Very Worried - Period Related - Do I Need a Doctor?

[TheHuntingOfTheSarky]

OK bit of background. I'm 44 with 2 DC. Periods have always been fine, 4-5 days max and regular. Over last 6 months or so they have been heavier but only for 1 day.or so of the period, the other days OK.

Anyway I was due to come on around first week in Dec. Got usual symptoms, sore boobs and emotional but nothing happened. Few days later I got a bit of blood but only 1 tampon worth then it stopped.

Finally started period proper on 18 December and it hasn't stopped since. Normal flow for a week then since then very very heavy, bright red and quite big clots. No pain to speak of but sometimes going through a super plus tampons in 2 hours.

Am definitely not pregnant.

DH thinks doctor won't see me until the bleeding stops as they will do an internal exam. I am worried though as I am losing a lot of blood and it's so unusual for me. I can't get a GP appt til Friday so I am wondering is it serious enough for me to bother the walk in centre? DH thinks not.

Any advice you can give would be great.

Bleeding that would soak through a normal flow pad in an hour is usually deemed to need medical intervention. Personally, I'd be calling 111.

Hope you are ok.

I would phone 111 too. From my experience, gynae aren't too fussed if you are having a period or not (from when I had an examination about a polyp). From the 18th to now is a long time, esp with the heaviness and clots. It could be a peri menopausal thing, but best to get checked out.

As a gynaecologist I think you should ask GP to refer you to gynae OP for scan/ biopsy. You could ask your GP to prescribe something to help lighten the bleeding in the meantime. HTH

Thanks Wedding. My surgery used to do emergency appointments with a duty doctor but scrapped it and due to the holidays they wont give me an appt until Friday. I suppose the walk-in centre can't do much in the meantime?

Eat well to maintain iron and fluids. Multi vitamins. I had flow like that for ages, it wasn't seen as urgent. If it gets heavier, then get seen.

It sounds as if you are peri-menopause. Missing a period, almost, then having another one that's heavy. Typical peri signs. You're a bit on the young side, but it's quite possible. You can be given meds to help stem the flow, but did you know that OTC Ibuprofen also does the same? Try taking some as directed.

Personally, I don't think one tampon in 2 hours is anything serious. But if it goes on for 2 weeks you may become anaemic.

How long pklme? Did you get a diagnosis?

I hope it stops soon as I am tired of being up every hour or two overnight even when I use a towel and a tampon. Then I start worrying and it takes even longer to get to sleep

This is the treatment- usually Tranexamic acid. You can BUY IT over the counter at Boots etc.

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Periods-heavy/Pages/Treatment.aspx

Meanwhile, Ibuprofen may help.

It will be hormonal. You may have a fibroid or polyp which would be seen on a scan but the fact you missed a cycle almost shows it's hormonal.

An internal exam will be a waste of time - it can only show a fibroid and even then your GP would need to refer you for an assessment.

One option is the Pill or HRT which could regulate your cycles so you don't miss one then have a blood bath!

Try not to worry, it sounds similar to What happened to me this time Last year. Period started just after Christmas Day and didn't stop 🤔. It seemed the be pouring out at times. Doctor gave me some contraceptive pills which more or less stopped the bleeding within a day or two and sent Me for an internal ultra sound scan which I had within a couple of weeks to check for Fibroids of which there was one. They did notice that the lining of my womb was very thick, but Nothing very untoward and doctor thought it was a hormonal thing. I was 44 too. She did however arrange for a D&C which involved a general anaesthetic a few weeks later to be absolutely sure nothing sinister and all came back clear. I had a cool fitted at the same time as the D&C which took a while to settle down ( irregular bleeding, spotting for around 6 months) but pretty much all back to normal now.

Had similar around this age. Lightish bleeding would drag on for weeks and there were some very heavy episodes although none that lasted longer than a day or two. Sounds like perimenopause and it can go on a few years.

I would get it checked sooner rather than later as the heavy episode has gone on a while and you are losing so much.

Thank you everyone I'm very grateful for the advice and similar histories. Obviously anything involving so much blood is distressing and I'm glad to hear it's not just me! I will take some Ibuprofen and try to get an earlier GP appointment if I can xx

I forgot about ibuprofen! It definitely helps. I bled constantly, though not always heavily, for well over a year. They took out the coil which was supposed to have stopped it and I thought I might die the bleeding was so heavy. Since then just very irregular and at times very heavy. But as long as we can keep iron up, it doesn't seem to be considered a big deal

Good luck