Menstrual Blood Not Flushing Down Toilet

[pdb]

I have heavy periods, heavy so that most of it is gone in two days and leaving the house during those two days is near impossible.

The last 4 periods I've had though, the blood won't flush! It typically takes 3 flushes and a load of bleach to make it go away each time.

Is this something normal that people just don't talk about? I can't find anything after an internet search. I don't know if I should be concerned or if its just part of getting older.

FYI any other bodily fluids etc. are flushing away perfectly normally so I don't think its the toilet.

Happens to me too!
Not sure if I've ever talked about it either.

I'm quite - er - clotty, and this appears to be what lingers.

Before you sit down, put some toilet paper into the bowl - it catches the blood and makes it easier to flush

Btw, you should probably go and see your GP if your periods are so heavy you can't leave the house

Thanks for the reply, yes I have many clots too, perhaps this is the lingering stuff? I just wory because the night-time trips are disruptive enough for everyone without me flushing the toilet extra times and I don't want the kids to be scared if they see it eek!

Have you tried putting some tissue into the loo first so it's not collecting at the bottom?

It would be a good idea to pop and see your GP if you haven't already. You control your life, not your periods. There's medication they can prescribe to 'lighten the load' so to speak. They should try to find out why they are so bad too and make sure you're not anaemic.

x post with tante.

There's a lot of things that can cause a heavy flow and a lot of things that can help. Do go and see your GP. If he/she's not on the ball ask for a referral to the menstral (no idea how to spell it) disorders clinic at the hospital.

Thanks Tanterose - see it takes another woman to come up with a solution, so obvious lol see why didn't my husband suggest that. Thanks so much!!

With regards to it being so heavy the two options ive been offered are the pill/coil (which I don't) or metaphanic?? acid pills, trouble is you have take them at a precise time and I always forget.

I've just kind of learned to live with it.

It does sound as if seeing your GP to discuss if you need a gynae referral.

One common cause of heavy clotty periods (especially if you have children and are getting older) is adenomyosis. Unfortunately, that can't be cured, but the symptoms can be treated.

I am anaemic, back on iron pills again. I don't think thers much more they can do.

I've not heard of adenomyosis, will look that up, thanks

I get a lot if clotting at times and similar flushing problems - loo roll down first works but nerd to remember!

Mefenamic acid (ponstan) - I used to take that when I was young and it relieved crippling period pain as well as reduced the flow. I've been thinking of asking the GP about it again actually.

It's like a variant endometriosis, where it grows into the wall of the uterus (rather than in random places) and that seems to cause clots.

It's a diagnosis of exclusion - so it's a case of getting a complete gynae check to rule out other possible causes.

Ok just looked up adenomyosis and do have a lot of those symptoms, currently being treated for Fibromyalgia for some of this so maybe just a co-incidence?

Ok well I feel relieved i'm not abnormal, I shall make sure I add the paper before I go, and next time I see the gp I will mention its gotten worse and see what they suggest.

Thankyou so much everyone for your replies x x

I've been taking cerazette since October. It's really helped. You don't have to take them at exactly the same time every day, there's a window of 12 hours or something It's easy to take it in the morning when I'm making breakfast. It's reduced my bleeding by something like 85% (now slightly heavy, as in half fill a pad, for a few hours then light for 4 days rather than very heavy, as in flood the bed at night and need to change three times, for three days, medium for 5 days and light for another 11 days. No wonder I was anaemic).

Mefanamic acid doesn't do much, it's Tranexamic acid that you need. You could do with them investigating why they are so heavy and why you have clots.

^"as in flood the bed at night and need to change three times" That should say three times a night, not three times in x days Sorry.

Loo roll in the bowl - genius!

You will all be delighted to know that I will have the opportunity to try this multiple times today. Yay.

If you have had all of your children it might be worth looking into an endometrial ablation. I had one and it has changed my life.

< Hazel.

Btw: sorry for mild diversion, but a mooncup user has posted on the thread, and it got me wondering - how well do mooncups cope with (sometimes quite large) clots?

Mooncup copes better with clots than a tampon in my experience.

Mooncups can hold quite a lot - I don't get all that much clotting but the clots that I've had, the mooncup can deal with them. Also sometimes when I take the mooncup out, the clots kind of fall out, having been held back by the cup IYSWIM

So it all sort of flushes out with the suction of the cup...

Very heavy periods are infinitely easier to cope with since I swapped to a Mooncup. Like the OP, I used to be unable to go far from home for a day or two per month - even the school run was dodgy.

Now I don't even think about it - I'll happily go out all day, any day. And I don't need to sleep on old towels to protect my lovely white bedding any more.

Can you tell I my Mooncup?

LadyMary

Tranexamic acid has totally transformed my very heavy periods - they are still very clotty but I'm not leaking/ having to change super-duper plus & towel every 30-40 mins peak flow and I can more or less sleep through the night having taken 2 tablets. Previously up every 90 mins or so to change throughout the night.

I know the cause to my niagra flow, I have a couple of small but annoying fibroids. It's worth getting things checked, especially if you're getting naff all sleep and can't leave the house. There's things that they can do but some GP's need a prod. It's not normal to bleed like this, really it isn't.

My periods are light since having my second child however I still have the same problem with not being able to flush.

I had terrible periods until a few years ago, I was in agony and couldn't leave the house. I would faint and vomit too. Doctors wouldn't take me seriously they said there was nothing they could do because I wanted children. I'm sure if it was another condition causing you to feel so ill they would look for a solution.

I'm so nervous each month as I don't know whether my lighter periods are permanent or whether I will eventually return to how I was.