Depo or Inplanon used to stop heavy periods?

[ThreeFroglets]

Apologies for the long post.....

Has anyone got any experience of this? Does it work?

I've had heavy, long, painful periods for the last 12 or so years. I would like a hysterectomy, but I cannot have one except for as a very, very last resort. This is because I have had two c-sections, second one didn't heal so a massive hernia developed. Had this repaired with mesh, it didn't work, the mesh got stuck to my bowel and the hernia was back. The whole c-section scar was breaking down so I had a major repair where they removed as much mesh as possible, lots of scar tissue and adhesions and stitched the whole lot back up, over-lapping the muscles. This has left me with pain, muscle and nerve damage. So, I am now considered very high risk :(

I saw a very nice gynae doc this week and she has put me on Mefamnic Acid and Tranaxemic Acid, I have tried these before (they make me sick, plus the bleeding starts again as soon as I stop taking them) but she'd like me to try them again. So far I have tried:

The Pill....had to come off because it was giving migraines and acne (and still had heavy bleeding anyway).
The Mirena Coil.......I bled for 9 months straight and begged to have it taken out.
Thermal Ablation x 2......first time no periods for 8 months, then they came back just as heavy but longer and more erratic. Second time hasn't worked at all.
3 monthly Hormone Injection to induce menopause....effective (horrible hot flushes though!) but cannot be used for more than a year, I've had it twice, a few years ago.
Norethisterone.....not effective, still had heavy bleeding.

At the moment my periods are lasting 7-10 days, sometimes longer, very heavy for 4-5 then lighter, then heavy again. They are also incredibly painful, made worse by the scar pain, and I get an awful dragging pain....the best way to describe it is similar to the feeling when you have a D&V bug and you have been on the toilet all day....it's like my insides are going to fall out.

So, if the M an T acid doesn't work, or it makes me too sick, the Gynae has said I should consider depo or implanon because it might work with my slighter shorter periods since the last ablation and make them lighter....however, i am worried that I will just bleed all the time like the Mirena, but I am willing to give it a go.

My only other option after this is Uterine artery embolisation........this blocks the arteries in the womb, but only has a 60% success rate.

So, has anyone tried either of these not as a contraceptive, but to make periods lighter? Did it work? How long did it take to settle?

Thanks in advance :)

Endometriosis can cause both heavy and painful bleeding to arise and what they have prescribed you is only treating the symptoms and not the root cause. Has the word endometriosis ever been mentioned to you?.

Adhesions are sticky strands that tether organs together and can cause pain as well. You may well need further surgery, drug treatments on their own do not touch adhesions once they are formed.

I think a second opinion from another gynae consultant is now warranted.

On Depo (1 year) and then Implanon / Nexplanon (4 years) I haven't had a single period.

I am also heavy and erratic, and although M and T acids worked enough to make things bearable, this is bliss!

Thanks for replying :)

No-one has ever mentioned endometriosis. As this has been on-going I have seen dozens of consultants who were male and of the opinion that I should just put up with either heavy bleeding or constant bleeding from the Mirena. I have googled the symptoms and they don't really fit...I had no trouble conceiving quickly three times. I do however get pain from my waist down to the tops of my thighs. My periods have always been heavy, but have got worse since my first c-section 12 years ago.

It was only agreed that the c-section/hernia repair surgeries had caused problems and pain in 2012, after ten years.
And, now everyone is in agreement that I can not have any more operations because it is too risky.....the Gynae is worried that if they gave me a hysterectomy then it would leave me with more nerve damage inside, not just on the outer scar. As well as the possibility of poor healing and another hernia developing. I have just had my second steroid injection for the pain, which helps but does not take away all the pain from inside, just the area where the scar is. My internal scar tissue is very bad, it feels like an iron bar in my stomach. I also have fibroids. And lots of adhesions from all the surgeries.
So, the Gynae said they would ONLY operate as a very last resort, and not for heavy bleeding alone.

The Gynae team I am seeing at the moment have been very nice, actually believed me and agreed that I should not have to put up with heavy bleeding, and are trying to help so I am at last getting somewhere. My mum had her menapause at 57, so I could be looking at another 20 years of this!

Thanks trinitybleu.....that's great to hear you've had good results! I found mostly bad reports when I did a search!

I also feel pregnant v easily (just the once without protection and boom! Must have been a 14 day cycle ....) so hopefully it'll be good for you too. I know lots of people don't get on with it but it's a god send to me.