Does anyone have really heavy periods every 2-3 weeks?

[TinyGang]

I'm starting to feel quite drained by this. I see threads here from people with very long cycles or irregular ones. I have the opposite problem. Very regular but too frequent.

The doctor has offered medication, but it'd be hormone based but at 41 I want to get away from that.

Is there anything natural I could use that might help at all? Tia

Just came on to sympathise as I'm not quite the same as you - I'm an 'irregular' usually (pregnant at the mo though). But in the past I've had a couple of very heavy periods that went on for 6 months without stopping, so I know how draining it can be. I used to feel so unbelievably tired. Homeopathy helped me a lot - made my periods more regular and helped me get pregnant. It would be different remedies since our symptoms/situations are so different, but if you can manage to see a registered homeopath, that might be worth a shot... Sorry not to have more specific advice, but really do have lots of sympathy!

Thank you becster for your kind post and good suggestion. I have a place near to me that does various natural treatments. Maybe I'll give them a try.

I can't imagine how awful a six month period must've been. So pleased you became pregnant Congratulations! I have been lucky that I've managed to conceive ok and have three lovley children.

My cycle has always been short and heavy; but it's getting shorter and worse. My mum had an early menopause with very heavy bleeding - I wonder if it's that

I don't have any advice either, but I'll watch this thread with interest. I was in the shower this morning wondering whether to post the same question! So, yes, I have a heavy period every three weeks. I'm 38 and don't want to take the pill, but I also don't want a heavy period during my holiday. I'm half thinking about the mirena coil, but I might try a homeopath on thebecster's recommendation.

my acupuncturist helped with heavy, painful periods

I also think high doses Vit B6, evening primrose oil and agnus castus vitex could help

think you're best seeing a professional though

oh and start taking flouradix

Tinygang, I'm a couple of years older than and my cycle is also getting shorter and heavier. I've also assumed it's the early stages of the menopause.

Your doctor should be able to give you a blood test to confirm this.

No advice really, just sympathy!

Thanks Twiglett - may I just ask what is flurodex?

I am lucky in that I don't have pain as such with this but I do get awful pmt (never used to get that) and feeling bloated and tender etc. Because I am 'on' so often or due on it seems an ever decreasing circle.

It's very draining - I was up 3 times last night sorting myself out and have to use protection meant for post birth

Like Mrs Muddle (symapthies to you too MrsM) I don't want this dominating holidays. Dh wants us all to go camping this summer. It'd be a nightmare.

iron supplement from health food stores .. very gentle .. non-constipating .. also has B6 and vit C in it

think heavy blood loss increases risk of anaemia and certainly will make you feel washed out

floradix

Thanks so much Twiglett - I'll have a look for some today

Mine got closer together aswell. Also had flooding and would last longer. I found that double the dose of raspberry leaf tablets sorted it out. The standard dose did absolutely nothing. I've also been taking Vitex(agnus castus) and have found that also helps with a lot of the menopause symptoms I'd been having. It could also help with the PMT. However, a word of caution - Vitex can sometimes make flooding worse. This happened a few years ago when I first tried it. So I stopped. However this time I've not had those problems but then I've also had a supply of Raspberry leaf tablets which I take from the first day of bleeding to the last.
Would agree with upping iron intake. Also, take vit c to help absorb the iron. Either use supplements or extra greens. I drink strong nettle tea.

Tiny

Was wondering what medication has been offered to you?.

Why have you not been referred to a gynae, this woul be a far better course of action in my view rather than him just sending you away with pills sigh. Have any blood tests or the like been done to see if you are pre menopausal?.

Heavy bleeding like you describe can sometimes be due to fibroids - has this possiblity ever been mooted?. Heavy blood loss can also bring with it anaemia.

Would return to the GP asap and insist you are referred onto a gynae for further evaluation.

Would use Agnus castus with a degree of caution - it is not wise to self medicate with it as it can make any hormonal imbalances present worse. If you really want to try this (and would suggest as well you do this in conjunction with getting a gynae's opinion on the matter) you seek out a medical herbalist for advice re doseage.

tinygang, the stuff twiglett is talking about is \link{http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/933164.html\Floradix} - that's what it looks like. You can get in independent chemists and health stores.

You need to go back to the GP. I have a similar problem to you and was offered the mirena which was a disaster (for me). We also have a history of early menopause and both my mum and her mum ended up with a full hysterectomy before they were 40. However, for some reason, my GP (and it seems as though a lot are like this) was not interested in doing a hormone check.

I would go back (if I was you) and insist on them doing a hormone check and if they won't, then ask for a referral to a gynae.

You can take pills that can make the bleeding less heavy (think they are called tranxaemic acid, or something like that) but it's probably worth having a full gynae check up if they are so heavy and so frequent.

As I understand it they are reluctant to do the hormone check early in perimenopause because the levels fluctuate quite a bit in the early stages. So the month that the tests were done might be fine but the next month might show up as definite menopausal.
It's a snapshot and unreliable in the early years.

Thanks again to you all for your posts and very good advice and interest. I hadn't thought about asking to see a gynae. I suppose I thought I'd just have to put up with it.

I'm not sure what the doctor was going to give me, but I backed off when I knew it'd be hormone based. Maybe it was a version of the pill - that's used to regulate periods sometimes I understand.

I backed off because I came off Depo (the injection contraceptive), about a year ago. I'm sure it didn't agree with me and was relieved to give it up. The only good side effect was no periods. Mine had always been heavy and frequent but boy have they come back with a vengance!

Funny you should mention fibroids Meerkat. Now I think back, I clearly remember my mum having treatment for them too at about my age - maybe younger.

I think I'm going to have to stop looking for a short term solution here and investigate further.

No, I haven't had a pre-menopause check - I have mentioned about a family history of mum and my grandma too hitting menopause at an early age, but the doctors always seem vague and say I'm a 'bit young'. Think I'm going to have to be a bit more pushy here.

Many thanks again.

Short term solutions are not ideal for long term problems. Its like putting a band aid on an open wound.

Your GP ought to refer you to a gynae - was not too impressed to read that you may have been prescribed something without a diagnosis of the actual problem. If its out of their depth (and tbh many gynae problems are) then a referral letter should be done.

The underlying cause needs to be established and it is certainly in your interests to pursue it. Do not put up with it!!. As someone who suffered from undiagnosed endometriosis for many years beforehand (a gynae diagnosed me as having endo) I feel quite strongly about all this.