Heavy periods. 1 year after baby. Off to Drs tomorrow. What should I be asking?

[FrostyGlassSlipper]

Hi there,

I have a history of heavy periods and long, irregular cycles. Was on the pill for 10 years from age 17 as a result.

Had DD2 a year ago. Periods came back in August. Very heavy, not too painful (I think that may be due to mooncup), very long. So far I have had 4 periods ranging from 13-18 days.

I have also been having savage PMT.

I am going to the Dr tomorrow as I am not convinced they should be this heavy, or that I should be so hormonal. I expect he will advise the pill or tell me it is my body getting back to normal after the baby.

Before I have my appointment I'd like to know what I should be asking? Is there an alternative than the pill?

We talked about mirena coil at my 6 week check which he was happy to prescribe but I chickened out.

Advice welcome.

And when I say the period was 13-18 days I mean the bleeding. The cycles have been about 25 days.

I went with similiar problems, very heavy, very painful. And I was prescribed with mefanemicacid (sp) which helps with pain and reduces blood flow as well apparently.

I had that drug too and found it fairly good at reducing the amount of blood loss.

I can't quite figure out how it does reduce blood flow though, I mean where does the blood go..?

That's interesting. Does it have an impact on your hormones? I cant afford to get any more emotional tbh.

No idea FGS...but Ben and Jerrys is on two for £5 in Tesco if that helps

Hope the Dr has some answers for you.

Thanks Indith. DH is out tonight otherwise I might have sent him....

I´d be interested to hear how you get on FGS.

I am having a similar thing and went to Drs last week. To be honest found him worse than useless, his attitude being oh some woman are just like that

He prescribed some tablets but I came out feeling really frustrated not to mention worried...

Hope you get it sorted

Anyone else?

FGS, I know I keep banging on about it, but the Mirena has been a godsend for me. No periods at all (and I was a really heavy, long bleeder too), and it has had no impact on my emotional state. The pill turned me into a complete monster after DD1.

It is painful when it is being inserted, but nothing afterwards.

I would think that you should ask whether a scan to see whether fibroids are there.

Also ask for blood test to see whether anaemic because apparently low iron levels can increase blood flow. I know that sounds bizarre but that was what I was told.

I had both these conditions (still have fibroids) and once I got my iron levels up my periods got better and now using mooncup are much shorter. Also went to see homeopath which helped.

I don't get such big clots now - at one point I passed a clot about the size of a small saucer (sorry is that TMI). That was probably my lowest point and at that time was just off on a weekend to Paris!!!!

Really don't want hysterectomy/myomectomy (they were offered but with no pressure) and am pleased to have got them under better control.

Hope it goes well.

Scuse weird name I name changed and haven't worked out how to change back in a hurry!!!

I suffer quite badly with heavy periods too. drs were not helpful for me either. Hope it gets sorted FGS.

Indith I may have to request that your earlier post is deleted. I'm trying to wean DH off Ben and Jerrys!

All sorts of things can cause it. Quite a few solutions. I've had Endometrial ablation, but that means I can't have any more babies (not that I'd want to - I'm 46!) While I was waiting to have it done I was prescribed Tranexamic Acid. It encourages clotting and it made quite a big difference. One thing to remember is NOT to use Aspirin-based painkillers as they make your blood thinner so you will bleed even more.

I was on another thread about this recently and someone raved about the mirena coil.

Heavy periods are defined as needing tampon or pad changed more frequently than once per hour.

Thanks everyone. My appointment is this afternoon so I'll see how I get on.

I am having to change my mooncup evey hour-2 hours (it is full) for the first 3 days of period, and wear a sanitary towel in case it leaks and then every 2-3 hours for days 4-8 and then about every 4 hours from day 8 onwards.

FGS, no advice really, no experience but...my BF had a lot of problems with extended bleeding and hardly any non-bleeding days in her cycle, and eventually gave up on her GP and went to an acupuncturist/homeopath. Sorted. Not sure about homeopathy (each to his own, I prefer acupuncture) but if you don't get anywhere with GP, maybe worth trying alternative therapies??

Meantime, I would probably ask GP for some hormone tests - just in case your progesterone levels are low, and you are getting break-through bleeding because of it.

Ok, so back from Drs and he was great.

He is going to do a blood test for anaemia and also thyroid problems. When the results come back he wants me to book another appt with him to talk about them and also to have an internal (eek!) so he can check it all out.

Then he said we could discuss next steps. He suggested Mirena or Pill could be open to me depending on what we find and whether or not I want more children.

So, blood test booked for next week...

Glad your Doc was helpful FGS. Hopefully things are now moving in the right direction towards getting sorted

Hope you don´t mind me asking...have your periods and PMT gotten worse since having babies...?

Ooo... there was a thing on Woman's Hour on this topic fairly recently... will see if I can find it on their listen again section...

Here you go:

Episode Download

WHHealth: Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: 28 Nov 2007

It?s estimated that around one in ten women will suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding at some time in their life. It?s a condition which can be extremely debilitating and disruptive ? forcing a woman to arrange her life around her periods. At the beginning of this year, NICE ? the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence ? issued guidelines regarding the types treatment which should be offered. Jenni talks to Alison Dean about her experience of the condition and to Professor Jenny Higham, who's a Consultant Gynaecologist from Imperial College, London about what can be done.

Duration: 8mins | File Size: 4MB

FGS, glad your doc is moving things forward for you.

Blood tests all came back fine, internal showed nothing and so I'm going on the combined pill to see if it will help regulate cycles and reduce blood loss. I have to think of contraception anyway so hopefully this will fix both....