Heavy periods, would this worry you?

[mummytowillow]

I'm 45 and started my period last night, since I've got back from school run at 3.30 until about 10 I've soaked through 6 super plus extra tampons and pads.

This happens every period and gets me down. I've been to GP for tests and I'm not menopausal but did have an iron level of 7, so I'm on iron tablets.

I'm on edge at work or when out and about in case I leak, and it costs a fortune in sanpro.

I'm sitting here knowing I'll be up at least three times in the night to change and it makes me miserable.

I can't go on the pill or have mirena, so don't know where to go with it all. Thinking of ablation but terrified of GA plus it won't get rid of the horrendous ovulation pain I get to!

Any suggestions of what worked for you please.

I had similar - going through the tampons that are like small duvets in 10 minutes - and I did have an ablation. And no period in nearly 2 years since which is bliss!
You have my sympathy because it is grim and I was worried about a GA but it was worth it.

Will your GP now refer you to a gynae; fibroids for instance can cause such heavy bleeding to arise and endometriosis can also do this as well. I'd be asking for a referral.

Ovulation pain as well should in any event not be horrible either, what is happening there?.

Would you consider a mooncup? My bleeding became horrendous aged 40. I was leaking constantly. I now use a mooncup and I swear I wish I'd heard of it years ago.

I had ablation done under local which could be an option if it's the GA that worries you. I wasn't a barrel of laughs but not too bad and I was glad not to have to recover from a GA. I had it on the Friday and was back at work on the Monday.

Ultimately it didn't work for me and an ultrasound eventually showed big fibroids (wish I'd had ultrasound sooner - would have saved me a lot of faffing around!) and I eventually had a hysterectomy which solved the problem once and for all, thank goodness as it was so debilitating every month. I had days when I could barely leave the house - awful!

I agree you need a gynae appointment. You shouldn't have to suffer this every month.

Have you had an ultrasound? Gp could refer you for one in the meantime and save a bit of time - otherwise the gynae has to refer to ultrasound which, in my area, was another six week wait.

Have you seen a gynae?

I was given tablets to reduce the bleeding which helped a bit (tranaxemic acid?)
I was sent to have a scan to check for causes like fibroids
Ultimately I had ablation, took a while to recover, 4 years on and still virtually no bleeding - the odd "skid mark" on my pants type of thing!!!

I had this and it was polyps on my womb lining. However it can be a sign of more sinister things so it's always best to get checked out.

You can take tranexamic acid (on prescription or you can buy from boots over the counter), or ibuprofen will work if taken from the start of your period to lessen the flow.

But basically you need to find out what's causing the bleeding.

Tena lady pads are excellent and may mean you get a whole nights sleep or can go out for longer periods without worrying about leaking.

Good luck!

Mooncup was better than tampax etc. too btw.

You do need to insist on a referral though as it's not normal and needs to be investigated.

I agree please get a referral to a gynae. I put up with similar problems for years and got really rundown and ill. Fibroids were the culprit and after a hysterectomy life has been transformed.

Good luck

With a Hb as low as 7 you should easily get a gynae referral. In the meantime try Tenalady nighttime towels for work and when out. They are designed for urine flow and so cope better than san towels or tampax with the gushing that comes with heavy periods. I think if you go down the mooncup route you will be emptying it hourly.

My mum is like this and she had the coil put in. She says she is gutted she didn't do it years ago!

Im the same, with heavy bleeding and iron level of 7. I was advised to have a mirena coil but unfortunately with my first mirena period I bled so heavily that it came out! I now live on tramexamic acid for the first 5 days of my period.

I've had the same problems and am now booked for an ablation - it doesn't need GA. I really, really hope it sorts me out. I had to beg the GP to refer me to a gynae (why don't GPs want to do anything?) when I was going through two super pads in an hour, even on the transexamic acid.

Get a gynae referral. In the meantime take the ibruprofen as mentioned above and take at least 300mg of Magnesium at night.

I had to empty my moon cup every 40 minutes so that was hopeless for me. I got referred to a menstrual disorders clinuc but they just offered me the mirena again.

It's also worth asking about bleeding disorders if you have any other related symptoms like brusing easily www.womenbleedtoo.org.uk/index.php?pub_content_id=4

Gynae told me to take ibuprofen 3 times a day (so max daily dose) for 3 days running up to period and during period. I found this reduced bleeding by half at least. But you have to take it before it starts to have the full effect.

My mum had this . it was fibroids in her case and had them removed

18 months ago I could have written this post. After years of being fobbed off by the GP I insisted on a gynae referral.

A hysteroscopy showed I had a large fibroid in my womb. I had it removed under GA but it really wasn't too bad. I still have periods but they are incredibly light, and totally manageable.

Do please insist on a gynae referral.

Iron tablets are a waste of time with such a low haemoglobin level and continued bleeding. They work extremely slowly and will not compensate for heavy blood loss.

Hi. Prescription level iron and over the counter vitamin c was necessary for me. Being anaemic is very dangerous in itself and you should take it but my gp warned me it could take up to 6 months to return to normal levels. Not taking it is definitely not an option.

Another fan of tena lady here. I bought it on boots website at first because I was embarrassed but now I just don't care!

But! Get investigated too.