood - other than improving it when your period is not so bad anymore, I suppose .

Progesterone only pill ("mini pill"), Depo-provera ('the jag') and Nexplanon (formerly Implanon) all contain only progesteron (natch), usually cause periods to stop, but quite often cause mild nuisance bleeding randomly, sometime a lot of nuisance bleeding.

Mirena (progesterone again) intrauterine system (looks like a coil, goes where a coil goes, but works in a totally different manner from a coil) as mentioned above.

D+C: tends to give temporary relief and gives the reassurance that there is nothing 'wrong' ie cancer.

Endometrial ablation: laser or surgical, works v well, not as invasive as hysterctomy

Hysterectomy: vaginally (less big operation, quicker recovery) or abdominally

Antidepressants/'SSRI's: work for PMT, obviously does nothing for heaviness of flow/pain.

There are lots of options and yes, it can be souldestroying if you have tried various things and nothing seems to help. But keep going back - even if there is no Magic Bullet for you, surely improvement should be possible.

By all means have your blood count, iron stores (ferritin) and thyroid function checked, but I'd totally agree, if things are so bad for you, get referred to a gynaecologist.

I used to have periods that made me pass out with pain and/or vp itchy two days solid.

My saviour was the pill called dianette and before that I took mefanamic acid. Thus only worked if I took it before the pain started.

Good luck

Blimey, I meant vomit, not itchy!

I've had endometrial ablation by the novasure method too - and yes it treansformed my life too. Search for my posts over the past 5 years. It's not laser, though - that's often used for polypectomy before the ablation, which is carried out using a copper and gold mesh ttached to a T-shaped device. It's inserted into the uterus then expands to touch the lining. An electric current is passed through it and it burns into the womb lining. This may sound horrific but is painless! 74% of women have no periods at all afterwards. I have a tiny light flow for 2 or 3 days. It's also supposed to reduce symptos of PMS

I could have written your post six months ago. I put up with this for two years before going to the GP and getting prescribed tranexamic acid, which worked for a while but, unfortunately, the periods continued to get heavier. I was extremely anaemic and constantly on iron tablets. Six months ago, I had a mirena coil fitted. I stalled on having this done, because I had googled and was convinced it wouldn't work for me, but I haven't looked back and it has truly changed my life. I still get very light periods, but panty liners are enough to deal with them.
Please don't put up with this any longer, go to your GP who can and will help you. If the mirena coil is not the answer for you, there are other solutions, such as ablation.

It's all come on so much in the last ten years or so, and gynaes are incredibly sympathetic.

Hi

I've suffered with this all my life but coped because I thought it was normal bleeding. As I got older (44 now) it has gotten worse and worse. Ruining my life. I am on northiserone for the last year. Before that i used depo which made me so aneamic I nearly had to have a blood transfusion. Then the real fun started. I went on holiday after I got the mirena coil inserted and my body rejected it. i am not joking, the pain was excruciating. I had a uterine haemmorage and was taken to hospital. There they gave me an ultrasound and found a simple cyst 10cm and two very large fibroids. When I got home the local hospital gynae wanted to take everything out. Uterus and one overy/tube. I want to keep the cervix so that sex will be 'normal' afterwards and they don't tell you that orgasms won;t be the same either. I am terrified to get it done but like you its devastating my life and my partners.