Heavy Periods

[wendieann]

For the past year my periods have gotten so bad I use Depends instead of underwear! I can't trust it. I use night time pads on top of the depends. No clots, just lots, and lots of blood. If I cough, sneeze, I can literally feel it pour out.

I have tried using super tampons, but ended up needed the overnight pads as well. Then have to change every 2 hours anyhow. Hense why I no longer use tampons, but just pads/depends.

Its horrible. I have gone to my doctor and he did do blood work, and that looks okay. I am to go for an ultrasound in a few months to check things out.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what did you do? :(

I did have a similar situation, although not quite so severe sounding as you. Did doctor offer to put you on any medication? My heavy bleeding was accompanied by severe pain so I had 3 types of meds, 2 for pain and one which did help to reduce the amount of bleeding. Can't recall the name but I could take a look for you.

If this hasn't been discussed definitely ask your doctor about it.

Yes yes tranexamic acid has been great for me. Can't recommend it enough.

You only take them when you have your period, there is no long-lasting effect.

Do think about going back to the doc and and asking about medication. If tranexamic acid is not suitable for you, there are other drugs you can try such as mefenamic acid.

wendieann,

Blood tests will not detect either fibroids or endometriosis if either are present.
Going for an ultrasound in a few months (!) is not an acceptable course of action for the GP to give you either; you need a gynae referral far sooner than this and I would insist to the GP practice that you are referred. Also you have had such problems for a year now; you should not have to put up with this for further months on end.

The GP needs to refer you to a gynae and asap, gynae issues such as these are more often than not outside a GPs general remit of understanding.

It needs to be determined WHY this is happening, only treating the symptoms does not actually address the underlying problem.

Gasblue: I did try those extra plus ones too, and still found I was changing soo often..they didn't work, that's why I had to use a super pad too.

Ladies: I'll have to check into that tranexamic.

Attila: So, then why did he take blood tests? hmm... He got me in to the ultrasound as soon as I could get an appt. in... I'm surprised he didn't send me to a gynae... I'll be seeing him soon, so will request this!

I told him, how tired I am esp. when I am menstrating. Obviously from lack of blood!

Thanks everyone! This is such a gross feeling....

Just pulled out my paperwork, and I am heading for a "Pelvic/Endovaginal" examination, in the ultrasound department..... on May 29th.

Hi Wendiann,

I have a similar problem, which is become especially bad over the last year or so. I have always suffered from heavy periods, but they have begun to get out of hand. My doctor has done various examinations and I seem to have a very thick womb lining. The suggested solution is to do an endometrial ablation (basically surgical destruction of the womb lining), which is fairly common here in Germany and which I am currently considering.

Hope you find a solution. And yes, it's a gross feeling!

All the best,
TRQ

RedQueen... Thanks! Nice to know others can relate! I hate having to plan my life around my period.... !!! Afraid to go places, esp. around that time...yet, now-a-days I never know. This month, I am a week early..... It's hard for my kids when I can't swim with them in the summer, etc.

Could you go with the transexamic acid until you have your ultrasound. It may make things more bearable until then.

I kind of see where you're coming from as I was bleeding for 3 weeks (was on the pill back to back and my period started all of a sudden after 4 months of no periods at all), then stopped for just over a week and now have been bleeding again for the last 2 weeks. Just to top it all off, I've caught a nasty virus which my 6yo is getting over and has left me all but floored (even after a 2hr sleep this afternoon).

Anyway, I hope you get this sorted OP and feel better. Sometimes you need to politely barge some GP's to get anywhere.

Yes tranexamic acid was the one I had, definitely inquire about it. I had mefanamic acid too, but that was for pain as far as I recall.

I think you need to be quite forceful with some GPs over this kind of thing. I was back and forward to mine over a period of about a year complaining of pain, heavy bleeding and bleeding between periods and was not taken almost as seiously as I would have liked.

All this culminated in me being hospitalised for 5 days because the pain was so severe, I had several investigations under gynae at this point but when they couldn't see anything in bloods, ultrasounds, smears I was once again sent away.

Don't take no for an answer like I did! My mental health suffered terribly as a result of not being taken seriously, so make sure you get an outcome you are happy with!

wendieann,

GP may have done the blood test to see if there are any problems with your hormone levels. Did this person not explain the reason why this was being done?.

It may be worth phoning the ultrasound dept every few days or so to see if there have been any cancellations. May 29th is still quite a long way off and you should be seen sooner than that.

I hope you get answers soon. You will need to be persistant in order to get answers.

therumoursaretrue - what happened to you is truly appalling. How are you now?. Did they not think that endometriosis was a possible cause for the pain?. Also endo does not appear on any blood test, smear or ultrasound scan.

Attila When I was in hospital the girl in the bed opposite had endometriosis and after a comparison of symptoms we both thought that this could be what was causing my problems. It took her 10 years to get a diagnosis! The doctors did not seem overly concerned when I put the possibility forward and said they wanted to wait on smear results before exploring more options. In the meantime I was sent home.

I worried terribly for months that it could be something which would affect fertility and was basically told by a GP that I was "too young" to worry about that and if I had "problems when the time came" they could investigate it then. Absolutely awful when I think about it!

Curently I am 16 weeks pregnant so that was a huge relief after everything, ut the reason I fell pregnant was because I came off the pill in order to see if it was in anyway affecting my (still heavy, painful, every 2 week) periods. So you could say I am no further on really with any sort of diagnosis as it was something which was still bothering me just a few months ago.

OP my advice would be to scream and shout till you get an answer, good luck and I hope everything works out.

I used to take both tranexamic and mefenamic as the tranexamic alone didn't handle it but I think I was far heavier than you by the sound of it. I would need to go to loo literally every 10 minutes on a bad day! Not ideal when you work full time!

I am now ok because I have a mirena but did have internal and external ultrasounds, bloods etc. They couldnt find any real reason .. and just said that sometimes women get problems like this after having children. Definitely ask the dr for tranexamic first .. mefenamic didnt really agree with me but I was willing to try anything!

I had the womb ablation and it was great, no bleeding at all. Unfortunately the lining grows back in 3-4 years and mine has grew into the muscular wall of my womb. I now need a hysterectomy.

I had an MRI scan to check for endo.

bodiddly: I couldn't imagine dealing with this while working full time! As is I start college (going back, yyyyaaa) and I am afraid of this. As I am going for a automotive technician, and I'll be climbing up/down on vehilces all day. I couldn't image bleeding this this!

I plan on going to see my Dr. next week!