Blood thinners and bleeding excessively

[JollyLlama]

Sorry, TMI

I don’t know if anyone has experienced this or any kind Doctors could advise me.

I have been on blood thinners since October as I have a blood clot in my lung during pregnancy and had my baby in November.

I started my first period 2 days ago and it has been beyond horrendous. I’m having to change every 2 hours max, I took my daughter to see santa yesterday and even though I changed an hour before, blood gushed down my leg in a room full of people. I was mortified. And I was wearing the heaviest flow pads you can buy.

I’ve just got up and had to change my clothes 3 times in the night and even though I slept on a towel, it still went through to my bedsheet. The max amount of time I was laying down was 3 hours because I’m up with my baby.

It only dawned on me last night that it could be the blood thinners but the anti coag clinic is shut until at least Tuesday and I don’t know what to do. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do? I’m so worried it’s going to ruin my Christmas as we’re at my in laws and I’m terrified of leaking / gushing with blood and having to keep changing my clothes.

I would also like to add I normally have incredibly heavy periods but this is worse than anything I’ve ever dealt with!

Thanks for any advice in advance

I think you need to phone 111. That's a lot of blood. If you start to feel faint or dizzy etc then please seek urgent medical attention. Is your husband at home?

Yip you definitely need some help, call 111. Is someone with you?

I agree. You need medical help.

Are you still around Jolly? Hopefully you've had some medical advice by now. I hope you feel much better soon

I'm also on blood thinners and I was told to call right away if I had heavy period bleeding. I would definitely call 111

Thanks for the response ladies. 111 advised me to go a&e who sent me over to gyne to rule out any problems post baby. I’m waiting to be seen now.

I’m hoping it’ll be fairly quick being Christmas Eve and no one wants to be here and I can get back to my little ones fast

I had exactly the same thing. On blood thinners whilst and after pregnancy. Did the same as you, was seen by gyane. My first period after giving birth was like you described. Good luck. Hope you get sorted.

@Tiredmum100 was everything all fine once you were seen? Also were they able to give you anything to slow down the flow?

I’m still waiting around for a doctor at the moment but they’re moving people through as fast as they can.

I was given tranexamic acid which really worked.

I hope you've been seen by now

THIS isn’t uncommon when put on thinners for a clot in pregnancy, the first period is usually far and away the worst. Tranexamic acid can really help. Have you been told how long post partum you are planned to stay on them? Hope this settles ASAP but also that you can have the discussion with anticoagulant etc about when you can stop x

I’ve just seen the doctor and they’re discussing what to do now.

I can’t take tranexamic unfortunately because of the blood thinners

Hopefully they have an answer or your bleeding lessens dramatically, and your haemaglobin is okay so you get home shortly xx

Got home not that long ago. They took my blood to check haemoglobin and clotting factors and will call me to come back if anything flags up.

I have a scan on Wednesday to check for retained product from my pregnancy.

Aside from that, the doctor is stumped! She can see how excessive it is but said she can’t do much as I’m on thinners, just to come back Tuesday if I’m still bleeding at the same level.

Would you believe I’m currently wearing not 1, not 2 but 3 sanitary towels! All in a line as it floods so bad it barely has time to absorb anything.

I hope it eases up soon 😬

Aww bless you . Hope it eases up so you can enjoy your baby's first Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Thank you @Tiredmum100 you too

I hope it has calmed down by now! good luck with tomorrow's scan

Oh gosh you poor thing .

Some people use Tena pads as they consider they are more absorbent .

Hope it's sorted soon .Christmas ,baby and this ...so not what you need .

Just an update, it seems to have calmed down and I haven’t bled at all today, how strange!

No phone call to say anything flagged up which is good.

I’m seeing a consultant at the anti coag clinic in January so hopefully they will take me off the thinners and my next period will be normal.

I’ve been on iron tablets and I’m white as a sheet and lethargic but hopefully they will pick me back up quickly too.

Fingers crossed the scan is clear tomorrow and no more bleeding! Just seemed like I expelled several periods worth of blood in 3 days, I’ve never heard of anything like it!

it's quite a lengthy and tricky business getting one's iron levels up .

All that stuff about not taking with tea ( something about the tannin ,or is it caffeine ,binding with the iron and preventing it being absorbed ) and taking it with orange use instead .

There’s me trying to be optimistic! 🙈

Thank you, I’ll try taking it with orange juice instead of coffee (which is my main food group with a toddler and a newborn!)

I take it back. It’s just started back up at least I had a break!

They told you to come back today if still bleeding at same level ,didn't they ...just thinking maybe you should go back ?

Didn't mean to depress you about iron levels ...I think people quite often start to feel better even before their levels are back to what they should be .

take care of yourself ,it must be pretty tough + +

Yes, definitely go back if you're bleeding heavily again. They wouldn't have said that unless they meant it.

If your levels are very low they may need to give you an iron infusion or even a blood transfusion to boost them a bit.

I hope it eases up for good soon

It’s alright @lamettarules I know it can take a while, just hoping for the best and all that

I won’t go back as of yet because it’s not as heavy luckily. I’ll keep an eye on it but I’ve got the scan tomorrow and can pop my head in gyne if it’s still not great.