Painful heavy periods

[JDFK]

Hi guys

Just looking for a bit of advice!

I have always had issues with my periods, they have always been really heavy and seem to be constant I am lucky to have a couple days a month where I am not on my period. As you can imagine it affects my life drastically work, socially, my relationship etc I've seen my gp a couple of times regarding this and they send me away with a blood form and I never get followed up or any proper treatment, I have begged for tests to be done and to get a referral to gynaecology but I never seem to get anywhere. I am anaemic and have other issues due to this.

Over the last couple of days my period has become very painful and heavy, I am used to difficult periods as I have been dealing with Them for about 8 years but this is very intense and like nothing I have experienced before.

I have been changing towels quite frequently (currently using night time towels for extra support) and been having a lot of clotting. For example I had an hours nap and woke up in a lot of pain and had leaked everywhere Currently laying in bed with heated blanket on feeling very faint and not sure what to do.

Any tips or advice for me please?

Thank you in advance xxx

Go to the doctor and take a diary of your symptoms. Ask to be referred to a gynaecologist!

Definitely go to the GP and push to see a gynae again. I struggled with these symptoms for 5 years and when I got pregnant I found out it was down to fibroids.

Some GPs are not all that helpful at all unfortunately when it comes to such issues.

Your GP does need to refer you to a gynaecologist asap. If your GP practice is unhelpful and remains so then I would change GP practice.

In the meantime I would keep a daily symptom and pain diary (note pain on scale from 1-10). This will give the gynaecologist clues.

Endometriosis can cause such problems to arise. If that is the root cause of your issue then it is not picked up through blood tests; it is usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy. I am thinking endo here due to the pain.

You will need to be persistent in order to get answers; do not be fobbed off any more by the GP just sending you off for blood tests. Why were these never followed up?.

Thank you every body for the advice

AttilaTheMeercat -my gp surgery isn't that great, whenever I pay them a visit I see someone new and no one bothers to read my history. I explain myself thoroughly on every visit and they try to fob me of and ask me to take paracetamol. They say my problems are generic and loads of women go through it, the last time I visited they point blank refused to refer me to a gynaecologist and called me a "hospital know it all" as I work within the NHS. They said it's good to have regular blood test so the doctor sent me away with a blood form and ask me to write anything suspicious down ..

I'm beyond fed up with them because I am really suffering. Maybe it's time to change my gp surgery! Thank you

I had similar symptoms, which got worse over the last few years. An ultrasound showed no fibroid, endometriosis or internal issue, though I did have an ovarian cyst. I was anaemic, abnormally tired and sometimes had to change tampon and pad every half hour. As a teacher I told GP I just couldn't cope any more. At first I was given tranexamic acid but this didn't help. The final straw was the day I was flooding all day at work with orange sized clots and after 8hrs I was lightheaded and faint. NHS direct called an ambulance. I was given Noresthisterone which stopped my periods for 4 months. I was quickly referred to a gynaecologist and offered a IUD or an endometrial ablation. I decided on the latter as I have 3 children and didn't plan on any more. I had the procedure done in July (and they also removed the ovarian cyst at the same time )and haven't had a period since. I feel so much better and I can do my job and function normally. It was well worth it.
What I would say to you is don't get fobbed off. Keep going back and say that you can't carry on your normal life like this. There are many things you can try. Change GP is necessary. Good luck, don't suffer anymore because you don't have to.

JDFK

I would certainly change GP surgeries now given what you have written about them, there is no perhaps or maybe about it either!. They sound absolutely dreadful and a waste of time.

You need a referral to a gynae and your problems are not something that any woman should put up with. Severe period pains are not normal at all.
Hope you complained at the time about being called a "hospital know it all" to their PCT.

Both fibroids and endometriosis can cause heavy bleeding to arise; both should be looked for. However, blood tests and internal ultrasounds will not detect endometriosis if this is the root cause. You need further evaluation by a gynae and nothing less than this will do now.

Do not be fobbed off, you will need to be persistent in order to get answers.

'An ultrasound showed no fibroid, endometriosis or internal issue'
An ultrasound wouldn't show endometriosis. You really need a lap to be able to confirm this.

OP, keep making a nuisance of yourself at the GP surgery until they refer you. Request second opinions, swap GPs, complain to PALs. It's awful that you have to kick up a fuss but being in that much pain isn't normal.

Could be endometriosis I have the whole heavy painful periods and gynaecologic done key hole to see what was going on and it was endo xx